Leeshaw produces. Little Egret.

 

                                    Gulls using the shore

                                A variety of birds

                                    Little Owl at last x 2

                                Star prize. Little Egret

                                    Oystercatchers moving, 9 present

Another morning of my favourite weather conditions for reservoir watching with a moderate SW>4 with full cloud and drizzle showers throughout at 10 degrees.

         Good signs of some movement this morning with the highlight being a Little Egret coming in from the east but keeping to the far side of the water reasonably high. As it looked like it was aiming to land a flock of around 60 Lapwing took to the air flushing the Egret which climbed high and headed off into the wind SW. This is my second Little Egret at this site in 2 weeks.

     Oystercatchers were new in and gathering on the shore with 9 present whilst 2 small waders were distant over the moor heading >SW but too far to I D through the bins, disappearing into the mist clouds before I could get the scope on them. I'm suspecting Dunlin but will have to let them slip the net.

     Very few gulls this morning with 14 LBBs, 1 Herring and 5 Black Headed whilst at least 2 Curlew are still present. The 2 Common Sandpipers were still working the far shore and a surprise to finally get 2 Little Owl after a long absence at this site, where they were a common sight up to a couple of years back.

     Tomorrow shows it as cloudy with a slight chance of showers but the wind could be an issue with a strong westerly reaching near gale force by midday.

BS

Exposed shore at Leeshaw.

 

                                Nice start to the morning, Barn Owl.

                                    Juv Lapwing

                                        Gulls moving through

                                Black Headed and Lesser Black Backed

                                    Nice bit of shore

                                Birds now using the exposed north shore

                                    Plenty young Lapwings.

Another decent morning at Leeshaw reservoir with full cloud on a light NW>2 at 10 degrees with early light rain.

      The gull movement >W continued today but lower numbers with Black Headed out-numbering Lesser Black Backed. Just 3 Curlew present along with 4 Oystercatcher and 2 Common Sandpiper with the north shore now exposed enough for the waders, gulls and geese etc to use.

     Nothing unusual on the water with just Greylag and Canada geese plus Mallards, Cormorant and the long staying female Goosander.

     A Barn Owl was present briefly along with a Cuckoo calling but remaining unseen. Lots of Swallows and House Martins as well as several Goldfinch, Linnets and a single Grey Wagtail.

     With exposed shore for the gulls to use Yellow Legged Herring should be imminent and hopefully a wader or two later in the month.

    Looking like a wet morning on a moderate sou'westerly and only medium visibility but hopefully it will send some Terns through. Its many years ago now when Black Tern were seen at this site.

BS

Start of the month, Leeshaw.

 

                                    LBBs passing through

                                    plus a few Black Headed

                                Goosander in with the young Mallards

Good reservoir watching conditions though poor for photos with dark full cloud and heavy drizzle showers on a light W>3 at 9 degrees.

     Plenty going off this morning with the right sort of weather for reservoir watching with a good count  of  Lesser Black Backed gulls through >W with some stopping off briefly on the water whilst others passed straight through low over the water. An estimate figure of around 200 passed through, the majority being adults. Around 50 Black Headed were among them but no Terns which I was expecting, and strangely no Herring gulls.

     Curlews were also on the move with 8 birds through high and >W with still 2 present along with several Lapwings, the latter being mostly this years birds but still one or two in the fields with late chicks.

     An amazing number of Greylags with goslings this year, both at Leeshaw and Fly Flatts with both Canada and Greylags mostly ready for fledging apart from a small number of late starters. Mallards have also done well at Leeshaw with a good number of almost fledged young.

     A decent amount of exposed shore now, both in the SW corner and along the north bank with 4 Oystercatchers and a single Common Sandpiper present but looking like the annual Little Ringed Plovers have missed this year.

    Lots of Swallows, House Martins Goldfinch and Meadow Pipits around but Whinchat absent so far this year as well as Little Owl, which seem to be on the decline in this area, which was once a hotspot along with several other areas. Last year I only had 1 Little Owl sighting and none this year so far.

    Looking cloudy for morning with a moderate NW so could be another good reservoir morning.

BS