Patch perseverance pays off, Fly Flatts

                                    1 of 3 Wheatear
 

                                    Kestrel family outing

                                                Four

                                        Five

                                        Six

                                2 of 3 Greenshank, mega distant in heat shimmer

An ideal weather morning at Fly Flatts with early mist soon clearing to leave cloudy sunshine on a light W>2 at 14 degrees.

   One of those well awaited mornings today with firstly 3 Wheatear along the south bank along with 2 Oystercatchers but no sign of Dunlin. A walk half way along the west bank seemed quiet until a family of 6 Kestrel arrived, all interacting over the banking before drifting off over the moor to the north.

    A check around the compound produced just the usual Pied Wags, Goldfinch and Mipits so I headed along the east bank to check the peninsular area. Half way on I scoped across to the NW corner by the inlet and picked up 2 Greenshank so a dash on to the peninsular to try to get in range though they were still well out of camera range and in a ton of heat shimmer. 

     A few minutes after, the YW van drove on the west bank and as it got near the birds the two, plus a third Greenshank, flushed and lifted off high to the NW. Thinking that was it I hung on until YW had gone and amazingly one and then the other 2 returned to the same spot.

   A quick dash back to the car and drove up to the top road to get a phone signal to ring Lynda and request an extension, which was granted, so back down to the water and a walk on the west bank in hopes of  getting in range to age the birds and hopefully some photos.

    Half way on the banking depression set in when I saw a women dog walker had walked along the public right of way track with 6 off the lead dogs passing very near to where the birds were. I continued on to the last bend and checked through the scope, nothing. In a final hope I walked to the very end of the west bank in case they were in the overflow but nothing and no signs scoping the entire shore.

   A bit disappointing but still a good sighting to to have now had 4 Greenshank present on my patch this year so far.

    A case of possible sunshine and showers for the morning on a light westerly at 14 degrees.

BS

     

   

Back to Fly Flatts

 

A hazy start to the morning but soon lifted to leave 40% cloud with some blue sky and sunshine on a light NW>2 turning N>2 at 15 degrees. Full cloud cover by 1000 hrs.

     Another of those hard work mornings scouring the whole of the shore and islands as well as the water and sky. The problem now is, wader-wise, the water is so low, exposing so much shore and islands as well as causeways out into the water, there are so many hiding places among the trenches and stones, plus all the shorelines are now so far away making most of the birding a scoping job, not helped by the heat shimmer.

   Having said all that, I did manage to find 2 Dunlin briefly, 1 Oystercatcher and 3 Wheatear. The Wheatear being 2 juvs and an adult in full autumn plumage but again, very distant and flighty.

      Just 2 adult LBB gulls on the north shore, one of which had retained its bright pink legs.

Other than that the usual Goldfinch, Mipit, Pied Wag etc.

   Another morning of the same tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a light Westerly at 15 degrees.

BS

     

     

A breezy Fly Flatts/ Ogden

 

FLY FLATTS            Speckled Greylag has 3 fledged all white.

                                    1 of 2 Oystercatcher

                                    Distant Buzzard

                                Flushed with YW van.

                                        Few LBB gulls >NW

                                    Pied Wag feeding a 3rd brood.

                                    Single Lapwing present.

OGDEN, p.m.            Several LBBs

                                Single Common with eye problem

                                    Mix of LBB, Herring and Black Headed.

                                    1 juv Heron.

A very windy Fly Flatts early morn with a moderate to strong NW>5-6 with full cloud at 14 degrees and hazy over the moor.

    Hard work this morning with the wind wafting the scope around and a job to hold the bins steady. Very little about with just 2 Oystercatchers and a Lapwing on the wader scene whilst a few LBB gulls and Swallows headed >NW into the wind and 2 Black Headed on the water.

    A Buzzard was on a distant post then a rock pile whilst a second bird was soaring high over the moor.

Otherwise, down to the usual Goldfinch, Mipits and Pied Wagtails etc.

     With a poor morning and Lynda not wanting to go out I did an extended dog walk to check the Ogden west bank gull situation which produced around 80 LBB, 15 Herring, c 50 Black Headed and a single Common gull. No sign of Yellow Legged which have been poor, in what is usually the peak month, with just single sightings at Ogden, NK,BS. and 2 sightings of probably the same bird at Fly Flatts, BS. A Med gull sighting is imminent with August being the peak month, occasionally turning up at Ogden but more often found by MP at Thornton.

     Otherwise at Ogden, 1 juv Heron, 1 Cormorant and 1 Oystercatcher plus the usual species and good to bump into NK doing the rounds.

 A similar forecast for tomorrow with cloudy sunshine but a lighter NNW wind at 15 degrees. A slight chance of some light showers.

BS

     

Fly Flatts in the drizzle.

 

                                    2 of 5 Oystercatchers

                                    East bank

                                    Plenty Goldfinch

Another pleasant weather morning at Fly Flatts with a moderate NW>4 at 14 degrees with full cloud and light drizzle throughout.

   Once again, the overnight fog on the tops had cleared by 0700 hrs leaving Fly Flatts hazy but pleasant enough, in what I call excellent reservoir conditions, though the drizzle failed to drop anything down.

     Only the one Common Sandpiper found this morning but 5 Oystercatchers were on the east bank, these being mainly juvs.

     No gull movement today with just a single LBB on the water whilst 2 SEO and 3 Kestrel were airborne. Nothing else of note other than the usual compound full of Goldfinch, Mipits, Pied Wagtails and a single Stonechat. At least 20 Pied Wagtail are present, mainly juvs, but only a single Grey and a White so far and no Yellow as yet, though Yellow are scarce at this site and only singles have been seen during Aug/Sept in previous years.

    Showing cloudy sunshine for morning on a light NW at 13 degrees followed by a cloudy afternoon.

BS

     

   

A better morn at Fly Flatts.

 

                                    3 of 5 Oystercatchers + LBB gull.

                                A cracking year for Pied Wagtails

                                    Skies full of Goldfinch

                                Unwanted visitor, juv Peregrine

                                    A lot to learn yet.

                                    You can't pick up a Canada Goose.

                                        Having a re-think on that idea.

Perfect conditions at Fly Flatts this morning for the third day running with 60% cloud and some sun on a light W>2 at 16 degrees.

     Much more activity this morning with a juvenile Peregrine low over the water fancying its chances with a Canada goose and then a lame attempt at the Oystercatchers but went away hungry. It was later see very high up harassing moving Swifts with around 20 Swifts, c40 House Martin and 15 Swallows all >S in migration mode and mega high up.

     Just a single Common Sandpiper this morning as well as 3 adult and 2 juv Oystercatcher on the shore as well as 4 Black Headed gull, whilst 12 LBB gull headed >NW.

     The compound and lagoon area was buzzing with Goldfinch, Pied Wagtail and Mipits along with a single Willow Warbler and 1 juv Wheatear. A Buzzard and 2 Raven were present throughout.

  The hirundine and Swift movement will qualify for my first Trektellen  vis mig entry of the season.

        Looking like a bit cloudy and wet tomorrow on a moderate westerly kicking off at 14 degrees.

BS