A bad day follows a good one. Match abandoned.

 With a near gale force wind blowing early morn, heavy horizontal drizzle and fog on the tops, it was down to a very wet dog walk around Foxhill.

   Disappointing not to be able to get up to Fly Flatts whist the big Black Tailed Godwit move is on with a count of 40 at Nosterfield, Ripon as well as 7 fly-overs with several other sites reporting visiting birds.

    It gave me time to reflect on the waders I,ve had so far this year with a count of 14, these being :-

Oystercatcher

Curlew

Lapwing

Snipe

Golden Plover

Redshank

Greenshank

Bar Tailed Godwit

Black Tailed Godwit

Ringed Plover

Common Sandpiper

Dunlin

Wood Sandpiper

Ruff.

 

All these being at Fly Flatts other than the Bar Tailed Godwit which was at Leeshaw. Despite a decent count, Dunlin have been in low numbers and failed to breed as well as Ringed Plover whilst Sanderling missed  altogether as well as Little Ringed Plover although the latter is very scarce at this site.

      Autumn is usual poor for waders at Fly Flatts although in previous years it has provided brief visits from Grey Plover, Green Sandpiper, Knot, Spotted Redshank, Whimbrel, Turnstone and Sanderling, plus returning species which I've had in the spring. With water levels perfect it just a lot of waiting and scoping now through until October though with such a poor spring, I'm not holding my breath.

   A cloudy morning tomorrow with possible light rain and early mist on a lighter WNW at 13 degrees.

BS

    

I love July, Fly Flatts.

 

                                   Star prize, summer plumaged Black Tailed Godwit.

                                    1 of 2 Common Sandpiper

                                Blackwit flying round with Oystercatchers

                                    Usual Ringed Plover

                                    SE shore

                                   Oyks giving it a guided tour.

Another very windy morning with a moderate to strong SW>5 gusting 6 with 80% cloud and some sun at 10 degrees.

    An early morning wake up call as I unlocked the boat compound gates with a cracking summer plumaged Black Tailed Godwit on the slipway. A few quick photos in case it did'nt hang around then parked up, tackled up and off with the camera on the tripod in readiness.

    By this time the bird was in the SE corner in with 4 Oystercatchers which , though noisy, did'nt seem to mind its presence. A few more pics before 3 of the Oyks lifted off along with the Blackwit, which I presumed they had flushed it.

   Amazingly it stuck with the Oyks, flying a circuit before landing on the north shore and nearly out of sight. By the time I'd walked around and checked the usual hotspots the 3 Oyks and Blackwit returned to the south shore staying for around 15 minutes before heading back to the north end.

    2022 since my last Blackwit here, also in July, and also in the SE corner. Other sightings in previous years have all been July apart from 1 May bird and 4 Cold Edge birds in June 2004.

    Otherwise the usual Common Sands, Ringed Plover and 2 LBB gulls a well as several Swifts over.

DJS spent some time mid morning scoping for the Godwit with no joy and then, ironically, NK re-located it along with the Oystercatchers late morning at Ogden, well spotted Nigel, see NKs blog.

     Another wild and windy day tomorrow with a moderate to strong WSW and a chance of  full cloud and rain.

BS

     

Cool and breezy Fly Flatts.

 

                                    2 ad 2 juv Oystercatchers.

                                    Common Sandpiper

                                    Ad with juv

                                    Ringed Plover.

A pleasant morning weatherwise at Fly Flatts with a cool WSW>3 increasing 5 at 12 degrees. 60% cloud with intermittent sunshine.

    Nothing unexpected today with 5 adult and 3 juv Oystercatchers along with 3 adult and 1 juv Common Sandpiper plus the long staying Ringed Plover.

    Several Swifts and Swallows heading >S whilst Meadow Pipits are now increasing as well as several Goldfinch. A distant Buzzard and Short Eared Owl were high up over the moor but Curlew were noticeable by their absence this morning.

    Next target bird now has to be Tern species plus the first returning Wheatears and then hopefully waders near the end of the month.

  Cloudy sunshine for morning at 12 degrees with a moderate SSW getting strong by late afternoon.

BS

Here come the Scoters, Fly Flatts.

 

                                    7m 1f Common Scoter.

                                    Lifted off as soon as the mist cleared

                                        Off >NE  into the drizzle

                                        Ringed Plover still present.

As I looked out of the bedroom window early morn I could see the mist hanging over Fly Flatts with heavy overnight rain leaving full cloud and drizzle on a light, but increasing, WNW>3 at 14 degrees, perfect for the expected Common Scoters.

     On arrival at Fly Flatts it was still light drizzle but the mist was starting to lift with visibility over the water. First scope found a small raft of Common Scoter but very distant in the centre of the water but near the north end.

     A quick tackle up and dogs harnessed and away towards the west bank where another scope found them very restless and looking ready to move as the mist was clearing. A few yards further on the bank I got the camera up on legs to get some record shots in case they lifted off, which was a good move as they suddenly took flight doing a high circuit over the water then disappearing over the Nab >NE.

    With 7 male and 1 female it just equalled my record of 8 from 2023, which was a good year with a total of 18 throughout the season and also birds on Mixenden and Leeshaw.

   Strangely I had no Fly Flatts visitors last year and just the one female briefly on Leeshaw. DJS had the best count for Fly Flatts with 27 on the 4th July 2011.

   Otherwise down to the usual Ringed Plover, 3 Common Sandpiper and 1 juv Oystercatcher plus the usual species with several Swallows moving >S but no Swifts.

    Cloudy sunshine for morning on a moderate westerly kicking off at 12 degrees.

BS

    

A lively start to the month, Fly Flatts.

 

                                    3 of 4 juv Oystercatchers. All bred at Fly Flatts

                                    1 of 3 Common Sandpiper

                                    Few Meadow Pipits about

                                    Juv Oyk and female Ringed Plover

A much more pleasant morning at Fly Flatts with full cloud on a light NNE>2 at 17 degrees.

     A very lively south shore to start off the month with 4 home bred juv Oystercatchers along with 2 adults. The female Ringed Plover is still present as well as 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Curlew and 3 Lapwing. A Short Eared Owl was quartering the distant moor but only a single LBB gull present this morning. The water level is good and the month is right so all I need now is the birds.

   A part cloudy morning for tomorrow with a moderate NW starting off at 12 degrees.

BS

Early morn Ogden check.

 

                                Not usually gulls present on a morning.

                                        LBBs and Herrings

A hot start at 20 degrees on a light SW>2 with full sun.

   A poor morning for birding with firstly a trip to Halifax vets for 0730 hrs with one of the dogs for a dental which set me back £400 when I picked him up. Secondly it was too hot, even at that time, for the other dog so a visit to Ogden for the shade of the trees.

     The info centre/cafe doors were smashed open and the place trashed with the safe missing though a farmer I spoke to up there had found it in his field.

   A surprise to find a number of gulls on the west shore , which is unusual for morning, with LBB and Herring along with a single Black Headed but no Yellow Legged.

  I half expected to see yesterdays 3 Little Egret here but not to be. The 2 eclipse Tufted are still present, possibly unable to fly at the moment as both heavily in moult.

    By 0900 hrs the temperature was rising so up stumps and away.

Slightly more humane weather tomorrow morning starting off at 15 degrees with cloudy sunshine on a light NNW.

BS