A bright clear sunny morning on the tops at Fly Flatts with lots of misty haze in the valleys. A light SE>2 increasing 3 at 1 degree with a heavy ground frost.
A bit of a livelier start off until the wind increased putting it back on hold. Around 50 Lapwing were airborne over the Flat Moor whilst a single Redshank was present by the lagoon as well as just 2 Oystercatchers and 3 Curlew. Its looking as if the Ringed Plover has got fed up of waiting for its mate to appear and moved on to pastures new. The water is still at the top with the valve only slightly opened to keep the stream running so the level is only going down very slowly and will soon fill up when any rain appears.
Around 200 Canadas present now along with 30 Greylag and a few Mallard on and around the water
and all local waters seem clear of Whoopers today. Nothing skyward other than a few Meadow Pipits, 2 Raven and a single Skylark, the latter heading high and >SE. At least 12 Skylark were in the usual field below Nolstar as I drove home.
With a spare hour, plus the dogs to walk, early afternoon I headed for Ogden with thoughts of a Chiffchaff in Passerine Alley. I should have known better than to tackle Ogden on a sunny afternoon with Ogden Lane near gridlocked, the car park heaving, and a mass of people walking round.
Just 8 Black Headed gull on the water and 5 Common, whilst Passerine Alley and the east bank produced 2 Blue Tit. At least my note book will last a long time. Do any birders still carry a note book as I do, they used to be an essential item of birding equipment but seem to be a thing of the past now. Unfortunately I'm useless at sketching but I've seen some amazing notebooks with excellently detailed
bird drawings in. MCs is one to die for. I suppose that with long lens cameras there is little need for sketching.
Another cracking day promised for tomorrow with plenty sunshine on a very light ESE, starting off at 4 degrees.
BS