Another of those ' good to be alive' mornings on the tops starting with full cloud and haze on a moderate SE4 gusting 5 making it feel freezing cold at 1 degrees. By 0915 hrs the wind was swinging round to the NE with clear skies and some sunshine.
A big move of Whoopers was apparent with 8 on Fly Flatts, 140 on Ogden, DJS text, and
23 on Leeshaw, MC. So Whoopers present on all my 3 main watched reservoirs this morning but none on Mixenden and Cold Edge Dams as I passed early doors.
The Fly Flatts 8 were, as usual, way over in the NW corner and unusual to see them keep getting out of the water and grazing on the north shore.
The cold wind was still keeping the birds down with just the 4 usual Oystercatchers but no sign of the Lapwings from the Flat Moor as well as Redshanks and Ringed Plover, the latter looking like it may have moved on.
A single 2CY Herring gull was on the east bank but otherwise down to Canada, Greylag and Mallard on and around the water. It was March 19th 2023 when the 3 pale bellied Brent geese showed on the west banking so ever hopeful for a repeat.
Thanks to DJS and MC for texts, MC also reporting a 1CY Caspian gull on Redcar Tarn.
A morning of cloudy sunshine on a very light E turning SE kicking off at minus 1 degree. Hopefully the low temperature will keep the fog at bay.
BS