A bright clear morning but a bitter cold SW>5 gusting 6 at 2 degrees with 80% cloud.
Absolutely overwhelming with birds this morning with the highest count of Canada and Greylag geese yet along with a water full of gulls. At one point, when all the geese came onto the water from he fields, along with the gulls, it was standing room only.
Oystercatchers are up to a count of 18 now and the first Redshank has arrived, right on time, making it one week later than 2024 but one week earlier than 2023.
Lapwings are now protecting territory in the fields but only 2 Curlew present as yet. A Little Owl was in its usual position and large flocks of Starlings were very active in the wind.
LEESHAW
4 Pink Footed Geese
c 200 Canada
c 250 Greylag
10 Mallard
18 Oystercatcher
c 50 Lapwing
2 Curlew
c 80 Herring gull
6 LBB gull
c 80 Common gull
c 200 BH gull
1 Redshank
1 Little Owl
+usual sp.
After a call from DJS and shortly after another from a Mixenden resident reporting Whoopers on Mixenden reservoir I bobbed down there late afternoon to check them out. A mix of 12 adult and juvs were luckily within camera range with the sun in the right position, behind me, to get some photos as I peered through the gate. At one point they started head bobbing and became noisy, as if they were ready to go, but then settled down again, some sleeping.
Oddly a Greylag goose was in with the group looking quite settled with then, the swans just accepting it.
A good spot for JJL who sighted them from a very distant Soil Hill late morning and put the word out. Thanks to DJS for the text along with the Mixenden dog walker for letting me know.
Yet another decent sunny morning tomorrow with a lighter SW and kicking off at 6 degrees.
BS