Last of the month , Fly Flatts.

 

                                    Curlew watching over chick

                                    Oystercatchers on chick alert.

                                    Taken at 640mm Tripod held.  Canon rig.

                                    3 more white Greylags.

                                    Single Dunlin

                                Tree stumps starting to show, over 200 years old when

                                 this area was a forest. Better shot on header picture with Dunlin.

Another foggy start to the morning with light drizzle but soon cleared to leave full cloud on a light WSW>4 gusting 5 at 11 degrees.

     Very little in wader movement this morning with a pair of Oystercatchers keeping everything away from the SE shore protecting one or more chicks. A pair of Curlews were doing the same down the entrance track.

  Just a single Dunlin and 3 Common Sandpipers plus the usual Redshanks and nothing found when scoping the north shore.

   The white speckled Greylag goose has 3 white and one dark gosling in tow but the other white Greylag seems to have lost her goslings. Plenty Swallows and Swifts again present but only a couple of House Martins.

   The highlight of the watch was whilst I was driving on route early morn when a Long Eared Owl showed itself  briefly before disappearing over the fields. A good finish to the month. Possibly a bit of a lull now, especially wader wise throughout June till the birds start returning. June expectancies are Tern sp. Common Scoter, Yellow Legged Herring gull plus the waders that are breeding on site as well as Dunlins usually keep moving through.

    Back to the strong  SW in the morning blowing moderate to strong with rain forecast for late morning onwards with temp starting at 10 degrees.

BS

More wind and rain, Fly Flatts

 

                            1 pair Oystercatchers protecting chick

                                    Common Sandpiper dodging the waves

                                    Only 3 Dunlin left

                                    Distant Short Eared Owl

                                    Mobbed with Crows.

Another poor start to the morning with mist and very heavy horizontal drizzle brought across on a strong WSW>5 gusting 6. By 0815 hrs the rain and mist cleared leaving full cloud with odd periods of sun but remaining very windy.

     A clear out of small waders leaving 3 Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpiper and 6 Redshank whilst a pair of Oystercatchers were very protective of at least 1 unseen chick. Curlew and Lapwings still have unfledged chicks but only possible 3 Curlew remaining.

   A single Snipe flew over the Flat Moor whilst a Short Eared Owl appeared for my first sighting this year but very distant over the moor being mobbed by Crows. Plenty Swallows, House Martins and Swifts around.

   A Skylark was a rare find in the top field but otherwise down to the usual species. The water level is already rising with the islands part covered so hoping for another dry spell.

A milder, calmer morning forecast for tomorrow with a light SW starting at 10 degrees with cloudy sunshine.

BS

Horrific conditions, Leeshaw reservoir.

 

                                    The only gull through, LBB.

                                    4 Oystercatcher present

Atrocious conditions this morning at Leeshaw reservoir with thick fog on the tops leaving Leeshaw just below the cloud base with a strong SW>5 gusting 6 bringing continuous heavy horizontal drizzle throughout at 8 degrees.

     I had to get my wader head off this morning and swop it for my gull and tern head as I headed for Leeshaw to get below the fog. Conditions were ideal for moving terns and gulls though this never materialized with just a single LBB gull through >W.

   The only waders, other than Curlew and several Lapwings, were 4 Oystercatchers with no sign of any small waders, even after several thorough scopes of the shore.

   Around 50 Canada geese and 75 Greylag + goslings with a good year for breeding Greylag at this site. A Cuckoo was calling up on Bodkin Rough but remained unseen whilst Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits were moving around the banking top.

    Early p.m. and a Peregrine was soaring in the wind over Matalan, Halifax.

Another morning of  cloud and showers at 13 degrees and chance of more early morning fog despite a moderate to strong WSW.

BS

   

    

Enjoying the Dunlins, Fly Flatts.

 

                                    Minimum of 11 Dunlin

                                        Several Common Sandpiper

                                    Several Redshank

                                    3 pair of Pied Wagtails feeding young.

A pleasant morning at Fly Flatts with full cloud on a light W>4 at 10 degrees. Light rain approaching by knocking off time, 1000hrs.

   Nothing new on the wader scene but at least 11 Dunlin moving around between the north and south shore as well as several Redshank and Common Sandpiper. Scoping the north shore produced a few less waders than yesterday with around 11 of yesterdays 19 Dunlin found. Fly Flatts always does well for Dunlin in the spring time as long as the water level is down although I only had 2 last year with the water level to the top. When the reservoir was drained for repairs in 2019 I had regular spring counts of over 20 Dunlin, peaking at 48 birds present on the 29th May 2019. I also get at least 1 sub species 'Arctica' through most years, possibly more, but hard to identify if their plumage is not in prime condition. 

  A single LBB gull was on the water  whilst several Swallows and Swifts were drifting >S. Three pair of Pied Wagtails are now feeding young, possible some of the birds that were reared here last year.

  Back to cloud and rain tomorrow on a strong sou'westerly and showing poor visibility.

BS