And still the wind blew, Fly Flatts.

 

                                Ringed Plover still present

                                    In moult

                                    Raven over

                                    Single Common Sandpiper

                                    3 remaining Curlew

                                    3 juv Stonechat

Another wild morning at Fly Flatts with a moderate SW>4 gusting 5 with full dark cloud cover at a mild 16 degrees. Rain showers by 0945 hrs.

    A livelier morning with Common Sandpiper, Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher present as well as 3 Curlew and several Lapwings, mainly juvs.

    Swifts were heading >S as well as a few Swallows whilst a noisy Raven flew north over the Nab.

The groups of Goldfinch and Mipits were frantically feeding on thistle tops but disappointing on the water with Common Scoter late arriving this month. I usually get sightings throughout this month though last year I only had one single sighting here in August. Three juv Stonechat were a bonus.

    Cloudy sunshine for morning with a light WSW for a change at 16 degrees.

BS

Breezy Fly Flatts

 

                                    Several juv Goldfinch

                                    Single juv Oystercatcher

                                    Water level getting very low

                                More islands appearing

                                    Swifts motoring through

                                    Excess of 400 mixed Greylag and Canada

                                    1 pr Stonehat

A very dark damp morning with light drizzle throughout on a moderate SW>5 with a low cloud base and mist over the moor at 10 degrees.

     Only wader found this morning, other than Lapwings, was a single juvenile Oystercatcher with no sign of any remaining Curlew or any other of the Oystercatcher families.

    Swifts were piling through >S along with a few Swallows but otherwise just down to several juv Goldfinch and Meadow Pipits along with 2 LBB gulls.

   A pair of Stonechat were a good find, a species that's been very rare up here and not seen since last October.

    Much of the same weather wise tomorrow with full cloud and light showers on the usual moderate to strong SW starting off at 15 degrees with a chance of hill fog.

BS

Patch number 2, Leeshaw Reservoir./ Ogden,p.m.

 

LEESHAW                        Several LBB gulls

                                    Few Herring

                                    Still 2 Curlew present

                                    Several gulls in moult

                                    1 of 4 Oystercatchers

                                Rooks, Crows and Jackdaws on muck spread field

OGDEN                                West bank

                                    Good collection of gulls

                                    1 of 5 Herring

                                    2 Drake Tufted in eclipse

                                    Single Black Headed

Dense fog on the tops with heavy drizzle on a moderate to strong SW>5 gusting 6 at 13 degrees.

     I risked the road to Leeshaw being open ,which it was, but a nightmare getting there with temporary lights and gridlocked traffic. A bit brighter there with some light showers and sunshine on a slightly less sou'westerly.

    A busy morning though nothing out of the ordinary with the main feature being gulls but keeping anchored down way across on the NW  shore. Several LBBs and a few Herring but no Commons or Black Headed back as yet.

   Lots of Swallows, House and Sand Martin over the water but no Swifts whilst 4 Oystercatchers were mobile around the shore, the Redshanks have gone.

     Just 2 Curlew still present along with several Lapwing whilst a freshly muck spread field was full of

Rooks, Crows, Jackdaws, Woodpigs and Stock Doves. No small passerines other than a couple of Meadow Pipits.

   An extended dog walk early p.m. to do a gull check at Ogden in light drizzle and a strengthening wind. Around 80 LBB and 5 Herring along with a single Black Headed but nothing of note standing out.

    An Oystercatcher was unusual on the west shore along with 5 Heron, all on frog duty, whilst the 2 drake Tufted in eclipse were still on the water.

   Another day of a strong SSW tomorrow with cloud and chance of showers at 12 degrees.

BS