A bright but very windy morning with a near gale SW>6 with full sun at 12 degrees.
Far too windy for Fly Flatts to be productive plus, being Sunday, the wind would bring out the windsurfers so off to Leeshaw. As I got near Oxenhope the road was closed, once again so a turn around and had to settle for Leeming reservoir.
Tons of shore here but not a wader of any description after a full check around the waters edge. Several Black Headed, Herring and Lesser Black Backed gulls were spread around the waters edge but no Common gulls present.
The water held several Mallard, a single Tufted and 2 Cormorants whilst the skies remained empty.
Thinking it was going to be a wasted morning I walked further on the track to find the trees, hedges and brambles were alive with small passerines flitting about in the foliage so the rest of my time was spent checking through the warblers thinking I may find a Spotted Flycatcher or Redstart but not to be.
The numbers were so great it looked like it had been an overnight fall with the majority being Chiffchaffs as well as several Willow Warblers, Long Tailed, Great and Blue Tits, Goldfinch and Chaffinch, as well as Robins, Dunnocks and a juvenile Gt Spotted Woodpecker.
Luckily. this display of passerines saved the morning even though this is not my usual sort of birding.
Tomorrow showing cloudy sunshine with rain showers on a strong S turning SW at 12 degrees.
BS