Pleasant but quiet morning, Fly Flatts.

 

                                        Plenty blogging Meadow Pipits.

A glorious morning on the tops with a heavy white ground frost but full sun in a clear blue sky on a light N>2 at 4 degrees.

   To say tomorrow is the peak of vis mig, the skies were empty other than several Mipits but mostly blogging or ground hopping. A good count of 158 LBB gulls on the far north shore along with just 2 Black Headed whilst 8 Pied Wagtail were in the SE corner.

    The water held 27 Canadas and 2 Tufted duck whilst 18 Grey Partridge were in the top field. Once again, Pink Footed Geese have avoided the area despite plenty scanning and scoping.

    Another day of the same tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a light NNW at 6 degrees.

BS

   

Good weather, bad birding. Fly Flatts.

 

                               Few islands left on the south shore

                                    Floating jetty launched.

A glorious morning at Fly Flatts with cloudless blue sky and wall to wall sunshine on a cold NNW>3

at 4 degrees.

   Despite the clear conditions, birding was very poor with next to nothing skyward other than a few Mipits >S. Any activity was on and around the water with 12 Greylags, 5 Canadas and 2 Tufted duck whilst 54 LBB gulls were on the north shore.

   A small count of Mipits were around the rapidly disappearing shoreline and in the compound, along with 2 Pied Wagtail and 7 Stonechat, all very flighty between the compound bushes and fields.

    Perfect conditions for moving Pink Footed Geese but, despite constant sky watching, none to be seen to the north, south and west of the eastern ridge.

   Another bright morning forecast for tomorrow with full sun on a light NNW starting at 4 degrees.

BS.

Not the best of conditions, Fly Flatts.

 

                                As good as it got, across to the west bank

                                     North towards the peninsular

                                    SE corner filling up

                                    across to the SW corner.

A reet wet do this morning with a very low cloud base then fog rolling in with light drizzle turning to heavy rain on a light SW>2 at a warm 14 degrees.

   Needless to say, a very quiet morning with nothing in the bushes or lagoon area. Several Meadow Pipits were grounded around the shoreline as well as several moving below the clous but disorientated heading in no set direction.

   A single Wheatear was on the south shore and 48 LBB gulls were at the north end. Peering through the mist I could just make out 3 dark looking ducks which I suspected to be Tufted, but with the chance of Scoter, I headed on a very wet west bank until I could get them in the scope, but only turned out to be Tufted.

   A brighter day tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a cold NNW kicking off at 6 degrees.

BS

      

Ogden, p.m. visit.

 

                                        East bank

                                    Blast off

                                    West bank

                                    2 of 4 Cormorant.

Full cloud on a light SW>2 at 16 degrees.

With a hospital run this morning I took an extended dog walk midday to Ogden to check the gull situation and see if any of the reported movement of Siskin and Redpoll had stopped off in the Alders.

    Seemed strange walking the track at Ogden in 16 degrees and very light wind, whereas I'm more adapted to early morning birding at around 10 degrees and a good wind.

   Once away from the madness of the car park, cafe and toilet areas it was reasonably public free with little disturbance along the west bank. The annual Chaffinch flock is starting to build with around 30 birds feeding on their favourite weeds on the banking. Hopefully, providing the water stays down below the weeds, winter Bramblings could turn up in with the Chaffinch flock though the water has risen over the weeds in previous years with my last Brambling sighting here being Feb 2017 when good flocks were feeding on the banking. Since then I've just had a single female in November 2022.

     A couple of Chiffchaff were in the waterside trees along with 1 Treecreeper and several Robins. No sign of Siskin or Redpoll though the leaves are still very dense and the Alders are not in fruit as yet. Just a single Raven and Buzzard skyward with still no skeins of Pinks to be seen.

     The main feature today was gulls with a good count of LBBs and Black Headed as well as 16 Herring and around 20 Common. Several of the adult LBBs had retained their pink legs. Should be due a Med gull anytime.

    Looks poor tomorrow with a rain warning and strengthening westerly turning north starting at 14 degrees so at least it will be warm water coming down.

BS.

Big moving day, Fly Flatts

 

                                    Water rising fast

                                    Up to the floating jetty

                                    Water up to the peninsular now

                                Distant LBBs, north shore

                                    2 of 9 Stonechat

                                    Swarms of Meadow Pipits

                                        2 Wheatear present.

A much better morning with cloudy sunshine and good visibility apart from some early scud clouds moving through. A few light showers on a SW>3-4 at 11 degrees.

   A hectic morning with the first real taste of vis mig with Meadow Pipits piling through in good numbers, the largest single flock held 78 birds. My count from over the water and fields was probably only half that passed through with a continuous flow low down over the west moor and impossible to count for a one man operation.

    Swallows and House Martins were heading south whilst the first move of Woodpigeons was apparent, the bulk of this species usually being the last birds through.

    A group of 9 Stonechat was nice along with a Chiffchaff and 2 Wheatear. Meadow Pipits were still coming through as I knocked off at 1000 hrs.

   A similar forecast for tomorrow with sunshine and cloud on  moderate SW a 12 degrees.

Vis Mig

692 Mipits..................................>S

133 Woodpigs............................>SW

327 Swallows............................>S

28 House Martin.......................>S

2 Skylark..................................>S

9 Alba Wagtail.........................>S

3 Reed Bunting........................>S

2 Wheatear..............................blogging

1 Chiffchaff............................blogging

c 50 Mipits.............................blogging

Other

9 Stonechat

48 LBB gull

5 Canada geese

3 Kestrel

+ usual sp.

BS

Bring back the gales. Match abandoned.

 With dense fog and a mix of heavy rain and drizzle on a light SE>2 it was crack on with the decorating which fortunately put me in front of schedule, finishing with the emulsion and starting on the wallpapering.

              A very wet dog walk over Foxhill found 2 Common gull in the park along with the usual Black Headed. A few Blackbirds, which have been absent since just after the breeding season, were in the berry bushes but these were not continentals.

   This time last year I'd had 7 Skeins of Pink Footed Geese over Fly Flatts and Queensbury all heading >E but its going to be a late do this year, especially looking at the weekend forecast with gale force winds and plenty rain.

    More cloud and rain for morning on a moderate sou'westerly at 12 degrees.

BS

   

As forecast, very wet, very windy. Fly Flatts.

 

                                Good contender for a male Greenland Wheatear

                                  Broad eye stripe, buff belly, 7 primary tips.

                                    Good count of LBB gulls on the north shore.

As expected this morning, horrendous conditions at Fly Flatts with a strong W>5 gusting near gale >7

with a continuous flow of torrential showers with very dark clouds. A few glimpses of the sun in between but very short lived, with a temperature of 10 degrees.

    A cracking colourful male Wheatear was on the top fence showing features of a Greenland, leucorhoa, with a full buff belly, broad eye stripe and 7 primary tips.

    A good count of LBB gulls were on the far north shore with 178 present, all heads down to the wind whilst 5 Black Headed were on the water.

   Plenty Mipits around the shore but nothing skyward which was understandable in the blasting wind.

Otherwise very poor, struggling with more heavy showers than clear periods.

   More wet and windy weather for morning with a moderate SSE bringing rain and poor visibility at 10 degrees.

BS

How the wind blew. Leeshaw reservoir.

 

                                    Cormorant and LBB gull, north shore

                                    Steep banking now down into very low water,

                                        Sheltering Little Owl

                                    3 Herring gull

                                    Several Black Headed

                                    Cormorant gulping down a massive Trout

                                    Second Cormorant standing by.

Horrendous conditions at Leeshaw reservoir this morning but I've been out in worse and thought it may bring something maritime through. A very strong WSW>7 gusting strong gale >9 with short bright periods between the blasting showers of hail, rain and drizzle at 10 degrees. Some of the showers so heavy it blanked out all visibility of the water.

     The water is now so low at Leeshaw that most of the shore is high and dry with a deep rocky banking down to the water which is not wader frendly.

    Several gulls present and moving through but all LBB and Black Headed, other than 3 Herring. All the Canadas and Greylags were in the big goose field keeping well down in the grass out of the wind, whilst a single Little Owl was sheltering on the wall.

    Just 2 Mallard on the water as well as 2 Cormorant, one of which was struggling to swallow a good sized Trout. A few Meadow Pipits were flitting about and amazingly several Swallows were heading >SW into the wind, even during the heavy showers.

    Another wet and windy day tomorrow with a moderate westerly but not as strong as today with a start off temp of 11 degrees.

BS.

   

    

Up in the clouds, Fly Flatts

 

                                    As good as it got.

                                    

                                    Long legged colourful Greenland Wheatear

                                    Always among the last coming through

                                            7 primary tips

Dense fog to start with then partially clearing by 0915 but retaining a very low cloud base. A milder morning at 11 degrees on a light SW>2 inc. 3.

     First part of the watch was just a dog walk among hundreds of grounded Meadow Pipits on the shore as well as Goldfinch and 4 Wheatear, one of which was a brilliant long legged Greenland job which made the other 3 look whitewashed.

   As the fog started to lift I checked the north end, via my scope, and just came up with 68 LBB gulls and 3 Canadas, but, as expected, the fog had failed to supply me with any waders.

    With the fog now clearing a massive wave of Mipits took off from around the shore and compound, all heading directly >S.

    Tomorrow looks like a decorating day with a forecast of rain throughout and a strong  WSW

blowing at near gale 32 mph and gusting up to strong gale 50 mph. starting off at 10 degrees.

BS

     

Not an easy task, Fly Flatts.

 

                                        1 of 4 Wheatear

                                Showing a clear 5 primaries of a Northern.

                                    1 of 4 Kestrel

Another of those typical Fly Flatts misty low cloud mornings with full cloud on a cold SW>3 at, the lowest temperature of the autumn, 7 degrees. Light drizzle showers moving over and the cloud not starting to lift until 0945 hrs.

      Once again, no chance of Pinks over with the low loud base and an overnight clear out of most of the Mipits, Stonechats and Wheatear leaving just 4 Wheatear and about 30 Mipits on the shore as well as a few Goldfinch.

    A single Swallow headed >S whilst the usual LBB and BH gulls were on the north shore but in a lower count. A Raven was over the quarry whilst 4 Kestrel were in the air but otherwise, a very poor show for near mid September.

     Showing dry and bright for morning with a moderate SW strengthening as the day goes on at 9 degrees.

BS