Another misty start to the morning with a low cloud base and poor visibility slowly lifting to give full low cloud on a light WSW>3 decreasing 2 with light rain showers at 14 degrees.
A good start off to the morning as I was tackling up with, what I thought was a Buzzard appearing through the mist, being mobbed by a Crow. I grabbed the camera and got some hazy shots as it headed >S over the Flat Moor whilst thinking it was unusual for a Buzzard so early and in a different area to the usual resident Buzzards. What a shock to look at the photos to reveal a Cream Crown Marsh Harrier. Good job I did'nt dismiss it as a Buzzard.
A walk along the west bank revealed very little other than 18 LBB, 3 Herring and 6 Black Headed gulls on the shore and nothing on the water though it was evident that there was a migration move on with LBB gulls heading >SE as well as Mipits moving >S along with swarms of Mipits blogging and some ground-hopping all around the shores, also a few Swallows >S.
On seeing this it was a dash back to the compound to check the bushes for migrants which paid dividends with Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting, Wren, Stonechat and Wheatear in the bushes and around the fencing. At last a taste of September.
Looking decent for tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a light WSW at 10 degrees with chance of an odd shower.
Vis Mig.
1 CC Marsh Harrier......................>S
38 LBB.........................................>SE
42 Meadow Pipits........................>S
11 Swallow..................................>S
Present
3 Herring gull
18 LBB gull
6 BH gull
c150 Meadow Pipit
2 Chiffchaff
4 Willow Warbler
7 Stonechat
5 Wheatear
9 Reed Bunting
30 Goldfinch
1 Grey Wagtail
4 Wren
1 Kestrel
BS