A very short lived red ball sunrise this morning before it was quickly taken over with low cloud and drizzle throughout the watch on a light WNW>3 at 9 degrees.
Fly Flatts hit an all time low this morning even though the cloud never really affected visibility with a real struggle getting anything at all. Two hours up there produced 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Kestrel, 3 LBB gull and a single lonely Mipit heading >S.
By 0930 hrs I was clock watching and ready for knocking off, though I did stick it out till 1000hrs, just in case.
A free hour early afternoon saw the dogs harnessed up and a quick check on the water at Ogden. Its coming to something when Ogden outweighs Fly Flatts and Leeshaw put together for birds but it did today.
Very few gulls, though I was too early for the pre roost gathering, with 4 Herring, 9 LBB,
12 Common and around 40 Black Headed, all on the east and north bank.
Nothing in the waterside trees, although I only did the west bank as far as the Alders, but a good wildfowl display with a single Wigeon, at least 6 Teal, several Mallard, 1 Goosander and 3 Tufted, along with a Little Grebe. Unfortunately, most of these were down the east side and busy feeding in the weeds.
A nice surprise was a single Red Legged Partridge feeding in the west shore weeds along with Mallards. This was a first of this species at Ogden for me. Probably a TMR bird that's escaped the gunfire.
A brighter day tomorrow after a cloudy start and chance of hill fog on a light westerly at 8 degrees.
BS