Summer Solstice, longest day, Fly Flatts

 

                                        Short Eared Owl

A muggy still morning at Fly Flatts with 50% cloud and sunshine on a light E>3 at 14 degrees.

 Plenty druids up at the sacrifice stones this morning for the summer solstice.

   With the sailing club preparing for Sunday racing I once again stuck to the west bank and as there were a lack of waders, 1 Common Sandpiper and 2 Redshank, I concentrated on the beck and bracken area in search of Whinchat but that never materialized either. Usually by this time of year I have Whinchat and Stonechat along the fence line but the best I could do was a distant Short Eared Owl disappearing towards Castle Carr.

     Just 3 LBB gull on he water along with the mass of geese but none of the half expected Common Scoter present after a report from MC who had a good count yesterday at Fewston reservoir.

    Plenty Swifts over along with 3 Raven but otherwise it really did feel like the longest day today. 

Another hot one tomorrow starting at 15 degrees on a very light SE. Chance of rain p.m.

BS

One of the quiet ones, Fly Flatts

 

                                        2 Buzzards up throughout

A cloudy morning with 70% cloud and sunshine in between on a moderate W>4-5 at 14 degrees.

    Very poor wader wise with the water well up now and a very limited amount of shore with a small area in the SE corner and a narrow strip of mud at the north end which the birds are favouring at the moment.

 With boating members doing a training class in the compound I stuck to the west bank armed with scope to check the north shoreline where just 4 Common Sandpipers were present and a single Oystercatcher with no sign of the Ringed or Little Ringed Plovers from previous visits though with over 400 Canada geese and 60 plus Greylags, scoping was a bit restricted.

    Lesser Black Backed gulls were moving >SW throughout whilst 2 Buzzard were present in all the time I was there. Plenty Swifts and Swallows over the water  with 2 Raven and a few Curlew present whereas most of the Lapwings have now left the area once their offspring had fledged.

   Otherwise, down to the usual species, so really, a quiet morning in all. 

A cloudy sunny morning tomorrow at 12 degrees but dry on a light NE which could spell early morning hill fog.

BS

Leeshaw Reservoir

 

                                    2 Oystercatchers with 2 chicks

                                    126 Greylags on the water

                                    Muscovy duck in the conduit

                                    Several Curlews and chicks

                                    juv Pied Wagtail

                                    Only gull present, 1 Black Headed

A bright sunny morning at Leeshaw reservoir with 20% cloud on a moderate SW>4 at 10 degrees.

   Very little exposed shore and very few waders with just 2 Oystercatchers with 2 chicks along with the usual Curlews and Lapwing with plenty chicks present to both species, some very young and others now fledged.

   The highlight was 2 Little Ringed Plovers with 2 juvs looking, very near, if not fledged, but keeping on the far NW shore with the adults keeping flying around the shoreline but scope able only and poor visibility in the heat shimmer. I could only split them from Ringed Plover in flight with the lack of wing bars.

  Greylag geese greatly outnumbered Canadas with 126 on the water plus more in the fields. Lots of House Martins present over the water along with a few Swallows whilst a white Muscovy duck was an unusual find in the conduit, probably on walk about from one of the nearby farms.

    A dry day expected tomorrow on a light westerly starting off at a too warm 14 degrees.

BS

Fly Flatts.

 

                                Geese, Gulls and Oystercatcher on the peninsular

                                    1 of several Rdeshank

                                    6 Common Sandpiper present

                                    LBB gulls >SW

                                    Swarms of Swifts

                                Male Pied Wagtail having fledged 6 young so far.

A dry dark morning at Fly Flatts with full dark cloud on a moderate SW>4 at  10 degrees but good visibility.

     Several Redshank and Common Sandpiper moving around plus a single Oystercatcher whilst 2 Ringed Plover were scoped on the north shore where just a strip of mud seems to be holding the waders, with very little exposed shore other than that.

     The sky over the water was alive with Swifts feeding whilst a steady flow of Lesser Black Backed gulls headed >SW. Otherwise, a single Stonechat , several Mipits and a rare sighting of a Skylark, not usually found at this venue, plus the usuals including a Buzzard.

    Looking reasonable for tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a moderate SW starting off at 10 degrees. A risk of rain after midday and temp getting into the low 20s.

BS

   

More wet and windy, more Ogden

 

                                    Usual 2 Herons

                                    A second drake Tufted arrived

                                    8 Canadas still present

                                    Single Herring gull

                                    Hungry juv Crow.

A very wet and windy start to the morning so another dog walk at Ogden where the weather soon took up with 90% cloud on a light SW>3 at 12 degrees.

     I could have used yesterdays blog again today with a different title with just the same species showing, other than a second Tufted duck appeared as well as 7 LBB gulls and 1 Herring gull on the water. 

   A Kestrel was over the car park whilst a single Goosander flew over mega high >SE just as I was leaving.

  A good report from birder Richard from yesterday with 2 Avocets at Leeshaw reservoir. Unfortunately I didn't get the e mail till I got home this morning so too late to go and check although, chances are, they would have left overnight.

    A dry morning tomorrow with a light southerly starting off at 12 degrees. Low risk of rain p.m.

BS

   

A look at Ogden below the fog.

 

                                    Juvenile Heron

                                        Adult Heron

                                        1of 3 LBB gulls

                                    Impression of a butterfly !

                                    Single drake Tufted going into moult.

                                    8 Canadas present.

                                several juv Blue Tits on feeders.

As expected this morning, dense fog on the tops, with Ogden slightly hazy but good visibility, with full cloud and dead calm at 10 degrees.

    A juv Heron was in the SW corner whilst an adult was on the shore at the NE end. Just 8 Canada geese and a single drake Tufted duck on and by the water but, despite ample exposed shore, not a single Common Sandpiper or Oystercatcher to be found.

    A full circuit of the water provided lots of  Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Song Thrush song but finding them was another story.

    Back to a good chance of rain and poor visibility in the morning on a moderate SW at 12 degrees, improving after midday.

BS