A pleasantly cool morning at Fly Flatts with full cloud on a light ENE>2 at 12 degrees. By 0845 hrs the sun was trying to break through but luckily failed going back to full cloud.
A steady but pleasing morning with no new waders as yet so just down to the pair of breeding Common Sandpipers and 5 juv Lapwing on the shore. Several LBB and Herring gulls >NE with a few LBB and Black Headed gulls on the water.
The female Tufted was near the west bank with her 4 young who were once again constantly diving and are growing well.
Plenty Swallows and Swifts over the water but only one juv Wheatear seen this morning. The very pale phase Buzzard that frequents up here flew over Tattie Pie Hill landing on a rock in the bracken, its very white head and breast standing out as I scoped it but way out of camera range.
Just as I was tackling up at knocking off time I saw a falcon approaching from the west which looked wrong for Kestrel. A quick grab of the camera and shot 30 photos off in the 3 seconds it took to go passed over the centre of the water before disappearing over the wind turbines.
Looking through the viewfinder my thoughts were Peregrine or Hobby but thanks to the killer fast auto focus of the Canon 7d Mk2 I got the pics that I wanted of a juvenile Peregrine with a well streaked breast but very little brown in the wings showing mostly grey so not a very young bird.
Peregrine is always a good bird to see but not one I want at Fly Flatts with waders around. This bird was probably attracted by the flocks of Goldfinch and Linnets around as well as the Swallows and Swifts.
A similar forecast for tomorrow with part cloud and sunshine on a light NE starting off at 12 degrees and peaking at 19.
BS