Another morning of acceptable weather at Fly Flatts with near full cloud and pockets of sun on a light W>3 at 15 degrees.
One of those good mornings where everything fell into place with the only problem being a mass of heat shimmer around the shoreline and even over the water with me deleting 80 of the 130 photos taken. A photographer once put a question on the blog of world famous Florida bird Photographer Arthur Morris asking what could be done about heat shimmer . Arthurs answer was, if there is heat shimmer present the only answer is put your camera in its bag and go home.
First off this morning 6 very noisy LBB gulls were over the top field swooping down at something in the broken walls. After a lot of scanning I found the culprit, a Buzzard perched at the bottom of a broken wall, reluctant to move.
Very lively in the air with 6 Kestrels up together, presumably a family party, whilst the sky was once again filled with Swifts and Swallows wit several LBB and Black Headed gulls moving around.
The very pale phase Buzzard was perched on a distant fence post before heading off over 'Tatty Pie Hill'. Very quiet on the wader scene with just a single Common Sandpiper and a fleeting glimpse of the juv. Due to the shore being empty I walked the west bank to check the bracken for Whinchat which usually appear at this time of year. Luckily it turned out to be a good move finding 1 Willow Warbler, 4 Stonechat and a single Wheatear but all at distance on the fence line below the banking.
A last scan of the water from the south bank before I left produced a very distant and distorted female Common Scoter at the north end of the water and then on the way up the track another 2 Stonechat were moving along the fence posts.
Passing the Nolstar field a Grey Partridge walked across the road in front of me followed by 2 young chicks. A good end to a good morning.
More cloudy sunshine for tomorrow on a light to moderate westerly starting off at 13 degrees and peaking at 19 degrees.
BS