Fog, Torrential rain and Thunderstorms, just another day at Fly Flatts, (no public access).

  Photos in the mist, 10 Teal new in today.

                                               South shore

    Afternoon, a bit brighter, Teal on the North shore.

A real weird day weather wise at Fly Flatts with skies as black as night on arrival, some of the darkest clouds I,ve ever seen bringing torrential rain showers with thunder and lightening but bird able between the showers on a light >ENE breeze.  As I was leaving late morning a massive white bank of fog crept over the Nab ending up blanking out the horizon 360 degrees like a huge circle and leaving the reservoir clear in the centre.
                                              The afternoon was calm with the wind turned S>2 with rolling fog patches with one moment clear and the next fog.
                                                 My first sighting of the morning was 11 ducks by the north shore but unidentifiable in the dark conditions but one further out in the water stood out as a female Wigeon.
Needing to get along the west bank to check them out I started to walk up the south shore wondering about the weather as the rain was just starting and I didnt want to get on the west bank looking at the frightening sky. Suddenly a flash and a clap of thunder decided the problem for me as I made a dash back to the car. With the dogs in the back I stood under the tailgate out of the rain but had to jump in the car as the rain came down in sheets cutting visibility to a few yards.
                                              Within 15 minutes it had passed over so a dash to the east bank just in time to see the ducks lift off and fly over the water. There were 10 Teal and one Wigeon, the latter heading off >W and the Teal landing on the south shore, still present late afternoon but back across to the north shore.
The Tufted ducks were still on the water but down to 6 whilst at least 5 Wheatear were present around the shores. Very little moving but Mipits started coming over well after the last heavy downpour.

Vis Mig
3 Reed Bunting.......................>W
3 Swallow..............................>S
88 Mipits...............................>SE
9 Herring gull.......................>SW
21 LBB gull.........................>SW
1f Wigeon............................>W   after leaving the water.

Present
10 Teal
6 Tufted duck
4 LBB gull
11 Canadas
2 Barnacle geese
5 Mallard
5 Wheatear
BS

More Pinks and a first for Fly Flatts, (no public access).

                                        Meadow Pipits powering through

                                           Juv Ringed Plover

                                            Ad Ringed Plover

                                           18 Pink Footed Geese >NW

                                15 Lapwings in from the west

                                         On the south shore.

           A first for Fly Flatts, Bar Headed Goose.

A worrying start to the morning with thick fog on the way up there but this soon became patchy with several banks moving through leaving the water and the western ridge visible but no visibility to the east and south east with hazy sunshine. A strong SE>5 was blowing with a temp of 7 degrees.
By late afternoon the wind had eased slightly to SE>4 and temp up to 20 degrees in a 0/8 okt sky.
                                                         No Scoter today with just 5 Tufted on the water. Mipits were coming through but only in small numbers whilst Swallows piled through not starting until mid way through the watch all very low skimming the water. Half way on the west bank a scan of the north shore found a single juv Ringed Plover then when walking back another scan failed to find the juv but an adult was present. The north shore now has several channels where waders can just disappear into.
        A single quiet call made me look up to find a skein of 18 Pink Footed geese overhead high and >NW whilst 15 Lapwing came in from the west to settle on the south shore staying throughout the day.
       Skies were quiet in the afternoon with no signs of the Ringed Plovers though several Wheatears were on the mud with a count of 9 in total around the area.
         From opposite the boat house on the west bank I scanned the shore in front of the boathouse through the bins counting the Lapwings in among the Canadas when one of the geese struck me as being very white but I put it down to one preening showing its white underside. Not being happy I set up the scope to find a Bar Headed goose, a first for this location.
         It was then a dash around to the boatyard where the geese were now on the water drifting towards the north shore but near enough for a few record shots.
        Bar Headed Goose is one of those controversial species with the question of, is it tickable or not but as I dont do an annual list that problem doesnt concern me.  Although they originate from escapees there are now several feral birds around the country spreading in the wild mixing with Canadas and Greylags but whatever, its my 129th species for Fly Flatts.
       Despite the strong wind and fog a great day at Fly Flatts.

Vis Mig
83 Mipits...................................>SE
10 LBB gull..............................>SW
1 Herring gull...........................>S
18 Pink Footed Geese..............>NW
74 Swallows.............................>S

Present
2 Ringed Plover
1 Bar Headed Goose
7 Canada Goose
9 Wheatear
15 Lapwing
5 Tufted duck
Sev Mipits
BS

Quiet vis mig but star prize on the water, Common Scoter. Fly Flatts, (no public access).

                                   Still 6 Wheatear present

                                           7 Tufted Duck

             Drake Common Scoter was nearly missed in
                           with the Tufted.

  Excuse number of images but an irresistible bird.

   On guard, it did this regular.

                                  A quick fly round the water

                                         high into the sun

                                          and back down to land.

                                            Spruce up time

                          Dodgy characters on the top road!

                                   DJS                                           DP

With high pressure , clear blue skies and sunshine ruling the weather yet again it slowed any vis mig movement well down with very little in the sky.
                                                           A walk on the west bank hoping for a wader proved fruitless with just Mipits, Wheatears and Canadas on the shoreline and 8 Tufted on the water, or so I thought.
Half way on I stopped to take some Wheatear photos and I saw that all 8 Tufted were clumped together think that must be worth a photo but looking through Big Bertha one of the birds looked very dark and as it turned sideways, Common Scoter. The first on the water this year with just one early fly over previously. This is the first year I,ve missed having them on the water in June, July and August.
            A few record distant shots with the bird slap between me and the sun so a dash round to the east bank to get the sun behind me but then of course the bird had moved near the opposite bank and near out of range.
With time now expired I hoped that the bird would stay until late afternoon when I could get back on the west bank with the sun behind me.
                       Luckily as I arrived in the afternoon the bird was still present but out in the middle. Back on the west bank conditions were near perfect with the bird in range, the sun behind me and my shadow pointing straight at the bird.  Top bird photographer Arthur Morris always states to photograph a bird your shadow must be pointing at the bird and you must catch the light in its eye to make it look alive, neither of which is always possible.
                       The only problem here was the Scoter was asleep with its head tucked under its wing so it was a matter of waiting....and waiting......and waiting till finally I decided to walk the rest of the west bank. Luckily as I got half way back the bird was alert and very mobile after its sleep, bathing and stretching and then giving me the bonus of a fly around the reservoir before landing again and started diving. A long wait but worth it in the end.

Vis Mig
18 Woodpigeons......................>SW
123 Mipits...............................>SW
8 Siskin...................................>W
3 Mistle Thrush ......................>W
4 Swallow...............................>W

Present
7 Tufted duck
1 m Common Scoter
6 Wheatear
BS