Fly Flatts, a.m. (no public access other than north public footpath)

 FLY FLATTS                        2 pair of Greylag present

                                        1 of 2 Reed Bunting

                                         Single Ring Ouzel still present.

                                      1 of 2 Redshank in the ponds.

                                          Noisy Raven

 From back garden p.m.        several Herring gulls very high >W

                     Local Crow nest building.

Another poor reservoir watching day weather wise with 0% cloud and full sun on a light E>2 at 12 degrees.
              The single remaining Ring Ouzel was still in the boatyard along with 2 Reed Buntings and a very aggressive male Blackbird chasing everything in sight. I,m slowly converting the Bentley workers up there into birds and they now tell me where abouts the Ring Ouzel is as I arrive.
             My first Snipe of the year was chipping this morning and flew briefly over the reed beds before dropping out of sight.
The ponds held 2 pair of Greylags and 2 Redshank as well as the pair of Pied Wagtails, otherwise it was down to Mallards, Mipits and Canadas with a lull on small waders and Wheatear. The single male Wheatear I had left with the Ring Ouzels a few days ago.
On the way back up the track a Raven was on carrion across in the field but flew before I could snap it on the ground.
                        An afternoon of garden duties as well as playing ball with the dogs and sky watching which isnt easy doing all 3 at once. Very little moving in the still bright skies apart from a few small groups of Herring gulls very high and >W which I would have missed if they had,nt been calling.
A pair of local Crows are busy nest building in a tall conifer which seems an unusual place for crows to nest.
Several small black looking butterflies were moving over the garden in threes and fours very fast and none stopping so I couldnt get a good look at them and knowing nothing about moths and butterflies I,ve no idea what they were other than they were very dark in colour and smaller than a small Tortoiseshell.

Fly Flatts
1 Ring Ouzel
2 Reed Bunting
1 Snipe
2 Redshank
4 Greylag
1 Raven.
BS..............only day 3 of lock down and getting very miffed off.

Ring Ouzel hanging on at Fly Flatts and a new visitor for Leeshaw

 FLY FLATTS                   1 remaining Ring Ouzel

                                       1 of 2 distant Oystercatchers

                                         2 Redshank present

                                             Alive with Meadow Pipits

                                                  1 of 3 Reed Bunting

 LEESHAW                         1 male Tufted

                                    24 Oystercatchers present

                                       Oyks galore.

            New visitor, Bar Headed Goose

 First found yesterday by Michael Kelly, from Haworth

                                 Lesser Black Backed gull

                                               Herring.

Another bright day with too much sun, too much heat and too little wind to make a good reservoir watching day but pleasant to be out in apart from the swarms of midges. A very light SW>2 turning SE>3.
         Just one Ring Ouzel remains at Fly Flatts now but still giving good views around the boatyard. I expected it gone today but despite it being moved around by the male Blackbird it seemed more settled than yesterday. Two Redshank and 2 Oystercatchers were out on the islands but no sign of the Ringed Plover today.
                                 The temperature at Leeshaw had risen to an uncomfortable 17 degrees on a light SE>3 but very active with good numbers of Greylag and Canadas along with a newcomer in the form of a Bar Headed Goose which was in a distant field but then came down to the water. This species is becoming an annual sighting with possibly the same bird the previous 3 years at both Leeshaw and Fly Flatts but short stays both times. The single Pink Footed goose was also still present in with the Greylags.
               A high count of Oystercatchers with 24 present along with 3 Redshank and over 150 Lapwing but only 2 Curlew today.
No shoreline here and Ringstone closed so its going to be down to Fly Flatts for waders unless there are any of the Calderdale reservoirs over the ridge showing shoreline and maybe Ringstone can be viewed from the road?  Possibly Keighley Moor reservoir has shoreline which IH will keep us up to date on.
 Thanks to Michael Kelly for the shout on the Bar Headed Goose which was well worth  going to see.

Fly Flatts
1m Ring Ouzel
2 Redshank
2 Oystercatchers
3 Reed Bunting
1m Blackbird, nesting.
+ usual sp.

Leeshaw
1 Bar Headed Goose
1 Pink Footed goose
3 Redshank
24 Oystercatchers
1 m Tufted
2 Herring gull
1 Lesser Black Backed gull
+ usual sp.
BS

Fly Flatts,( no public access other than north track.)

                    Just 1 Ring Ouzel remaining now

                1 Ringed Plover showing at distance.

First day of lock down and already I,m climbing the walls and pacing around like a caged bear.
I,ll still be doing Fly Flatts but now down to once a day to stick in the guide lines, either morning or late afternoon depending on the weather and hoping that a whisper I got this morning doesnt happen where YW may stop access to all their reservoirs. All RSPB bird reserves are now closed for the foreseeable future.
                            This mornings visit found another good weather day but too nice to be bird friendly with full sunshine on a S>4 at 2 degrees.
                            Only 1 Ring Ouzel to be found in the boatyard which was seen off by the male Blackbird, which I now believe to be breeding, sending it across the ponds onto the south shore not to be re located. Possible this bird is ready for moving on as it was much more flighty than usual. I,ve had 5 together and 2 seperate birds making 7 moving through in the last week with still chance of more to come.
                     One Ringed Plover was still present but like all the birds this morning it was keeping its distance, they must be self isolating. Peregrine, Buzzard and Raven were in the sky along with a good move of Jackdaws all high and >W whilst 2 Reed Bunting were present.
                    With no shopping and no late afternoon birding session today I,ve done that many jobs at home I,ll struggle to find something to do tomorrow.

To all my blog watchers, keep safe, keep well and we,ll get through this and come out the other side.

Fly Flatts
1 Ring Ouzel
1 Ringed Plover
1 Buzzard
1 Peregrine
2 Raven
82 Jackdaw.....................>W
2 Reed Bunting
2 Greylag
1m Blackbird
+ usual species

Raggalds Flood
2 m Wheatear
15 Lapwings
several Rooks
BS

Wallowing in Ouzels.

                 1st bird of the morning, 1 of 3 Ring Ouzels
                    just inside the top gate.

                                            Herring gull on the shore

                                       1 of 2 Ringed Plover

            Female Blackbird looking like  breeding.

                                  Another 2 Ring Ouzels in the boatyard.

                                Female Pied Wagtail, male nearby.

Another bright and dry day at Fly Flatts with the wind SE>4 as yesterday at minus 1 degrees this morning freezing all the SE ponds.
                                                   An early morning wake up as I turned into the track with a male Ring Ouzel right in front of me along with two more males a bit further down the track.
A quick check of the boatyard found the other 2 still in the same area so a dash back up the track to find the 3 still there. Not a bad start to the day with 5 male Ring Ouzels.
I think the 3 at the top of the track were probably flushed from the Slade area where the moss planters were walking down over the Flat Moor, and the birds had gone by mid morning.
                                                  A walk on to the NE corner produced 2 Ringed Plover and 3 Redshank along with several Lapwings on the shoreline. A Buzzard and a Peregrine were high over the moor whilst a pair of Blackbirds and a pair of Pied Wags were in the boatyard looking ready for nesting.
           Late afternoon was a bit less hectic with just the usual 2 Ring Ouzels in the boatyard and only 1 Ringed Plover could be found but with such an area to cover it could quiet easily have been missed.
A single Herring gull was on the shoreline whilst a Reed Bunting was in the reeds.
            Good to see that MB got a Ring Ouzel in the boatyard watching from the top road and thanks to DW for reporting 2 Redshank on the Raggalds Flood.
           I hope this threatened lock down doesnt come just as things are getting going up at Fly otherwise I,ll have to go up there disguised as a sheep.

Fly Flatts
5 Ring Ouzel , yes 5, not a misprint
2 Ringed Plover
3 Redshank
1 Reed Bunting
1 Herring gull
1 Buzzard
1 Peregrine
1 pr Blackbird
1 pr Pied Wagtail.
+ usual sp.
BS