Inland wader movement begins, but not for Fly Flatts as yet,(no public access)

                                          Gulls and geese, north bay

                                                        The central island.

                                       juv Lapwing nearing adult plumage

     Best I could do today was another Dunlin new in.

                                     Plenty Redshank and young.

A pleasing morning weather wise with full cloud cover on a light SE>3 at 16 degrees. Unfortunately the forecast for heavy rain and thunderstorms disappointingly never materialized leaving another sleepy, too hot, afternoon. The nearest we got storm wise was a few half hearted rumbles of thunder and a slarting of rain which was barely enough to fill mi cap.
                                                            With an inland move of waders, now,s the time to get yourself a reservoir and keep a regular check on it as the next 2 month is the time to pick up a newcomer or two.
                                                             The best I could do today was a third Dunlin new in joining yesterdays 2 arrivals. Around 150 big gulls were out on the peninsular with LBBs now well outnumbering Herrings by 80% to 20% which is a good time to check for Yellow Legged Herring which usually turn up here among the Lessers. A single Black Headed looked out of place in amongst the crowd.

Fly Flatts
3 Redshank
4 Common Sandpiper
1 Oyk
1 pr Ringed Plover + 2 fledged juvs at 27 days old.
3 Dunlin
6 Golden Plover
1 BHG gull
1 m Tufted
+ usual sp.
BS
                                                           

Are things starting to happen. Fly Flatts (no public access)

                                     Golden Plovers in the top field.

                                         2 new arrivals, Dunlin

        juv Ringed Plovers still keeping well out on the shoreline

                                    Only flying short distances.

                                       Both Barnacles present

                  Male Ringed Plover often visits the SE ponds.

A good mornings birding before the real hot stuff started with clear blue skies at 18 degrees on a E>4  with good visibility. The late afternoon session was just a formality with the heat turned up to 27 degrees but luckily the wind had increased to E>5 keeping it cooler as long as I stayed on the top of the banking in order to get the full force.
                                                             With 2 Little Ringed Plovers briefly yesterday and 2 Dunlin today maybe things are moving slightly, hopefully boosted by tomorrows rain and thunderstorms, if they develop. Up to 12 Golden Plover were in the top field whilst a good move of Swifts and Swallows was apparent all fast and >E.
                                                          The 26 day old Ringed Plover juvs are still reluctant to fly far and stay way out on the shoreline whilst the adults are moving around more and leaving them alone for longer periods.
The 2 Dunlin stayed throughout the day using the east then north shoreline.
                                                       There are now 9 small Lapwing chicks running around on the mud watched over by the 4 adults. One today nearly came to grief as the adult male Ringed Plover launched itself at it landing on top of it but luckily it escaped and made a run for it. The RP must have seen it as the threat.
                              Whats strange to me is the gulls are a real threat to the young birds  and the Ringed Plovers keep them at bay even now that they are the same size as the adults yet the adults can walk around feeding in the the middle of 150 big gulls and not get bothered even though a Herring gull could swallow them whole ??

Fly Flatts
2 Dunlin
5 Common Sandpiper
1 Oyk
1 pr Ringed Plover + 2 fledged juvs at 26 days old.
12 Golden Plover
2 Barnacle geese
1 Raven
sev Swallows and Swifts........>E
+ usual sp.
BS

L.R.P.s for Fly Flatts at last but very brief visit.

             The female Ringed Plover after it had seen off the L.R.P.s

                             Common Sandpiper chick in the ponds.

With the month of June and hot sunshine things can,t get any worse for reservoir watching.
Not too bad to start off with this morning on a SW>4 but the temp soon crept up to 20 degrees
and by late afternoon I was looking at 28 degrees, full sun and a multitude of heat distortion all over the shore with the wind turned SE>4 which kept some of the heat down.
                                                             A good start to the morning but could have turned out better if the two new arrivals had stayed. I had only just got out of the car and tackling up when the female Ringed Plover came flying into the pond area making a lot of noise and just as I got the bins on her, up flushed 2 Little Ringed Plover, spiraling very high and away >S.
                                                            Strange how she came from way across the far shoreline to see them off as her 2 juvs were over at the north end, but she obviously saw them as a threat.
Thats the first 2 LRPs at Fly Flatts this year, a species I,d almost given up on after having them visit last year from April to July.
                                           After that it was all downhill with the only newcomer being a Heron trying to land on the north shore but seen off by Lapwings.

Fly Flatts
2 Ringed Plover + 2 chicks at 25 days old
2 Little Ringed Plover, spooked and off high >S
5 Common Sandpiper + 1 chick
2 Oyks
1 Heron
1 Redshank
+ usual sp
BS

Aerial warfare over Fly Flatts (no public access)

                                                    juv Ringed Plover

                                           the 2 juvs 24 days old.

                                                Ravens overhead

                              8 Ravens came over to be attacked by crows

                                                     juv Raven

A decent morning weather wise with full cloud cover on a SW>4 at 10 degrees but the afternoon was hot and sunny at 20 degrees on a SW>5.
                                                 Just the usual species during the morning and all the activity was in the sky late afternoon . Firstly a gang of 8 Raven came over Tattie Pie Hill from the direction of Gorple with at least 2 juvs, only to be met by 6 Crows, 5 Lapwing and 7 Curlew though only the Crows climbed high enough to do battle with them. After about 10 minutes the Ravens headed back over the west ridge and back towards Gorple.
                                                Secondly a Lesser Black Backed gull got too close to an Oystercatcher ,which is holding territory, and was immediately seen off in a mad air battle over the water with the gull giving up and settling back on the north shore.
                                                The last battle of the afternoon was a Kestrel over the top field arousing 4 Curlew and 3 Lapwing sending the raptor off >N.
                                             So at last, something to watch other than scoping for waders which is getting slightly monotonous now , as it always does in June and early July. I know where every wader up there can be found along with every chick and juv and getting to know them on first name terms.
                                              The 4 new Lapwing chicks out in the open mud have surprisingly survived their first night and were still dashing around the mud today whilst the 2 Ringed Plover juvs seem a bit reluctant to fly very far as yet but luckily the adult female is still active and hopefully not going for a second brood.

Fly Flatts
2 Ringed Plover  + 2 fledged juvs at 24 days old
2 Oyk
6 Common Sandpiper
2 Redshank
8 Raven
6 Carrion Crow
1 Kestrel
+ usual sp.
BS

Just when you thought it was all over, more Lapwing chicks arrive.

                          Common Sandpiper guarding the boatyard.

                             Male Ringed Plover on the south shore.

                                  1 of the 2 juv Ringed Plovers

                                               ad and juv.

                                             1 of 2 Oystercatchers.

                                oh no ! another 4 Lapwing chicks

                                          very vulnerable out in the middle of the mud
Fly Flatts.
A bright clear day with a few black clouds but remained dry on a light SSW>4 increasing to moderate SSW>5 by late pm on a temp of 20 degrees.
                                                                     One of the juv Ringed Plovers flew half the length of the reservoir today staying low to the ground. The 2 birds are 23 days old today whilst the adult female is still active with no signs of attempting a second brood.
                                                                   Just as I was beginning to think breeding was nearing an end at Fly Flatts with chicks growing and fledging and getting less vulnerable to predators as well as goslings now a good size, a pair of Lapwing were out in the open in the middle of the mud with 4 very young chicks. Now I,m going to be checking for 4 every day, hopefully they,ll move them to the long grass on the banking top.
                                         A male Merlin zipped over the water fast but showed no interest in the shore birds.

Fly Flatts
1 pr Ringed Plover + 2 juvs at 23 days old.
3 Common Sandpiper
2 Oyk
6 Golden Plover
4 new Lapwing chicks
3 Raven
1 m Merlin
+ usual sp.
BS