Another quick gull check and last few Swifts moving through.

 

   OGDEN                                         2cy LBB

                                                  Very few ad Herring

                                                               LBB

                                                       1cy Herring

                                                        1 cy Herring;

                                                   Several Commons now.

Another late afternoon quick 30 minutes at Ogden to skim through the gulls but a poor low count today with most of the big gulls already moved on. Several Commons, few Herrings and around 30 LBBs along with c 50 Black Headed.

                            Highlight of the day was 3 Swifts over Foxhill >S in migration mode, possibly the last I,ll get this year. Dread to think what I,m missing at Fly Flatts as the last week in August is usually the peak wader week up there then filtering off during September.

BS

Ogden Gulls

 

                                                 Ogden Gulls

                                                        1cy  LBB

                                              2 cy LBB

                                              1cy Yellow Legged Herring gull

                                                     1cy Herring gull, worn and faded.

                                 

With the housework done, a full line of washing out, and Lynda and the dogs fed and watered Id just time for 30 minutes with the gulls at Ogden late afternoon. A good selection on the east shore so took the most interesting ones which I have,nt had time to go through as yet.

                            The idea is that several 1cy Yellow Legged Herrings and even Caspians are overlooked

by going for the easy option of checking adults gulls, something I,m guilty of , so hopefully this winter I,ll be able to record some 1cys as well as just adults. Ive a pile of notes, drawings and photos collected over the past from MC and KM so with these, and the 3 gull bibles, I,ll give it a bash, plus the usual help from my back up gull team of course.

BS

No blog today

After 9 hours at the hospital today waiting for an eye operation for Lynda no birding so no blog.

Lynda is laid up for the next 7 days having to keep laid down as much as poss so birding is going to be very limited.

Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

BS

Sent from Samsung Mobile on O2

Birding in the fog, Ogden a.m.

 

                                                        1 of 6 Cormorant

                                           Very few morning big gulls  at this site .

                                         9 Commons present

                                              just 4 Herring  this being a 2 cy

                                        Unable to put a name to the front gull as yet

                                    Poor pics in the mist but very dark bird, smaller than 

                                   average LBB with very thin long legs.

                                        Will have to go on gull research for this

                                                        Heron on the north shore.

With thick fog on the tops early morn it was a divert to Ogden where it was misty over the water and heavy drizzle throughout. A very light SE>! at 13 degrees.

                                As expected, very few gulls which is usual in the morning at Ogden with the glut of gulls coming in pre roost mid afternoon. Around 70 Black Headed as well as 9 Commons, 6 LBB and 4 Herring. The smaller looking juv could well turn out to be a LBB though smaller and very long thin legs and a uniform dark plumage.

                           By 0930 the mist had come in thicker so up stumps and home.

1 Swift over Foxhill >S midday.

BS

Fly Flatts,a.m.

 

                                          1 of 7 Stonechat moving through

                                        along with 3 Reed Buntings

                                       This Peregrine on the shore did,nt help matters.

                                       Single Dunlin very flighty due to the Pere.

A decent morning weather wise at Fly Flatts with a light SE>2 with 90% cloud at 13 degrees.

                      Passerines were the highlight this morning, though nothing special, it was good to see Stonechat and Reed Buntings moving through plus a mass of Meadow Pipits and 14 Wheatear.

                       Just 2 waders present with an adult Common Sandpiper and a juv Dunlin, the latter being very flighty before leaving the area due to an unwanted Peregrine on the north shore.

                      Very few gulls this morning with 9 LBB and 12 Black Headed which didnt seem to mind the Peregrines presence.

                       No time for an afternoon session today and hoping that tonights thick fog up here in the Gods clears by morning but with a light SE forecast its not looking good. 

BS

The joy of gull watching.

 

FLY FLATTS                            Yellow Legged Herring gull

                                              Near adult, still showing some brown on primaries

                                       

                                                      Rear bird scratching.

                                                       2 Ravens over

Early morn at Fly Flatts with a moderate W>3 at 10 degrees. Broken cloud and sunshine forming a bright glare making any photography very difficult.

                               The south shore and below the west bank was crawling with Wheatear dashing around like mice on the mud with a minimum count of 29 birds. Mipits are starting to group in big numbers now and 4 Stonechat moved through.

                        Swallows were constantly heading south whilst 2 Raven and a Kestrel were over the quarry.

            A small group of gulls were on the NE mud viewed from a distance across the water from the west bank with 12 adult LBB and a near adult Yellow Legged Herring gull still showing some brown on the primaries and the legs a duller yellow from the outstandingly bright yellow legs of one of the Ogden birds. This being my 8th sighting so far this year of this species though some birds could have been duplicated.

                 A word from KM that his Redcar Tarn near adult Caspian Gull has been seen by him around the local area so possibly only a matter of time before it shows up at Ogden or around the Thornton fields.

         Only a morning session today as it would take a braver man than me to tackle Ogden on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

BS