Fate played a hand in a mega at Fly Flatts.

 

                        Welcome visitor, Black Redstart.

                            Brief, distant views before it disappeared

A very dark cloudy sky early morn at Fly Flatts but good visibility on a S>3 at 10 degrees.

The sky brightened with some sun mid watch then light rain by 1000 hrs.

         My morning intentions were to head back to Leeshaw to try catch up with the gulls from the last 2 days but a massive grid lock at Keelham, for some unknown reason, with nothing moving, I did a quick turn around and headed to Fly Flatts which turned out to be a good move.

      As soon as I arrived it was obvious that there was a big Meadow Pipit move on with birds piling over on a broad front at two levels. Several Mipits were also blogging along the banking and around the entrance track area.

     When geared up and starting to walk, a small flock of 6 Stonechat were very active among the Mipits then suddenly a Robin type bird flew up and landed about 50 yards from me. Through the bins it was a Black Redstart, exactly a year to the day that one was in the same area. 

     It flew to a nearby position where I just managed some quick shots before it disappeared, not to be re-located. When I checked on the Stonechats they were also gone not to re-appear throughout the watch.

      Two skeins of Pink Footed Geese headed >SE but well to the south of me and only visible scoping.

The 1st skein had 38 and the 2nd 17. LBB gulls headed >NW whilst Goldfinch, Swallow and Reed Bunting were on the move. Otherwise down to the usual species.

BS

Back to the head scratching, Leeshaw gulls.

 

                                    Dipper, down in the dark beck.

                                    1st winter Pied Wagtail

                                        Black Headed on the shore

                                    Teal

                                        Heron and Teal

                                    Distant 2 CY YL or Caspian gull. under scrutiny.

                                    Different bird to yesterday.

                                    Very distant in heat shimmer.

                                    Great Black Backed gull.

Photos below from yesterday.

                                Suspected Caspian gull, under scrunity.

                            Very white head, long bill

                                    Poor photos in mist.

A bright clear morning at Leeshaw with cloudless skies other than the usual bank of thick cloud to the SW. A temp of 16 degrees but feeling much cooler in the brisk SW>4 at 16 degrees.

     Hardly the start of the gull season and already its got me head scratting.

This morning Leeshaw produced the GBB gull which has been hanging around a couple of weeks now whilst briefly, way over on the NW bank, a 2 CY Herring type with dull yellow legs showed through the scope though the leg colour fails to show up on the poor image.

      Around 40 LBB gulls were present along with c 100 Black Headed and 3 Herring, but strangely, no Common gull as yet, though I,m getting them in Foxhill park and in the Raggalds fields.

      A single Teal was on the water with the usual geese etc whilst a Dipper was down in the beck. No sign of movement other than a few Mipits and Goldfinch blogging though not much sky watching done due to the gulls.

      A gull I photographed yesterday is showing signs of possible Caspian, being very white headed and long billed with sloping forehead but this, along with todays possible Yellow Legged are under investigation.

BS

     

Leeshaw Reservoir

                                    Good count of big gulls

                                        Mostly LBBs

                                    Still enough shore showing

                                    Single Grey Wagtail

                                    Nice shore in the SW corner

                                    Cormorants moving and present

 A dark dull morning with fog on the tops, and Leeshaw under a low cloud base with constant drizzle and banks of mist rolling through from the west. A light S>3 at 13 degrees.

          Given the conditions it was a lively session but very little skyward with the low cloud, other than Cormorants moving west along with plenty gull activity. A single Teal was on the far shore along with the usual Mallards, Canada and Greylags whilst the long staying Common Sandpiper is still present but very elusive.

        A good count of 38 LBB gull, 5 Herring and around 100 Black Headed but still waiting for that special gull or Tern. Otherwise the usual species including, Sparrowhawk, Grey and Pied Wagtail plus a few Mistle Thrush.

Windy tomorrow but hopefully dry and fog-less.

BS

      

Here come the Pinks, Fly Flatts. Autumn Equinox.

 

                                    Single Wheatear

                                    Fog slowly clearing.

                                    Mist over the water.

                                    Pink Footed Geese >E

                                            4 Skeins

                                        

And yet again a foggy start to the morning at Fly Flatts but clearing by 0845 hrs leaving some heavy fog banks along the west horizon. A light WSW>2 at 10 degrees and 60 % cloud.

        Pink Footed geese were on the move from the start with 4 skeins over, 2 to the north of me and 2 to my south with a total of 184 geese. Meadow Pipits were moving >S continuously throughout the watch but otherwise very little other than LBB gulls >NE and 2 Peregrine over the moor.

A single Wheatear was down the entrance track among several blogging Mipits.

184 Pink Footed Geese........>S  and >SE. 4 skeins,   27, 55, 49, 53.

Several Mipits.....................>S and blogging

12 LBB gull........................>NE  plus 2 on the west bank

1 Wheatear

2 Peregrine

6 Canadas

5 Red Grouse

BS

Back to the gulls, Leeshaw.

 

                                    Good count of big gulls

                                    1 of 4 Heron

                                    Single female Goosander

                                Sev skeins of geese over, Canadas and Greylags.

As the norm now, fog on the tops, but Leeshaw was in the clear with full cloud and a cool W>3 at 8 degrees.

          A quieter morning than yesterday but plenty to keep me alert throughout. Geese numbers are building daily with around 180 Canada and 70 Greylag present with several skeins of both species heading mostly >W but no Pinks.

        Gulls were again in good numbers with over 50 LBBs and at least 12 Herring plus the usual Black Headed but much more mobile today and not hanging around on the shore, whilst 6 Cormorant, 4 Heron and a single female Goosander, as well as 5 Lapwing were around the edges of the water.

        Meadow Pipits were heading >S with numbers increasing around 0945 hrs as the rain moved in and a large flock of around 60 Goldfinch were moving around the thistle tops with a Sparrowhawk watching from above.

       A single Raven was on a distant post on the moor top and otherwise it was down to the usual species.

BS