Fly Flatts

 

                                    1 of 6 Stonechat

                                Tree full of Reed Bunting x 10

                                Unusual to get Skylark at Fly Flatts.

                                    Still water.

                                    9 Oystercatcher present

A bright clear morning at Fly Flatts with heavy ground frost at 1 degree. Bright cloudless skies and sunshine on a light SW>2. Fog was down in the valleys and by 0945hrs it crept up from the west moor with dense fog by 1000 hrs as I was leaving.

     A lively morning, especially for small passerines with 10 Reed Bunting in the lagoon tree and 6 Stonechat around the compound. A single Pied Wagtail was on the slipway whilst a Skylark was on the west bank which is unusual to get Skylark in the reservoir grounds.

     The 3 Ringed Plover were on the SW banking but flushed by a runner before I could get on there, flying across to the north end of the east bank where a group of 7 Oystercatchers were present plus the breeding pair further along. Three Curlew were also on the banking.

     A check of the Skylark field early morn , on the way up there, found the field empty but well frozen with the heavy frost. On the way home I got 2 by the Withins and 6 in the Goldie field so they seem to have spread out with DJS getting loose birds in several fields as he checked the area.

    A late afternoon dog walk round Littlemoor Park with thoughts of Brambling found several Chaffinch, 1 pr Bullfinch, a single Jay and several Tits etc plus a Gt Spotted Woodpecker.

       Not anything to look forward to in the morning with a forecast of a light easterly and a ton of fog.

BS.

     

Mixenden/Ogden/ Fly Flatts.

 

    OGDEN                Kingfisher on its usual perch.

    MIXENDEN        Snow on Slaughter Gap

                                    A snowy Soil Hill

FLY FLATTS                48 Skylark in usual gathering field.

                                    1st winter Ringed Plover

                                    Female,  Male  Ringed Plover.

Overnight snow but not amounting to anything leaving a clear morning so set off for Fly Flatts. As I got over the Mountain it was heavy sleet and snow and fog clouds over Fly Flatts and to the NW towards Leeshaw so a quick about turn and back to Mixenden.

    Mixenden was atrocious with heavy rain, sleet and hail on a SW>4 at 2 degrees. A quick walk on the east bank was enough after a drenching for the sake of 5 Canadas, 1 BH gull, 2 Mallard and a Heron.

    On then to Ogden where it remained dry with some sunshine but way too boggy to walk the dogs round, plus little time left, so just checked the water etc from the promenade.

  Not much better, bird-wise, here with 2 Canadas, usual Mallard, Kingfisher, 1 BH gull plus a few Gold and Chaffinch.

   After an unprofitable morning I shot up to Fly Flatts p.m. to check the wader situation and also the Skylark field, both of which proved a good move. A pair of Ringed Plover were present, presumably last years birds whilst a single 1st winter bird was further along the east bank which is possible one of last years offspring bred here. A group of 7 Oystercatcher were still on the west bank but otherwise quiet in the squally rain and snow showers.

   On the way back I got a surprise as I pulled up by the Skylark field below Nolstar. The field was crawling with Skylark with an exceptionally high count of 48 birds all actively feeding but no Meadow Pipits back yet and no over-wintering birds this year.

     Looking dry and bright for tomorrow on a very light westerly but a threat of early morning fog.

BS

     

   

Fly Flatts. Signs of spring.

 

                                Best I could do with 3 Ringed Plovers.

                                This was the reason, Peregrine

                                    9 Oystercatchers present.

                                  Very muddy Skylark field.

A better start to the morning at Fly Flatts with good visibility and full cloud cover on a moderate SW>4 at 3 degrees. By 0945hrs the fog was moving in along with heavy rain.

     Walking the west bank found 2m and 1f Ringed Plover but these were immediately flushed when a Peregrine dropped down onto a fence post in the SW corner. The 3 waders flew low and fast over the water to the north end, not to be re located.

     A group of 5 Oystercatchers were on the west bank with another 2 on the north bank and 2 more on the east bank but everything reluctant to move whilst the Peregrine sat watching the moor and water for about 30 minutes.

    A single Curlew flew over towards the turbines and 4 Reed Bunting were in the compound area. Otherwise just down to the usual Canadas and Mallards.

    On the way back, a check of the Skylark field produced a 1st new arrival, exactly a month earlier than last year. Lambs are now appearing in the fields which give it a taste of spring although the weather does'nt.

    More rain forecast for tomorrow on a light sou'westerly with a drop in temperature to 2 degrees.

BS

Not a day for birding the uplands.

 A real horror of a day with near gale force winds and heavy horizontal rain and drizzle throughout.

       Just a few wet and windy dog walks over Mountain and Foxhill with a check for Skylark and Meadow Pipit on the Old Guy Road cricket pitch, with just 2 Pied Wagtails and 4 Stock Dove found.

     Raggalds Flood, on the way back from a Keighley shopping trip, held 8 Black Headed gulls, 5 Common gulls and 16 Lapwing along with around 50 Starling.

   Gone are the days when we regularly got Ringed and Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Oystercatcher and Snipe, as well as Wigeon, Teal and Shelduck on the Flood, although now it is usually dried up over the spring period. I've even had Kittiwake and Yellow Wagtail there. 

     Forecast looking about the same for tomorrow.

BS.

Curlew invasion, Leeshaw Reservoir

 

                                    Single LBB gull

                                Minimum count of 53 Curlew

                             Probably undercounted to save duplicating.

A pleasant morning at Leeshaw despite the moderate SW>5 gusting 6 which failed to keep the fog off the tops. A mild temperature at 6 degrees with full cloud.

       The bulk of Curlew arrived right on time with a flock of 53 moving around distant fields with probably more moving around but left it at a minimum of 53 to avoid chance of duplicating. A flock of  27 arrived last year on the 21st of Feb.

     A very early Redshank was in the goose field briefly, my first ever February returner which I usually get in the second week of March.

    Several Lapwings are now on nest sites in the fields with a flock of around 50 flying around. The goose field held around 200 Canada geese as well as 45 Greylags whilst gull numbers remained low with 5 Herring, 1 LBB, c50 small gulls and a GBB flyover.

    Not a pleasing forecast for tomorrow with a capful of heavy rain moving over on a near gale force south, turning west.

BS

A hectic Fly Flatts.

 

                                    Record count of 14 Oystercatchers

                                    Gulls not happy

                                    The 2 summer residents.

Bright and breezy at Fly Flatts this morning with full cloud cover on a moderate W>5 at 6 degrees with light drizzle showers but good visibility.

    Hectic from the word go , starting off with a Peregrine chasing a Woodpigeon as I pulled up in the compound. The Woodie dropped down behind the clubhouse and the Pere continued over the building and my car disappearing over the flat moor. When I walked passed the clubhouse the Woodie was hiding in the porchway but flew off to see another day. Peregrine is one bird I don't want to see up here.

     A second surprise was a record count for this site of 14 Oystercatchers on the east bank along with the 2 summer breeders. They were constantly harassed by passing gulls but always re-located on the banking. The maximum I have had together at Fly Flatts is 10 but Leeshaw is the best spot for this species where I've had a count of 37.

    Fly Flatts is usually poor for gulls but this morning saw a steady flow >NE of  12 Herring gull, 26 Black Headed and 6 Common, the latter being a rare sight here. 

       Otherwise, I had a single Stonechat, Raven and Curlew as well as the usual Canadas.

Tomorrows weather could go either way with rain forecast for p.m. on a strong sou'wester which hopefully will keep the fog away.

BS

Leeshaw/ Raggalds Flood/ Mixenden.

 

LEESHAW                        Plenty small gulls

                                    Dipper in the beck

                                Lapwings and Oystercatchers.

                                    Great Black Backed Gull

                                    12 Curlew present.

RAGGALDS FLOOD        Herring gulls frogging.

                                    7 Herrings present

MIXENDEN             1 of 2 Herring gull

                                    1 CY Herring

A better morning but still fog on the tops. Leeshaw, early morn, was overcast on a light W>3 at 6 degrees.

   Good to be up amongst the Curlew and Lapwing calls with at least 12 Curlew present along with around 100 Lapwing and 6 Oystercatcher.

   Gulls were poor with around 100 small gulls but only 2 LBBs and 4 Herring, although a quick visit from a GBB made up for it but it only stayed long enough for its picture taken.

    A Dipper was down in the beck whilst a count of around 20 mixed Greylag and Canada were in the big field along with 7 Stock Dove and a good count of Jackdaws. Otherwise just the usual species.

    Raggalds Flood must have had frogs spawning with the unusual sight of 7 Herring gull present squabbling over the frogs. Also several small gulls and 12 Lapwing.

    A quick look at Mixenden reservoir to see if yesterdays Goldeneye had returned, which it had'nt, with just c 30 small gulls, 1 LBB and 2 Herring. Otherwise nothing else on or around the water.

    Early rain forecast for morning on a moderate westerly, hopefully fog free.

BS