Swifts galore, Fly Flatts.

 

                                    80+ Swifts >W

                                    3 Ringed Plover

                                Plenty Meadow Pipits

                                    4 Common Sandpiper

                                    Good move of LBB gulls

                                    50+  >SW

A decent morning at Fly Flatts with good visibility in between rain showers on a WSW>3 at 8 degrees.

Heavy rain and mist came over the moor from the west at 0945hrs.

      Swifts and LBB gulls were the birds of the day with a minimum of 80+ moving over the water all slowly heading >W whilst Lesser Black Backed gulls were moving >SW with around 50+.

    Waders were more active today but nothing other than the usual Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher and Redshank, with no sign of Dunlin today.

    A few Swallows were over the compound and a fleeting glimpse of a male Wheatear which disappeared as fast as it appeared.

     Reed Bunting, Grey and Pied Wagtail and Mipits were the only other small passerines apart from scores of juv Starling whilst a flock of around 30 Linnets are in the Withins area.

    The Nolstar fields only produced 4 Stock Dove and a single Skylark.

Looking good for morning keeping dry until midday on a light S then SE wind with clear visibility.

BS

A muggy Fly Flatts.

 

                                Ringed Plover taking to the high ground.

                                Murky conditions

                                    1 of 5 Common Sandpiper

                                    3 distant Golden Plover

                                    Nolstar field

Early fog soon clearing to mist with drizzle on a calm SE>1 increasing >2 at a muggy 10 degrees with very dark clouds moving over. Heavy rain by 0930 hrs.

   Hopes of something being brought down in the rain and mist were soon thwarted with ,if anything ,it had an adverse effect , keeping the summer residents less lively that usual. My thoughts had been on, Common Scoter, Sanderling and Tern species but not to be.

      I managed to re-locate 5 Common Sandpiper today as well as 2 Ringed Plover, 3 Oystercatcher, 1 Snipe and 1 Dunlin but mostly at distance through the scope.

     Several Swallows and Swifts were skimming the water and a surprise to pick out 2 Sand Martin which are not a common sight for this location.

     Otherwise, just 2 LBB gull, several Mipits and a single Reed Bunting, plus the usual species.

On the way home, a check of the Nolstar fields produced 3 Golden Plover but distant and in heavy rain, though checked out for Dotterel, which is on the ,'looking sad this year,' list.

    The forecast storm never materialized for today, other than a couple of rumbles but heavy rain given for morning on a moderate WSW wind. Visibility looking good.

BS

    

    

Clear skies at last. Fly Flatt.

 

                                   Some Common Sandpipers moved on

                                    1 pr Grey Wagtail

                                Common Sands

                                Giant butterfly

                                    3 of 4 Oystercatcher

                                    Several Curlew active now.

A bright, clear sunny morning at Fly Flatts with just 20% cloud and full sun at 10 degrees on a light SE>3.

     Several Common Sandpipers have moved or are across at the north end of the water looking for some shore. Just 2 pair are left at the south end after losing their nest sites to high water whilst a single Ringed Plover was seen briefly on the east bank.

     A Dunlin flushed from the east bank and dropped down on the Flat Moor along with 2 Redshank whilst 4 Oystercatchers were in the area.

  A pair of Grey Wagtail were on the west bank as well as a pair of Pied but this is the worst spring I've had at this site for Wheatear, with again, none present.

  A good year for Greylags with 12 on the water today as well as 3 pair with 18 goslings between them, and possibly around 40 Canada goslings.

    Nothing skyward other than 2 LBB gull >NE and several Swallows and Swifts.

Still the ESE wind continues tomorrow looking like a wet day with a chance of midday thunderstorms.

BS

     

Fly Flatts reservoir, (permit only)

 

                                No shortage of Common Sandpipers.

A pleasant enough morning at Fly Flatts with the overnight fog clearing by 0745 hrs leaving full cloud cover but good visibility on a WSW>3 at 8 degrees with light drizzle.

    The water is once again gushing down the overflow with all the recently exposed shore now under water with at least 2 pairs that I know of, Common Sandpipers, having their nests flooded but I don't know what stage the breeding was at.

   A lot of wader activity with Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper Redshank and Oystercatcher constantly moving around the reservoir banks with only the cobbled banking and stony shore to settle on.

   A single Buzzard and 2 Kestrel were over the moor being mobbed with Curlews and Lapwings whilst several Swallows and Swifts were overhead.

   A better looking day for tomorrow but the light east wind re-appearing and then, what so far looks like a week of rain to finish off the month.

BS

Cold, wet and windy, Leeshaw reservoir.

 

                                    9 Oystercatcher present

                                    juv Starlings waiting to be fed.

                                    LBB gulls moving through

                                    Plenty Curlew

                                    juv Lapwing

                                    Soon learn what to do.

More like a November morning at Leeshaw today with thick fog on the tops but leaving Leeshaw clear with full cloud and drizzle on an icy cold W>4 at 7 degrees. Back to the winter coat this morning.

      The reservoir is now brimming with all signs of shore gone and water gushing down the overflow, no doubt Fly Flatts will be the same.

      Plenty activity going on though only the usual species, many now with young, though several fields that had breeding Lapwing in have now been cut, making it easier to pick out the birds but bad news for for any remaining eggs or chicks.

    No sign today of Redshank or Common Sandpiper but 9 Oystercatchers were very mobile moving around the area as well as several Curlew.

    Nothing on the water other than Canada, Greylag and Mallard whilst 15 LBB and a single Herring stopped off on their way >W. A Heron was patrolling the banks, but down in the beck, the flow of water was too heavy for finding Dipper.

   A Cuckoo was constantly calling but remained out of  sight whilst several Swallows headed >NW.

     Another day of the same tomorrow with full cloud on a moderate WSW>3 and a full mashing of fog in the morning.

BS