Back to Leeshaw.

 

                                    Good count of LBB and Herring gull

                                Little Owl on its favourite seat

                                    Heron on gosling watch.

A cool breezy start at Leeshaw with full cloud on a SW>3 at 7 degrees but feeling much colder with the wind chill. By 0915 hrs the clouds began clearing letting some sunshine through.

      A good gull morning with over 50 LBB and 12 Herring along with the usual 2 Black Headed but still no Tern passage and the probable Kelp gull, reported and photographed yesterday at Redcar Tarn, failed to make a visit.

    Nothing new on the wader scene with the usual Redshank and Oystercatcher along with Curlew and Lapwing whilst the Cuckoo was in good voice but keeping at distance.

    A Buzzard flew over high and >E mobbed by gulls but otherwise nothing new. The 3 Pink Footed geese were in the goose field with a Little Owl and several Stock Doves but nothing in the way of small passerines other than Goldfinch.

  Same weather for tomorrow with a light SW starting at 7 degrees.

BS

    

Out in the mist, Leeshaw Reservoir

 

LBB gulls on the spit                                                                

                                    Herring gull

                                Just 2 remaining Oystercatchers

                                    1 of 3 Redshank

                                    Still 3 Pink Footed geese present

                                    Several Greylag families.

                                    Pink Footed

                                Plenty Swallows present

Thick fog on the tops this morning leaving Leeshaw misty to start but soon clearing to full hazy cloud on a very light SE>1 at 6 degrees.

    With Arctic, Common and Black Tern around Manchester reservoirs they had t,o be my target bird for the morning with Leeshaw being the most likely site for passing birds although this never materialized. 

    A good collection of 28 LBB, 3 Herring and 2 Black Headed gull, probably due to the number of Greylag goslings present around the shore but no new waders in with just 3 Redshank and 2 Oystercatchers as well as Curlews and Lapwings. 

     The main feature this morning was the presence of Swallows and Sand Martin slowly moving through >E with around 50 Sand Martin feeding over Dunkirk Beck.

     A Little Owl was in its usual spot as well as Pied and Grey Wagtail but a report of Terns will have to wait for another day.

    A light sou'westerly for morning with plenty sun with a start off temperature of 8 degrees.

BS

Up with the waders. Fly Flatts.

 

                                    1 of 4 Common Sandpiper

                                    6 Redshank present

                                    2 pr Pied Wagtail

                                    Distant male Wheatear

Another dry morning at Fly Flatts with 80% cloud and some breaks of sunshine on a light SE>3 at a chilly 4 degrees.

      The area is livening up slightly with more birds around than of late and good areas of shore exposed.

   At least 6 Redshank present with probably more at the north end whilst 4 Common Sandpipers were very active moving around the shoreline. No sign of Dunlin yet and looking sad for Ringed Plover after the February bird failed to attract a mate and moved on at the end of March.

    Plenty breeding Lapwing and Curlew plus just a single Oystercatcher now present with its mate off sitting. A low count of Meadow Pipits this year which was to be expected after a dramatic drop in visible migration counts in the autumn.

    The best count this spring so far for Wheatear, which was becoming worrying, with 5 female and a single male this morning where I usually have 20 + at this time of year.

   Otherwise, usual species, along with 2 pair of breeding Pied Wagtail and 4 Red Legged Partridge.

A cloudy morning promised for tomorrow on a very light SSE with a chance of light rain at 7 degrees.

BS

Meanwhile, back at Fly Flatts.

 

                                1 of 8 Redhank

                                 1 of 2 Common Sandpiper

Decent conditions at Fly Flatts with full cloud clearing by 0900 hrs to bring some sunshine on a light but cold SE>3 at 4 degrees.

     First bird seen in the compound was a long legged brute of a male Wheatear with a very deep orange buff the full depth of its underside making it an excellent contender for a Greenland Wheatear, 'leucorhoa', which unfortunately disappeared through the compound fence before I could get the camera on it. It was not re-located so no check on the primaries but looked like a cert to me and right on schedule with previous spring sightings at this site.

    Good areas of shore exposed now as well as plenty mud around the lagoon which this morning held 2 Common Sandpiper whilst 8 Redshank were around the reservoir shore.

     Otherwise just the usual Curlew, Lapwing, Geese and Mipits as well as 2 LBB gulls overhead.

About the same forecast for tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a light SE kicking off at 5 degrees.

BS

Leeshaw Reservoir / Ned Hill Track.

 

LEESHAW               1 of 3 Pink Footed Geese.

   NED HILL                A rare sight for me, Greenfinch

NED HILL TRACK                1 of 5 Willow Warbler.

A pleasant morning with full sun on a light ENE>3 at 7 degrees at Leeshaw Reservoir.

    Nothing untoward this morning, but as always at this site, plenty to see with a steady flow of Sand Martin and Swallows >E whilst the shore held Curlew, Oystercatcher, Redshank and Lapwing.

     A decent count of 28 LBB gulls on the water along with 4 Herring gull, all eventually moving off >W. A Willow Warbler was in the track side tree whilst 2 Wheatear were in the north field where they were yesterday. Everything too distant and in the heat shimmer for half decent photos.

    A pair of Dippers were in the beck plus Grey and Pied Wagtails. The 3 long staying Pink Footed geese were in with the Greylags, the Greylags having several sets of goslings now.

    An early p.m. dog walk on Ned Hill track provided 5 Willow Warblers but no Whitethroat back in the usual area as yet. A surprise to see 4 Greenfinch in with Chaffinch, Goldfinch and House Sparrows on feeders on Perseverance Road, my first Greenfinch seen since June 2023.

    Looking like a cloudy start for the morning before brightening to cloudy sunshine on a light easterly, which could mean fog. A start temperature of 6 degrees.

BS

Double header, Fly Flatts/ Leeshaw.

 

   FLY FLATTS            5 of 10 Redshank, distant north shore.

                                    Common Sandpiper and Oystercatchers

                                        1 of 5 Pied Wagtail

LEESHAW                    Female Common Scoter.

                                    A busy shore

                                    Redshank in the rocks.

The overnight fog cleared by 0630 hrs so by the time I arrived at Fly Flatts the last dregs of mist were clearing. By 0800 hrs it was cloudy sunshine on a light WSW>3 at 6 degrees.

     Quite a lively morning with a small flock of 5 Redshank dropping in onto the far north coast before spreading along the shoreline, adding to the 5 already present.

  A check of the west bank produced 4 Oystercatchers along with 4 Common Sandpipers and 5 Pied Wagtail adding to the breeding pair now sitting eggs.

   The south bank held 2 very flighty female Wheatear and 2 Red Legged Partridge whilst several Curlew and Lapwing were in the air.

    Just after I arrived this morning I got a text from BV who had just locate a female Common Scoter at Leeshaw reservoir so, early afternoon, Lynda full of cold and not wanting to go out, I threw the dogs in the back of the car and headed for Leeshaw.

    As soon as I arrived I spotted the Scoter but keeping well out on the water and just beyond the 400mm lens range so just more record shots. A couple of Redshank were present as well as Oystercatchers, Curlews and Lapwings but still no Common Sandpipers.

    A few Swallows headed >E whilst a female Wheatear was on a broken wall and a Willow Warbler in a nearby tree. Just 4 LBB, 3 Herring and 2 Black Headed gulls whilst a Cuckoo called as I was leaving.

   Thanks to BV for the Scoter call.

A light to moderate ENE for morning with cloud and possible breaks of sunshine starting off at 5 degrees. Visibility shown as good.

BS