The wild side of life, Fly Flatts.

 

FLY FLATTS a.m.                Barnacle Goose

                                       Northerly gale

                                      Icicles forming on the barrier

                                     Reward time, Yellow Legged Herring gull

FLY FLATTS p.m.                        Spray still freezing on the barrier

                                                  High tide

                                                 Greylag checking the water.

                                            Raven over

                                       1 of 3 Ringed Plover

                                                 Worm for tea

                                                        Got it

Arctic conditions at Fly Flatts this morning at minus one degree with a strong N>6 gusting 7 at 32 m.p.h. but bright clear skies with sunshine and good visibility. By late afternoon the temperature was at 0 degree and still freezing as the spray came ashore. The wind was slightly less and turned NW>6 but a pleasant day for reservoir watching.

                                                         A trickle of Herring gulls over all >NE and then a Yellow Legged Herring, michahellis, over >E. Plenty raptor activity with Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Merlin and Buzzard whilst a Raven cronked its way over the water.

                                                      The 3 long staying Ringed Plovers were on the east bank this morning sheltering and then out in the open on the south bank this afternoon getting the full force of the wind and spray from the water which didnt seem to bother them in the least.

Fly Flatts

3 Ringed Plover

3 Kestrel

1 Merlin

1 Sparrowhawk

1 Buzzard

1 Raven

23 Herring gull............>NE

1 Y.L. Herring gull......>E

+ usual sp.

BS

A foggy start then, hold onto your hats. Leeshaw/Fly Flatts

 

LEESHAW                            Distant Little Owl.

                                         Single Pink Footed Goose

                                                Drake Goosander

                                            Goosander with Redshank

Fly Flatts                     A poor start to the sailing season.

                                                    East bank

                                              Barnacles and Canada on the high seas

                                   Wafting this fellow about a bit.

A bank of dense cloud hung 360 degrees around the horizon this morning so headed for Leeshaw which was below the cloud base with good visibility and even some sun at 4 degrees on a W>4.

                                 Oystercatchers are down to about 8 now from 32 with many dispersed to different areas whilst 4 Redshank were present. The single PF Goose is still in with the Greylags and becoming to look like a permanent feature. 

                             Just 4 Herring gulls through >W and 2 Black Headeds on the water along with a male Goosander and 2 Cormorant.

A Little Owl turned up at its old location after being missing there for around 8 months, and several Fieldfare are still in the fields though no Redwing for over a week now.

                            Mid afternoon at Fly Flatts was a real ' od on tu thi flat cap' day with a blustery WNW> 6 at 25 m.p.h. on the west bank but bright and clear.

                           Birds were in short supply with no small waders at either of their usual favourite spots

and only 3 Herring gull over >NE. 

The 2 Barnacles and around 30 Canadas were braving the high seas which, combined with the wind, managed to abort the first day of sailing. The wind was even too strong for the hardy windsurfers.

                        Meanwhile a Merlin was harassing the Lapwings on the Flat Moor.

Leeshaw

1m Goosander

1 PF goose

1 Little Owl

4 Herring gull..............>W

2 Black Headed gull.....on water

c 40 Fieldfare

+ usual sp.

Fly Flatts

3 Herring gull......>NE

1 Merlin

+ usual sp.

BS

Back to winter, Fly Flatts

 

                                       Lesser Black Backed moving >NE a.m.

                                        Distant Redshank and Ringed Plover

                                                       Redshank

                                            1 of 4 Ringed Plover

                                                     female.

                                                              male.

                                         Herring gulls >NE p.m.

An icy start to the day at Fly Flatts with a biting cold NE>4 at 2 degrees with some ice on the lagoon but good clear visibility . By the end of the watch the temp was still only at 3 degrees but pleasant to be out in. By late afternoon the sky was clear and blue with sunshine at 9 degrees on a NE>3.

                               A few big gulls over with LBBs in the morning and Herrings in the afternoon all >NE but none dropping down onto the water.

The 3 Redshank were still present along with 4 Ringed Plover sticking mainly to the east bank out of the cold wind. Several Snipe are up chipping in the top fields where 2 Red Legged Partridge were present.

                            Plenty noisy activity with the Curlew, Lapwing and geese whilst several Meadow Pipits are now established. Only 1 Wheatear showing briefly today still in partial autumn/winter plumage.

Fly Flatts

3 Redshank

4 Ringed Plover

2 RL Partridge

19 LBB gull.........................>NE

15 Herring gull....................>NE

BS

Gulls on the move, Fly Flatts

 

                                   3 Goose species, Greylag, Canada, Barnacle.

                                          Unusual to have Greylag at this site.

A decent morning weather wise at Fly Flatts with an icy cold NE>4 at 2 degrees with full cloud and good visibility. By late afternoon the weather had deteriorated, in my view , to clear blue skies and full sun at 9 degrees.

                          Gulls were the bird of the morning with a count of 127 >NE and 3 LBBs >SE. A single Buzzard was high over the western ridge and 3 Ravens over The Nab.

                        The east bank held 3 Ringed Plover, 2 Redshank and 2 Wheatear but all at distance sheltering from the wind. Golden Plovers could be heard from Fill Belly Flat but keeping out of sight in the high vegetation.

                               Plenty boats arriving at the club today ready for Sundays blast off  but the sailors were a bit apprehensive with a strong westerly forecast , being out of practice with nearly 2 years off the water due to repairs to the reservoir basin and then Covid.  

Fly Flatts

127 Herring gull.................>NE, all 1w and 2w.

3 LBB gull.........................>SE

2 Wheatear

3 Ringed Plover

2 Redshank

3 Raven

1 Buzzard

+ usual sp.

BS

Back to some proper weather, Leeshaw/Fly Flatts.

 

LEESHAW                            2 of 7 Stock Doves

                                   1 of the white TMR Greylag geese.

FLY FLATTS                        Redshank using the boat slipway.

                                   2 more Redshank in the boatyard.

                                        A 4th bird over the water.

                                          2 Teal flushed from the south shore.

                                             2 of 3 distant Ringed Plover on the east bank.

With the hot stuff out of the way it was good to get back to birding in some proper weather even though the fog was blanking Fly Flatts this morning brought on by the NE wind.

Leeshaw was below the cloud base with good conditions for reservoir birding with full cloud and drizzle at 4 degrees on a NE>4 light wind.

                                                 Birds were back to life though nothing unusual showing up. Oystercatchers have now started dispersing with just 6 of the 32 found today along with 3 Redshank.

Just 4 1w Herring gulls >W and 3 LBBs whilst a single drake Tufted was on the water as well as 2 Cormorant.

                  The Pink Footed goose was in with the Greylags with Canada and Greylag numbers down with birds moved on to their breeding areas.

                    Fly Flatts late p.m. had perfect conditions with the temperature still way down from yesterdays 19 degrees to 5 degrees with the wind now turned E>4 and full cloud cover.

                    A pair of Teal flushed from under the edge of the south bank  landing again across in the NE corner, a first for this site this year. Herring gulls were moving >NE, again all 1w birds.

                      Waders comprised of 3 Ringed Plover, 4 Redshank and 2 Oystercatchers as well as the usual Curlews, Lapwings and Snipe.

Leeshaw

4 Herring gull..............>W

3 LBB gull ad..............>W

1 m Tufted

2 Cormorant

3 Redshank

8 Oyks

7 Stock Dove

1 PF Goose

+ usual sp

Fly Flatts

3 Ringed Plover

4 Redshank

2 Oyks

15 Herring gull............>NE

2 Teal

4 Snipe

+ usual sp.

BS