Leeshaw a.m./Fly Flatts p.m.

 

   LEESHAW                                 Lapwings always look smart

                                              A trickle of Lesser Black Backed gulls

                 Oystercatcher with 2 chicks. Hard to make out in the heat haze.

FLY FLATTS                              Common Sandpiper

                                        The long staying Ringed Plover pair still present

                                                By the lagoon.

Another dreaded hot morning at Leeshaw with temp already up to 16 degrees early morn on a very light SW>2 with cloudless skies and full sun.

                                             A steady trickle of LBB gulls through in their usual direction of >W along with 2 Black Headed which were possibly yesterdays birds. All the LBBs today were sub adults.

                                           Oystercatcher breeding was proved with 2 chicks on the banking which appeared briefly from under the mother but at distance and hard to make out with all the heat shimmer.

Otherwise it was just down to the usual species.

                                           The weather at Fly Flatts late pm was much more sensible with the wind increased to SW>3 and full cloud cover making it much more pleasant bar t'sun.

                                           A single Dunlin was below the west bank but spooked by 2 Redshank and all 3 birds disappeared across to the NE banking.

The pair of Ringed Plovers, that have been present since the last day of February, were running about on the banking but still no signs of breeding whilst 3 Common Sandpipers were mobile from one bank to the other. 

               The only gull sightings were 4 LBBs over high and >SW.

Some good dark clouds this evening but still no signs of a let up in this weather for the next few days.

Lower Laithe

6 LBB gull

Leeshaw

8 Oystercatcher   plus 2 chicks

17 LBB gull

2 Black Headed gull

+ usual sp.

Fly Flatts

4 LBB gull

2 Ringed Plover

1 Dunlin

3 Common Sandpiper

2 Redshank

+ usual sp.

BS

June keeping its reputation as ,'the quiet month'

 

FLY FLATTS                          1 of 2 resident Barnacle geese

                                                    Pied Wagtail enjoying the sun

                                                 Some Curlews seem to have gone already.

LEESHAW                               Several well grown Lapwings.

                      juv brown Peregrine harassing the Lapwings.

                                              In 2nd year moult

                                               Missing primaries

                                            2 Black Headed gulls

                                         Lapwings ganging up on the Peregrine

                Black Headed gull , 1st summer moulting into adult winter

                                           The only LBB of the day, 2nd summer

Another hot sticky, sunny day with a very light SW>2 with temp rising from 10 degrees to 21 degrees.

The top of my head is tender and my face is as red as a Turkey cock. I feel a rain dance is needed.

                                                   June at Fly Flatts this morning was living up to its reputation of being the worst birding month of the year with next to nothing happening.

A walk the full length of the west bank produced Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper and Snipe with empty water and skies except for the geese.

                                                   Back to Leeshaw mid p.m. for a continuation of yesterdays gull experience but strangely, even though the time and weather conditions were the same, I only had 2 Black Headed and a single Lesser Black Backed through.

                                                     At least 2 Cuckoos were calling from opposite sides of the water and a

juv Peregrine did 2 menacing fly overs but was soon escorted out of the area with Lapwings.

                                                     Mick Cs gang are still getting Osprey in Oxfordshire so theres still a chance yet of a sighting.

Fly Flatts

2 Ringed Plover

1 Common Sandpiper

1 Snipe

1 Pied Wagtail

c 500 Starling

+ usual sp.

Leeshaw

2 Cuckoo

7 Oyk

1 juv Pere

1 LBB gull

2 BH gull

+ usual sp.

BS

Here come the gulls

 

FLY FLATTS                               A poor year for breeding Common Sandpipers

LEESHAW RESERVOIR              Gulls starting to return.   LBB

                                            Third summer Herring.

                                          Showing dark primary coverts

                                 Not showing signs of mirror on P10  yet just white tip.

                                            ad LBB

                                                      LBBs on the water

                                                           2nd summer Herring

FLY FLATTS a.m.   Half decent conditions to start the morning until the sun reared its ugly head and spoiled it. It started with a light SE>2 and full cloud cover at 10 degrees but as the sun appeared the clouds broke up and temperature rose causing a haze over the moor.

                                Just the usual waders showing with 3 Snipe up drumming and 4 Golden Plover on the moor.

         

LEESHAW RESERVOIR p.m.  With a check of the gull situation in mind I headed to Leeshaw where it was near full cloud cover and a nice SW>3 but temperature up at 19 degrees causing a lot of heat shudder.

             The water is up to the overflow with no shore showing and very little sign of wader life other than the usual Oystercatchers, Redshank , Lapwings and Curlews.

Good numbers of geese with Greylags far out numbering the Canadas and strangely no Canada goslings though plenty Greylags which are almost fledged.

              It was,nt long before big gulls started arriving in small waves before heading off >W. 

Lesser Black Backed was the dominant gull , these being mainly smart looking adults whilst only 3 Herrings showed up, a 2s, 3s and adult.

               Plenty Swallows over the water and Swifts are now making more of an appearance with birds seen both a.m. and p.m. and several feeding over Foxhill yesterday at last light alongside Pipistrelle bats.

Fly Flatts

4 Common Sandpiper

2 Ringed Plover

3 Snipe

4 Golden Plover

2 Herring gull.......>SE

+ usual sp.

Leeshaw

5 Oyk

2 Redshank

136 LBB gull

3 Herring gull

+ usual sp.

 BS

A much fresher morning at Fly Flatts, (no public access)

                                         Common Sandpiper in the lagoon

                                          female Ringed Plover

                                     female + 1 of 2 male Ringed Plover

                                                                    a second male

                                                  1 of 3 Dunlin

                                 Resident male Pied Wagtail coping with a bad foot.

After overnight rain Fly Flatts was much healthier this morning with a fresh NW>3 at 10 degrees and 100% cloud. Unfortunately, the forecast rain failed to materialize and instead was replaced by more of the hot stuff with clear sunny skies and a very light W>2.

                                                       Birds were much livelier this morning with , what must be near the last of the spring migrants , when 3 Dunlin and a male Ringed Plover appeared whilst 26 Golden Plover flew high and >NW.

                                Just a trickle of gulls with Herring and LBB whilst 2 Snipe were up drumming but frustratingly too fast for the auto focus on the camera I,m using at the moment. The usual waders were present along which flocks of Starling and plenty Meadow Pipits carrying food.

                              As expected, in the weather conditions mid afternoon, the watch was very quiet but plenty sailing activity going on so concentrated on getting the club some action shots. 

Fly Flatts

3 Dunlin

2m 1f Ringed Plover

5 Common Sandpiper

3 Oyks

26 Goldies................>NW

12 Herring gull.........>SW

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

4 Reed Bunting

2 Snipe

2 Buzzard

1 Merlin

+ usual sp.

BS

 

The lull continues, Fly Flatts, (permit only)

 Another of those hot sticky days with the temperature already up at 12 degrees and full heat shimmer by 0800 hrs. A very light SE>2 didnt help the situation.

 With high water and no muddy shore for probing most of the Common Sandpipers have moved to the northern end of the water feeding around the ponds on the moor. The 2 Ringed Plovers seem happy feeding on the west banking and along the east bank cobbles as well as the Redshank. The water is creeping down slowly but by the time any mud is exposed it will be too late for the spring migrant waders.

                         A single Gt Crested Grebe was back on the water which is probably one of the 3 doing the rounds between Ogden and Mixenden.

No big move of gulls today with just 5 Herring over >NE.

No afternoon session again in the conditions but hopefully, if the forecast is correct, a promise of rain tomorrow afternoon which is badly needed to liven things up, not to mention fill my water butt up so I dont have to go through the meter watering the garden.

Fly Flatts

2 Ringed Plover

2 Common Sandpiper

7 Herring gull...............>NE

1 ad Gt Crested Grebe

Large Starling flocks

+ usual sp.

BS