A breezy Fly Flatts/ Ogden

 

FLY FLATTS            Speckled Greylag has 3 fledged all white.

                                    1 of 2 Oystercatcher

                                    Distant Buzzard

                                Flushed with YW van.

                                        Few LBB gulls >NW

                                    Pied Wag feeding a 3rd brood.

                                    Single Lapwing present.

OGDEN, p.m.            Several LBBs

                                Single Common with eye problem

                                    Mix of LBB, Herring and Black Headed.

                                    1 juv Heron.

A very windy Fly Flatts early morn with a moderate to strong NW>5-6 with full cloud at 14 degrees and hazy over the moor.

    Hard work this morning with the wind wafting the scope around and a job to hold the bins steady. Very little about with just 2 Oystercatchers and a Lapwing on the wader scene whilst a few LBB gulls and Swallows headed >NW into the wind and 2 Black Headed on the water.

    A Buzzard was on a distant post then a rock pile whilst a second bird was soaring high over the moor.

Otherwise, down to the usual Goldfinch, Mipits and Pied Wagtails etc.

     With a poor morning and Lynda not wanting to go out I did an extended dog walk to check the Ogden west bank gull situation which produced around 80 LBB, 15 Herring, c 50 Black Headed and a single Common gull. No sign of Yellow Legged which have been poor, in what is usually the peak month, with just single sightings at Ogden, NK,BS. and 2 sightings of probably the same bird at Fly Flatts, BS. A Med gull sighting is imminent with August being the peak month, occasionally turning up at Ogden but more often found by MP at Thornton.

     Otherwise at Ogden, 1 juv Heron, 1 Cormorant and 1 Oystercatcher plus the usual species and good to bump into NK doing the rounds.

 A similar forecast for tomorrow with cloudy sunshine but a lighter NNW wind at 15 degrees. A slight chance of some light showers.

BS

     

Fly Flatts in the drizzle.

 

                                    2 of 5 Oystercatchers

                                    East bank

                                    Plenty Goldfinch

Another pleasant weather morning at Fly Flatts with a moderate NW>4 at 14 degrees with full cloud and light drizzle throughout.

   Once again, the overnight fog on the tops had cleared by 0700 hrs leaving Fly Flatts hazy but pleasant enough, in what I call excellent reservoir conditions, though the drizzle failed to drop anything down.

     Only the one Common Sandpiper found this morning but 5 Oystercatchers were on the east bank, these being mainly juvs.

     No gull movement today with just a single LBB on the water whilst 2 SEO and 3 Kestrel were airborne. Nothing else of note other than the usual compound full of Goldfinch, Mipits, Pied Wagtails and a single Stonechat. At least 20 Pied Wagtail are present, mainly juvs, but only a single Grey and a White so far and no Yellow as yet, though Yellow are scarce at this site and only singles have been seen during Aug/Sept in previous years.

    Showing cloudy sunshine for morning on a light NW at 13 degrees followed by a cloudy afternoon.

BS

     

   

A better morn at Fly Flatts.

 

                                    3 of 5 Oystercatchers + LBB gull.

                                A cracking year for Pied Wagtails

                                    Skies full of Goldfinch

                                Unwanted visitor, juv Peregrine

                                    A lot to learn yet.

                                    You can't pick up a Canada Goose.

                                        Having a re-think on that idea.

Perfect conditions at Fly Flatts this morning for the third day running with 60% cloud and some sun on a light W>2 at 16 degrees.

     Much more activity this morning with a juvenile Peregrine low over the water fancying its chances with a Canada goose and then a lame attempt at the Oystercatchers but went away hungry. It was later see very high up harassing moving Swifts with around 20 Swifts, c40 House Martin and 15 Swallows all >S in migration mode and mega high up.

     Just a single Common Sandpiper this morning as well as 3 adult and 2 juv Oystercatcher on the shore as well as 4 Black Headed gull, whilst 12 LBB gull headed >NW.

     The compound and lagoon area was buzzing with Goldfinch, Pied Wagtail and Mipits along with a single Willow Warbler and 1 juv Wheatear. A Buzzard and 2 Raven were present throughout.

  The hirundine and Swift movement will qualify for my first Trektellen  vis mig entry of the season.

        Looking like a bit cloudy and wet tomorrow on a moderate westerly kicking off at 14 degrees.

BS

It can only get better, Fly Flatts.

 Another decent weather morning with full cloud on a light SE>3 at 16 degrees with some hazy after overnight fog.

      A disappointing morning to say its nearly the last week in July with very little to keep up the interest.

Wader-wise, just 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Oystercatcher and the usual Lapwing whilst 1 juv Wheatear was moving around the shoreline.

    Empty skies other than several Swallows motoring through >S plus 2 Black Headed gulls. Usual good count of Pied Wagtail, mainly juvs, as well as Goldfinch and Mipits whilst the water just held the usual Tufted duck family and geese.

   A mix of sunshine and showers for morning with more rain expected after midday with a thunderstorm warning. A very light SW starting off at 14 degrees.

BS

   

Fly Flatts, waders on the move.

 

                                    Juvenile Dunlin

                                        Juv .     Adult.

                                Pale adult heavily worn and in moult.

Despite the 'threat of death' thunderstorm warning it was a pleasant morning at Fly Flatts with dead calm, increasing to E>2 with full low cloud base and some distant mist at 16 degrees.

    A new arrival of waders was apparent with at least 5 Common Sandpiper and 2 Dunlin. one of the Dunlin was a juvenile whilst the other paler bird was a heavily worn adult and in the post breed moult.

These 2 birds stuck to the west bank whilst the Common Sandpipers were way over on the north shore along with 4 LBB gulls and the Yellow Legged Herring that I had last week in the same area.

    A Mallard and a Tufted with 3 well grown juvs each were on the water as well as 6 Black Headed gulls and the usual Canadas and Greylags whilst 2 Kestrel were being kept at bay with a noisy warning from a Lapwing.

   Still busy around the compound with plenty Mipits, Goldfinch and Pied Wagtails along with a single juv Stonechat but no sign of yesterdays Whinchat.

   A cloudy morning tomorrow on a light SE with chance of rain, especially late morning on with a start temp of 15 degrees.

BS

    

All small stuff, Fly Flatts

 

                                As good as it got camera wise, Goldfinch.

Decent weather this morning with 20% cloud and sunshine at 16 degrees on a light SW>3.

    Very quiet this morning with small passerines dominating the watch with around 40 Goldfinch, several Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails as well as 5 Linnet, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Stonechat, 1 juv Wheatear and , top of the shop, a juv Whinchat. Unfortunately all were very mobile, moving around between the compound and the lagoon tree so very hard keeping tracks on them.

    Other than the passerines, it was down to 1 Oystercatcher, 4 BH and 3 LBB gull plus a Raven and 2 Buzzard in the distance.

   Anything could happen weather-wise tomorrow with torrential rain and thunderstorms moving through late morning on a light NNE at 15 degrees.

BS