Marsh Harrier and Yellow Legged Herring, Things are looking up.

 

   FLY FLATTS                 Pair of Tufted back on the water

                                                   Ringed Plovers very active

                                                As were Common Sandpipers

                                                          and Dunlin

                                                     reflections

          Mega distance shots and heat shudder. Buzzard, lower,

                          Cream Crown Marsh Harrier, top

                                  best of a bad lot of photos. well out of range for the 300mm

                                    Dunlin on a busy boat slipway.

RINGBY TOP                                   Lesser Black Backed

                                                           Very few Herring as yet.

A decent morning weather wise at Fly Flatts with full cloud cover on a NE>3 at 12 degrees.

By late afternoon the weather had taken a turn for the worse , in reservoir terms, with blue skies and sunshine at 19 degrees.

                                     The morning was, once again, very lively throughout with waders everywhere all frantically feeding around the shore and in the lagoon area. Dunlins were back on the scene with one bird landing and walking around on the boatyard launching slipway among the boats that were being rigged ready for sailing. The bird was obviously from a well populated area with no fear of people.

                                      Only 4 LBB gull today and 1 Herring, all >NE whilst a Snipe was up drumming.

Back at the car on the north shore for a last 30 minutes sky watching I was scoping a Buzzard well over Tattie Pie Hill when it started mobbing , what I thought was a second Buzzard, but as they came out of the low clouds the second bird was a Cream Crown Marsh Harrier heading high and >N.

                                       The two birds were then mobbed by a pair of Merlin, which are residents of Fly Flatts, making the Buzzard turn back >SW and the Harrier continue >N.

                                         With the weather no good for Fly Flatts late afternoon it was a question of where to go but as as we were driving past Crow Point from a trip to Halifax we got the sweet aroma of muck spreading coming from Ringby Top. They say ' where thas muck thas brass' but also 

' where thas muck thas gulls' so problem solved as I headed for Ringby Top.

                                      When I arrived on the top of Ringby I soon found the smell but no gulls in the two large fields that were well covered in sweet smelling pig muck. Walking further on the track found a good supply of gulls on the roof tops of the stinky wagon yard.

These were 90% Lesser Black Backed and nearly all adults with just 6 Herring, one of which was a Yellow Legged, showing well through the scope,but as I got the camera ready the crack of an air rifle sent all the birds skywards. The shooting was coming from the quarry but at what, I don,t know.

                                   After this most of the gulls headed >E towards Eccup with just a few LBBs staying behind. The gulls should start using the fields now though it is too early for any specials other than Yellow Legged but a place of good potential for the winter.

Thanks to Keighley birder A.O. for confirming yesterdays Fly Flatts mammal as a Brown Rat.

Fly Flatts

2 Ringed Plover

4 Common Sandpiper

3 Dunlin

2 Redshank

1 Oyk

1 Buzzard

1 cc Marsh Harrier

1 pr Merlin

1 Snipe

4 LBB gull

1 Herring gull

+ usual sp.

Ringby Top

c 180 LBB gull

5 Herring gull

1 YL Herring gull

BS

Winter returns to Fly Flatts, (permit only)

 

                                       Common Sandpiper in the SE corner

                                   Not sure on this but a good swimmer

                                              Water Vole or Brown Rat ?

                                         In the edge of the reservoir

                                       Disappeared into the reeds.

                                       Male Ringed Plover in the boatyard

                                                            Female

                                                                    Common Sand

                                          Good count of LBBs through.

An icy cold morning at 8 degrees on a NE>3 with a low cloud base covering the tops of the wind turbines. The morning started off very wet with heavy rain then drizzle.

                           By late afternoon the wind had increased to NE>6 with dark skies but remained dry.

                                                     Another good passage day for LBB gulls all >NE trickling through both morning and afternoon but unfortunately the big numbers of Common Scoter around the Manchester waters yesterday passed us by during the night.

                                                   The usual waders were very active around the water in ideal conditions for reservoir watching although no Dunlin today. A single Black Headed gull was unusual for this site as it headed over the water >NE.

                                                As I was scoping the NE shore the dogs yanked on the leads nearly pulling me over backwards as they spied a Ratty type creature swimming along the edge of the reservoir before disappearing into the reeds.

                                     Another reservoir type day tomorrow with the same NE wind and cloudy, as long as the fog keeps away.

Fly Flatts

5 Common Sandpiper

2 Ringed Plover

1 Redshank

1 Oyk

43 LBB gull...... >NE

2 Herring gull....>NE

1 BH gull..........>NE

1 m Merlin

+ usual SP.

BS

A foggy morn, Fly Flatts. (permit only)

 

                    a.m.                      Dunlins in the fog.

              p.m.                      female Ringed Plover in the lagoon

                                                         male

                                                Common Sandpiper.

A very foggy start to the day at Fly Flatts with heavy drizzle, a light W>3 and a temp of 10 degrees.

The fog didnt clear until I was tackling up at 1000 hrs. By late afternoon it was clear with full cloud and a strengthened W>5 with some light drizzle.

                                                             The morning watch comprised of  walking the south and west bank checking the shoreline with no visibility beyond that. A few Dunlin and Common Sandpipers appeared through the fog but that was as much as I could achieve.

                                                          Late afternoon produced a little more with several Dunlin on the NE shore but a count was difficult from the west bank with the scope being buffeted about in the wind.

The pair of Ringed Plover were in the lagoon area, the male showing signs of post breeding Primary moult with several Primaries missing or raggy looking though it doesnt affect the birds flight. They can start the moult at their breeding ground but the full moult usually takes place towards October.

                                                         Just 3 LBB gulls on the water , and just when I thought it was all over, a female Mallard appeared on the water with 9 bumblies. That means I,ll be watching these daily as they slowly disappear which ducklings usually do at Fly Flatts though geese do well.

The 4 Greylag goslings I,ve been watching from their first days were today doing a lot of wing flapping looking like they may fly in the next few days.

Fly Flatts

2 Ringed Plover

4 Common Sandpiper

6 Dunlin

1 Redshank

1 f Merlin

1 f Tufted

3 LBB gull

+ usual sp.

BS