A hard mornings birding. Fly Flatts( permit only).

 Very hazy in the valleys first thing but clear on the tops with a SE>3 and broken cloud with some sun at 5 degrees.

              Hard work finding the birds today with everything well in the distance using the new exposed mud at the north end so all sightings were by scope.

               I finally found the pair of Ringed Plovers that were missing yesterday, as they also, had moved across to the north bank and were feeding on the mud along with 9 Redshank and several Lapwing.

               The 7 Teal were still present, also at the north end, but yesterdays hybrid Greylag x Canada had moved on. This goose seems to be moving around the area after a report of it being on Chellow Dene a couple of days ago, (J.B.)

                A few gulls about with 4 adult LBBs on the water briefly and 5 Herring over >SW. Plenty Meadow Pipits, 2 Skylark and a pair of Pied Wags plus the usual species.

BS

Three odd sightings for Fly Flatts a.m. (permit only)

 

                A new visitor at Fly Flatts, hybrid Greylag x Canada goose on the water.

                  Not seen this around the area before. Voice was like a barking dog.

                                          7 Teal present way across by the NE banking.

                                     Buzzard at distance across on the moor

Another morning of not good birding weather although a bit fresher with a NE>3 at 6 degrees with full sun.

      Three odd sightings this morning, firstly with the hybrid Greylag x Canada goose not seen in this area before that I know of. Next was a single Jay high over the water >E, a species only seen here during autumn migration, and the third being a single Fieldfare near the feeding station, this species only seen in the top fields or fly overs.

        A Buzzard was out on the Robin Rocks with 2 Meadow Pipits sat very close by whilst 3 Raven were over the quarry. A group of 7 Teal were on the water but sticking near to the far NE shore whilst 9 Redshank were spread along the north shore with mud now exposed and the water level dropping well.

          Otherwise just the usual species but strangely no sign of the Ringed Plovers which I have seen daily since the 9th of February.

BS

Fly Flatts (permit only)

 

                                   Early morning air show, RAF Hercules.

                                             Pair of Pied Wagtail present

                                                               female

                                       A good show of Curlew this year.

                                              Still waters.   Greylag.

                                            2 of 6 Redshank on the peninsular.

Another stagnant morning at Fly Flatts with wall to wall sunshine on a very light W>1 at 10 degrees.

                                           This run of high pressure is stopping bird movement dead having the same effect as yesterday with next to nothing in the skies and no new appearance of spring migrants.

The only new arrivals from yesterday were a pair of Teal over in the NW corner and otherwise down to the usual Ringed Plovers and Redshanks as well as 2 Raven over the quarry plus the usual species.

                                      This weather looks to continue over the weekend before we get back to some more serious stuff by Monday.

                                    After a guided tour of the shops in Brighouse midday it was too hot to handle an afternoon birding session so potted about at home.

BS

Frogs galore, Fly Flatts, (permit only)

 

                                         6 Redshank present today

                   Very still reflective water, the black dots were on the water, not my lens.

                                      Male Stonechat across on the Robin Rocks

                                       A mass of frogs and frogspawn.

                                               Ringed Plovers are here to stay.

Not my sort of weather today with full blue sky and warm sunshine at 11 degrees, even at 0745 hrs, with dead calm lifting to W>1 .

                                          The sunny morning stopped any movement over Fly Flatts with all the bird life lazing about on the waters edge, even the noisy geese had gone quiet all up on the banking enjoying the sun.

            With the water level receding the east bank peninsular is starting to show holding 6 Redshank today all probing in the waters edge whilst the pair of Ringed Plover were on the east bank.

             A group of 8 Greylag had appeared overnight mixed in with the Canadas and the usual Barnacle, I wonder what happened to the other 2 Barnacle that were always present at Fly Flatts and Cold Edge.

             Otherwise it was down to 2 Buzzard and 3 Raven plus a pair of Stonechat and the usual species with no sign of Wheatear as yet.

BS

A surprise for Fly Flatts( permit only)

 

                                                          Barnie hitting the water

                                                   Few Herring gulls over

                                               2 Greylag present

                                                       Lapwing brushing up.

                                         26 Pinks >NW

                                       before turning back over the water

                                            and coming down to land

                                       very distant in the NW corner

                                           peering through the haze

                                             grazing on the banking.

Another of those easterly hazy mornings with a light E>2 at 5 degrees with a couple of light rain showers then cloudy.

                                  A good start to the morning with a Snipe, my first of the year and probably only got this as I was double checking the juncus after a prompt from MC yesterday saying this was a peak time for returning Jack Snipe. No Jack but happy just to get a Common as I was beginning to wonder what had happened to them all.

                                      Mick also reminded me to check the BH gulls for Little gull which he had just picked up on his patch at Oxon and today they have had over 30 thanks to the easterlies.

                                     Back to reality and I had to make do with the Ringed Plovers and Redshanks although there was plenty activity with the usual species.

                                    Getting near packing up time and I was just thinking I needed something to spice the job up when a skein of 26 Pink Footed geese came over from the east heading >NW but as they were disappearing into the haze they turned around and headed back towards me before dropping onto the water in the NW corner. They were very distant and in the haze but possible to scope them in case they had anything in with them. 

After a while on the water they got out onto the North shore to graze. A good finish to the morning.

BS