Fly Flatts, a.m.(permit only)

 

                                                   6 Wheatear present

                                           male Ringed Plover

                                              Wheatear taking a dip.

                                      Pair of Teal way out on the peninsular.

                                         new in Common Sandpiper

A dismal morning at Fly Flatts with a low cloud base, very dark clouds and rain showers on a NE>3 at 3 degrees.

             A new in Common Sandpiper was the highlight of the morning but otherwise just the usual two wader species with Ringed Plover and Redshank. A Snipe was chipping from the top fields whilst 6 Wheatear were present around the compound area but no sign of  yesterdays Ring Ouzel.

                Just Canada, Greylag and Mallard on the water as well as a pair of Teal whilst 11 Herring gull headed >NE and a single LBB went over >SE.

                A quick check for Terns at Ogden failed to produce, and sad to see 2 separate incidents of off lead dogs chasing ducks and ducklings by the waters edge in the feeding corner. A 15 minute visit was more than enough.

BS

Fly Flatts and a long awaited Ring Ouzel.

 

                                             8 Redshank present today.

                                                  plus 3 Ringed Plover

                                       Ring Ouzel at last, as good a view as I briefly got.

                                           Filming throughout the day

                                            Now thats what I call a Big Bertha camera.

Another hard birding day with a strong NE>5 in the morning increasing to near gale NE>6 gusting 7 by mid afternoon. The temp was 6 degrees in the morning but feeling much colder with broken cloud and sunshine.

              Very gusty on the west bank with waves lashing up the banking though this did,nt seem to bother the birds with 8 Redshank and 3 Ringed Plover getting wind blown on the waters edge before moving over to the calmer water on the east bank.

                A pair of Oystercatchers were on the north bank probing in the mud with a pair of Teal nearby.

A group of 18 Herring gulls headed >NE into the wind disappearing over the Nab with 3 Raven battling the wind over the 'Bumps'.

                Whilst watching 3 Wheatear, which were very mobile in the wind, a Ring Ouzel appeared briefly on the compound fence before disappearing onto the top fields. During a mid afternoon visit I relocated it briefly, only to see it fly low over the water where boats and windsurfers were in action, whilst a group of 8 Swallows flew low and >S.

More easterlies tomorrow but promising to be much calmer with some rain.

BS

Fly Flatts/Mixenden

 The NE wind was far too strong to be workable today with a NE>5 gusting 6 at Fly Flatts with low cloud and light drizzle at 6 degrees.

                                               Very little showing other than the usual Ringed Plovers, Redshanks and Oystercatchers plus a steady flow of LBB and Herring gull all >NE into the wind. Meadow Pipits were the only passerines seen.

                                With Ogden still out of bounds with , first Easter and school holidays then the weekend its not the place to be so a check mid p.m. of Mixenden which also turned out , not the place to be. 

The wind was up to near gale force NE>6 gusting 7 with white horses on the water and a mix of sunshine and dark clouds. Given that, plus a few mad ,off the lead, dogs flying around and no birds it was not the best of an afternoon session. Not a solitary bird on or over the water and just one single Chiffchaff in the west bank trees.

                    Another day of the same weather tomorrow and access to Fly Flatts could be a problem in the morning with the filming of Happy Valley along Cold Edge Road tomorrow.

BS

                   

Fly Flatts/Doe Park.

 

FLY FLATTS                                Several pairs of Curlew

                                                4 Ringed Plover present

                                                2 Oystercatchers

                                          Black Headed gull, rare bird at the moment

                                           Male Ringed Plover

                                        Female Ringed Plover

                                                 female Pied Wagtail

                                            Mixed LBB and Herring passing through

                                               Greenland Wheatear

                                    7 primary tips, one hidden with tertials on this pic.

                       Probably the same bird as previous.

DOE PARK                                Single Grey Wagtail

                                        Several Chiffchaff

Another bright morning at Fly Flatts with a cold NE>5 at 7 degrees but feeling much colder out of the sun.

     A  second pair of Ringed Plover had arrived but only other waders were 4 Redshank and 2 Oystercatchers. Herring and LBB gulls were heading >NE along with a single Black Headed which are nearly non existent at the moment.

                    Only the one Wheatear found which was a Greenland, leucorhoa, which was probably the same bird that I found on the 16th, being in the same area.

                      Still no sign of eastern promise yet after a moderate to strong E>4-5 blowing for 2 days.

                        Mid afternoon and a check of Doe Park was disappointing to find the water right up to the overflow and no exposed shore whatsoever. Unlike Fly Flatts, this reservoir must be able to be filled from another source  being so full after no rain for days even though the valve is open keeping the stream flowing.

                        Just a single Gt Crested Grebe and Cormorant on the water but the visit was saved with hirundines in the sky to the north with 4 Swallow, 5 House Martins and  1 Sand Martin. Only Swift to go now which should be getting sighted in the next week.

                      Also looking >N were about 40 LBB gulls soaring around very high and probably being over Hewenden reservoir. Walking back up the road to the car 4 Willow Warblers and several Chiffchaffs were in the allotment trees.

BS

A hard days birding. Fly Flatts/TMR. (Both permit and membership only)

 

FLY FLATTS                                    Just 3 Wheatear remaining

TMR                                        A single Common Sandpiper as it flashed past.

A moderate E>4 at Fly Flatts early morn at 7 degrees but feeling much colder with the wind chill but clear blue skies and sunshine.

                                           Very hard to work the west bank this morning in the strong wind and glare of the sun with very little about. The east wind had worked in reverse for me and taken the birds away rather than bring them in.

                               Just the usual Ringed Plovers and Redshanks with no Dunlin or Common Sandpiper present. Wheatears were down to 3 whilst a single Snipe was 'chipping' from the top fields.

Two Grey Partridge were present along with 2 Goldfinch in the compound. I only usually get Goldfinch at this site in the autumn when the thistle tops die back.

                            Late afternoon at TMR did,nt improve on the morning much with still the strong E>4 and a brilliant silver glare from the water with the low sun.

                           Around 200 big gulls on the water but impossible to check them out with the glare and all being in silhouette, but looked to be around 50% each of Herring and LBB.

                         A pair of Teal flew across the water ,closely followed by a single Common Sandpiper which dropped down way over in the SW corner out of the wind whilst 4 Redshank were very active.

                         Otherwise just the usual resident birds other than 2 Swallows hawking over the wood.

BS

                            

East wind livening the job up. Fly Flatts,(permit only)

 

                                                            1 of 3 Stonechat

                                        At least 11 Wheatear present

                                                  Female Ringed Plover

                                                Ringed Plover

                                         Some of the Wheatear looked interesting.

                                                    Plenty Mipits but no sign of Twite as yet.

                                          Strange place to find a Wheatear

                                      Could be a first for me, Wheatear on the top of a tree.

                                                    2 Dunlin present 

A much livelier morning at Fly Flatts with a fresh E>3 at 6 degrees with clear skies and full sun.

                                                 The entrance track was a good start to the visit with the fence lined with Wheatear, Meadow Pipit and Stonechat whilst a Snipe flew out of the dyke and onto the Flat Moor.

                                          Down at the water waders were very active with 5 Redshank, 2 Ringed Plover, 3 Oystercatchers and 2 Dunlin but no Common Sandpiper sighting.

                                     A single adult LBB gull was on the water and 3 Herring gull headed >NE whilst a single Kestrel hovered over the west ridge, a bit of a scarce bird this year.

                                      The above birds plus Curlews, Lapwings, Geese etc made for a busy mornings watch. Easterlies again tomorrow so hoping for Tern, Kittiwake or Little gull although it could be a bit late for the latter.

BS