Back to a rainy Fly Flatts

 

FLY FLATTS            6 Ringed Plover now present

                                    2 pair + 2 males new in.

MIXENDEN            6 Whoopers present a.m.

                                Photo taken from top of hill, Whitegate.  960 mm.

A deteriorating morning with a cold 3 degrees S>4 wind and light rain. Dark scud clouds were moving through cutting visibility beyond the western ridge. By 0930 hrs heavier rain and dark clouds moved in.

              After two exciting days, today was an anti climax with any chance of sky movement restricted to the brighter, clearer sky to the east. As I passed Mixenden this morning there were no Whoopers to be seen on the water but a while after DJB reported 6 seen from Soil Hill which were there on my return journey. These 6 Whoopers had either just come in or were hidden under the east bank as I passed.

Thanks also to fireman,Craig, for ringing me about the Whoopers and sorry to any political correct bods for using the term 'fireman' which I,m told is no longer allowed !!!.

           With nothing in the air at Fly Flatts it meant a lot of scope work checking around the bankings for waders which proved good with, apart from the 2 pair of Ringed Plover, another 2 males had arrived, but will probably be seen off by the other 4.

        Two Oystercatchers and 3 Redshank were also present but another good week yet before I can expect the first Common Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover and 3 week before the first arrival of Dunlin.

        Canada geese are over the 100 mark now with several more already on the moor whilst 4 Greylag were present including the pure white bird. All the Mallard on the water now are drakes with the females away nesting . Otherwise it was down to Curlews, Lapwings and Meadow Pipits with the Golden Plovers keeping their heads down today.

       It looks like the winter gull season is all but over now with very few left in the fields or on the move. A very poor winter for Caspian, Iceland, Mediterranean and Great Black Backed, so now its a wait until early summer, June/July, which is peak time for Yellow Legged Herring gull,in my area at least.

BS

           

Whoopers on the move./Fly Flatts

 

FLY FLATTS            2 Oystercatchers

                                Looks good for Mallard x Shelduck hybrid ?

                                    1 of 5 Redshank

                                    3 Redshank

                                      2 pair Ringed Plover

RAGGALDS            Skein of 64 Whoopers >N

Another satisfying mornings birding in good but cool conditions at 0 degree with early snow flurries on a light NE>2. Early cloud cleared to leave sunshine.

         The 110 Whoopers were still on Mixenden as I passed early morn but reported to have left soon after, along with the Ogden birds, DJB. Another skein of Whooper, believed to be P Grba,s 140 from over Ripponden, passed Fly Flatts but very distant to the west over the wind turbines by Stoodley Pike, looking to me like a string of white cotton in the blue sky.

         As I passed Mixenden again, on the way home,14 Whoopers were present on the water, these either stayed behind as the others left or were new in.

     Finally, for Whoopers, as I neared home a skein of 64 was over the Raggalds heading >N to follow the Aire Valley just giving me time to anchor on and jump out of the car for some photos. Quite a move of Swans yesterday and today.

      Fly Flatts was again lively with more Redshanks arrived and 32 Fieldfare over the west moor heading >N. Still the 4 Ringed Plover present whilst a single Snipe flew fast and low over the water.

Fly Flatts

2 pr Ringed Plover

5 Redshank

2 Oystercatcher

1 Snipe

8 Golden Plover

Sev Lapwings

8 Curlew

Sev Mipits

5 Greylag

c100 Canada

1 Barnacle

32 Fieldfare

+ usual sp.

+ 4 separate skeins of Whoopers at and on route.

BS

         

One of those better days. Fly Flatts a.m./Mixenden p.m.

 

FLY FLATTS              Curlews very active

                                Mega distant Red Kite

                                Cormorant over high  >NE

MIXENDEN            Drake Common Scoter

                                110 Whooper Swan

                                   2 Oystercatcher on east bank

At last, a dry morning at Fly Flatts but very cold at 2 degrees on a NE>3 with full cloud but odd breaks of sunshine.

                A very lively morning but mostly scope work with most moving birds following the western ridge. A Red Kite was way over Tatty Pie Hill working the moor whilst a Cormorant was following the ridge very high >N.

           Herring and LBB gulls were moving >NE along with 2 Black Headed, and 9 Stock Dove headed >SW along with 8 Golden Plover.

           The Ringed Plover pair were still present as well as 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Greylag geese plus the pure white job, along with Canadas and Mallards.

Lapwing and Meadow Pipit were everywhere whilst a noisy cronking Raven went overhead.

         After the usual midday shopping spree I was mending the daughters car when calls started coming through with skeins of Whooper Swans over ACs air space then reported dropping down onto Ogden and Mixenden, seen from Soil Hill by DJB who also sent an added report of a Common Scoter also on Mixenden.

       With the car quickly fixed on bonus time I headed to Mixenden for the Scoter which has been a bit of a rarity over the last couple of years, for me anyway, with only a couple of sightings a year.

Luckily the Scoter was still present along with the amazing sight of 110 Whooper Swans plus a bonus of 2 Teal, 2 Oystercatcher and 12 Canadas, is Mixenden coming back to life ? Strangely, not a single gull present.

       I also got a call and photo of the 50+ Whoopers on Ogden from NS.

Thanks to all involved getting the messages out.

BS

      

Oystercatchers Galore, Leeshaw Reservoir.

 

A good count of at least 36 Oystercatchers

3 Redshank present

Another wild and wet morning at Leeshaw reservoir with a moderate W>6 and very heavy rain showers with full cloud apart from brief periods when the sun broke through at 6 degrees.

              A very lively morning but strangely no gulls with just 3 Black Headed which passed straight through >W. A field full of Oystercatcher with a count of 33 and possibly more hidden away along with 19 Curlew, 3 Redshank and the usual Lapwings.

                 A Heron was up on the moor meaning that the frogs must be arriving, whilst there were just Canadas, Greylags and Mallard on the water. Very few small passerines with just a single Pied Wagtail and 6 Meadow Pipits.

Clocks forward tonight which will be good news for the evening birders.

BS