Blast off of Pinkies, Fly Flatts

 

                                        2 BH gull present

                                    3 of 9 blogging Pied Wagtail

                                    Pink Footed Geese on the move

                                    Well to the south of me

                                    1 of 2 Stonechat

                                    Meadow Pipits moving and blogging

A misty drizzly start to the morning with a few fog banks brought in from the east on a light NE turning ENE>2 at 8 degrees then clearing to 80% cloud and some sun.

     Come 0800 hrs I picked up my first skein of Pink Footed Geese of the season, way over to the west, beyond the ridge, before veering ESE but very distant to the south of me. This was followed by another 3 skeins with the last skein at 0905hrs being the largest with a count of 232 geese making a total of 654 geese over. These and more were also seen by Dan Branch from his Soil Hill watchpoint and Dave Sutcliffe at Lee Mount.

     Some movement over and several bloggers with 9 Pied Wagtail on the south shoreline which was unusual. Yesterdays Grasshopper Warbler was still present but keeping well in the deep foliage just giving a few fleeting glimpses.

    A similar forecast for tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a light NNE at 6 degrees, hopefully, bart the fog and mist.

VIS MIG

654 Pink Footed Geese............>ESE.  4 skeins of  179, 52, 191 and 232.  All between 0800-0900 hrs.

5 Reed Bunting........................>S

147 Mipit.................................>S

48 Woodpig.............................>S

18 Chaffinch...........................>SW

Alba Wagtail...........................>S

BLOGGERS

c50 Mipit

9 Pied Wagtail

3 Reed Bunting

1 Grasshopper Warbler

OTHER

2 Stonechat

2 BH Gull

13 LBB Gull

c 30 Goldfinch

2 Greylag geese

7 Canada geese

2 Kestrel

2 Raven

plus usual sp.

BS

    

     

A nice surprise for Fly Flatts.

 

                                    Stonechat, against sun angle.

                                    Rare visitor, Cormorant

                                    First one I've ever had on the water.

                                    4 Greylags present.

                                        1 of 2 Chiffchaff

                                Star prize, Grasshopper Warbler.

Another beautiful morning at Fly Flatts with wall to wall sunshine on a very light ENE>1 at 6 degrees

     Once again, nothing moving skyward other than a few Mipits but plenty blogging birds on the deck with swarms of Mipits around the shoreline whilst the bushes and compound tree held 2 Chiffchaff, 

3 Willow Warbler, 1 Red Bunting, 2 Stonechat and the star of the show, Grasshopper Warbler. My last sighting here of this species was 23/8/2020 in the same tree.

   Another rare visitor to this site was a single Cormorant that flew in from the >NW and circled the water before dropping down onto the reservoir. After half a dozen dives, it soon realized that there are no fish in this very acidic water so took off and headed off >NE.

    Just 6 Canadas on the water joined by 4 Greylag whilst a low count of 19 LBB gull were sticking to the water due to the disturbance from grass cutters on the west bank. A charm of around 60 Goldfinch were moving around the thistle tops.

      A cloudy start to the morning on a light easterly, hopefully not bringing in the fog, then another bright and sunny day starting at 8 degrees.

BS

Pleasant but quiet morning, Fly Flatts.

 

                                        Plenty blogging Meadow Pipits.

A glorious morning on the tops with a heavy white ground frost but full sun in a clear blue sky on a light N>2 at 4 degrees.

   To say tomorrow is the peak of vis mig, the skies were empty other than several Mipits but mostly blogging or ground hopping. A good count of 158 LBB gulls on the far north shore along with just 2 Black Headed whilst 8 Pied Wagtail were in the SE corner.

    The water held 27 Canadas and 2 Tufted duck whilst 18 Grey Partridge were in the top field. Once again, Pink Footed Geese have avoided the area despite plenty scanning and scoping.

    Another day of the same tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a light NNW at 6 degrees.

BS

   

Good weather, bad birding. Fly Flatts.

 

                               Few islands left on the south shore

                                    Floating jetty launched.

A glorious morning at Fly Flatts with cloudless blue sky and wall to wall sunshine on a cold NNW>3

at 4 degrees.

   Despite the clear conditions, birding was very poor with next to nothing skyward other than a few Mipits >S. Any activity was on and around the water with 12 Greylags, 5 Canadas and 2 Tufted duck whilst 54 LBB gulls were on the north shore.

   A small count of Mipits were around the rapidly disappearing shoreline and in the compound, along with 2 Pied Wagtail and 7 Stonechat, all very flighty between the compound bushes and fields.

    Perfect conditions for moving Pink Footed Geese but, despite constant sky watching, none to be seen to the north, south and west of the eastern ridge.

   Another bright morning forecast for tomorrow with full sun on a light NNW starting at 4 degrees.

BS.

Not the best of conditions, Fly Flatts.

 

                                As good as it got, across to the west bank

                                     North towards the peninsular

                                    SE corner filling up

                                    across to the SW corner.

A reet wet do this morning with a very low cloud base then fog rolling in with light drizzle turning to heavy rain on a light SW>2 at a warm 14 degrees.

   Needless to say, a very quiet morning with nothing in the bushes or lagoon area. Several Meadow Pipits were grounded around the shoreline as well as several moving below the clous but disorientated heading in no set direction.

   A single Wheatear was on the south shore and 48 LBB gulls were at the north end. Peering through the mist I could just make out 3 dark looking ducks which I suspected to be Tufted, but with the chance of Scoter, I headed on a very wet west bank until I could get them in the scope, but only turned out to be Tufted.

   A brighter day tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a cold NNW kicking off at 6 degrees.

BS

      

Ogden, p.m. visit.

 

                                        East bank

                                    Blast off

                                    West bank

                                    2 of 4 Cormorant.

Full cloud on a light SW>2 at 16 degrees.

With a hospital run this morning I took an extended dog walk midday to Ogden to check the gull situation and see if any of the reported movement of Siskin and Redpoll had stopped off in the Alders.

    Seemed strange walking the track at Ogden in 16 degrees and very light wind, whereas I'm more adapted to early morning birding at around 10 degrees and a good wind.

   Once away from the madness of the car park, cafe and toilet areas it was reasonably public free with little disturbance along the west bank. The annual Chaffinch flock is starting to build with around 30 birds feeding on their favourite weeds on the banking. Hopefully, providing the water stays down below the weeds, winter Bramblings could turn up in with the Chaffinch flock though the water has risen over the weeds in previous years with my last Brambling sighting here being Feb 2017 when good flocks were feeding on the banking. Since then I've just had a single female in November 2022.

     A couple of Chiffchaff were in the waterside trees along with 1 Treecreeper and several Robins. No sign of Siskin or Redpoll though the leaves are still very dense and the Alders are not in fruit as yet. Just a single Raven and Buzzard skyward with still no skeins of Pinks to be seen.

     The main feature today was gulls with a good count of LBBs and Black Headed as well as 16 Herring and around 20 Common. Several of the adult LBBs had retained their pink legs. Should be due a Med gull anytime.

    Looks poor tomorrow with a rain warning and strengthening westerly turning north starting at 14 degrees so at least it will be warm water coming down.

BS.

Big moving day, Fly Flatts

 

                                    Water rising fast

                                    Up to the floating jetty

                                    Water up to the peninsular now

                                Distant LBBs, north shore

                                    2 of 9 Stonechat

                                    Swarms of Meadow Pipits

                                        2 Wheatear present.

A much better morning with cloudy sunshine and good visibility apart from some early scud clouds moving through. A few light showers on a SW>3-4 at 11 degrees.

   A hectic morning with the first real taste of vis mig with Meadow Pipits piling through in good numbers, the largest single flock held 78 birds. My count from over the water and fields was probably only half that passed through with a continuous flow low down over the west moor and impossible to count for a one man operation.

    Swallows and House Martins were heading south whilst the first move of Woodpigeons was apparent, the bulk of this species usually being the last birds through.

    A group of 9 Stonechat was nice along with a Chiffchaff and 2 Wheatear. Meadow Pipits were still coming through as I knocked off at 1000 hrs.

   A similar forecast for tomorrow with sunshine and cloud on  moderate SW a 12 degrees.

Vis Mig

692 Mipits..................................>S

133 Woodpigs............................>SW

327 Swallows............................>S

28 House Martin.......................>S

2 Skylark..................................>S

9 Alba Wagtail.........................>S

3 Reed Bunting........................>S

2 Wheatear..............................blogging

1 Chiffchaff............................blogging

c 50 Mipits.............................blogging

Other

9 Stonechat

48 LBB gull

5 Canada geese

3 Kestrel

+ usual sp.

BS