Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Cold Edge/Fly Flatts/Ogden

BBS survey work in the area this morning produced a nice mixture and a good count of birds amongst which were:-
Cold Edge
On the large dam - 1 drake Tufted Duck
2 Little Grebe nearby
1 Grey Heron
1 Little Owl
1 SEO
A good number of Linnets about, as well as Meadow Pipits and a few Reed Buntings but no sign of Grasshopper Warblers today although conditions were perfect to hear them if they had been there and singing.

Cold Edge Road
1 female Wheatear
1 Golden Plover
Plenty Skylarks and mipits about on the moorland fringe as well as the od Reed Bunting
1 leucistic Starling with a flock of c200 juveniles - first seen by Martyn H a few days ago - was showing on and off but not well enough to be able to get a photo
A first for me this year was a male Whinchat looking in fantastic plumage

Fly Flatts
No sign late morning of BS's Ringed Plover which he saw earlier in the day but I was struggling without a scope and a gusty wind. 2 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpipers and a Golden Plover as well as loads of Canada's!! and 11 L B B gulls headed west with c60 Swifts charging about feeding over the choppy water.

Other news today - the Wood warbler was singing again at Ogden in the plantation this morning (see Queensbury Birder for report and photo's thanks to DS and NK)

2 comments:

Nick Carter said...

Couldn't access my square so went up to area beyond Blackshaw Head to try and find where they are tree planting, couldn't see any planting, does anyone know where it is? Whole area up there was excellent for breeding waders.

Brian Sumner . said...

Just missed you again Dave, you were at Hunter hill when I was on my way home.
The RP at Fly went down in the ponds at the NE corner.
Swifts were moving through from early morning.
Glad you got a Whinchat, have,nt had one this year yet nor a Stonechat.