On the way to Leeming a Little Owl was sat on a Public Footpath sign, right on the side of a very busy road from the Salt Pile towards Leeming - fearless these little chaps.
Of course I had Steevie, Speed Merchant up my bottom, so I had to travel 300 yds before I could pull off the road to take a photo.
Further along there were many Lesser Black-backed Gull sunbathing in a field.
An interesting 2 hours at Leeming this aft.
It was very hot and sunny with a temperature of 24 degrees as I left.
It is unusual for me to see more House Martin and Sand Martin that Swallow but the place was buzzing with Martins.
Sand Martins are nesting in the drain holes in the large concrete slipway - a precarious place to be if we get a deluge.
House Martins were collecting mud from the side of the reservoir.
One was building / updating a nest under the eaves of a house next to where I'd parked my car.
A single Oystercatcher was relaxing on the value tower ironwork.
A Common Sandpiper flew along the water edge, landed on the stones and promptly disappeared.
Later on a second Sandpiper was seen at the north end - could have been the same bird though.
A Heron was on the banking further along until a second Heron sent it packing, with a loud squawk.
A Warbler was singing in the bushes here, not a song I knew and I did not locate the bird.
I thought it might be a Garden Warbler but when I listened to Garden Warbler on my telling bone the songs were different.
Mrs Mallard had a brood of 11 in tow.
A drake Tufted Duck was seen at a distance.
A Kestrel flew over, briefly hovering before heading over the moor.
Willow Warblers were singing and there were 3 Grey Wagtail and a single Pied Wagtail on the north end shore.
A Pheasant called as I went along the top path.
As I was leaving A Kingfisher landed on the north end stones but immediately left flying to the NE corner out of sight.
Lots going on - an interesting outing.
I had come specifically to see if the forecast thunderstorms would bring some Terns down but the storms didn't materialise in my time here - but I didn't need 'em as it turned out.
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