Sunshine and showers, Ogden.

 

                                     In between the showers

                                    The sluice gate area

                                    Track to the Withens.

                                    Few LBB and Herring gulls present

                                        LBB

                                    Single Mistle Thrush.

Horton Bank Top C.P.

A morning of sunshine and showers at Ogden with moderate W>5  at 23 m.p.h. with breaks of sunshine but some real heavy showers of  rain, hail and snow at 5 degrees.

    The waterside tracks were a mass of water and mud after the heavy overnight rain so rather than get the dogs caked up I stuck to the promenade and part way up the Withens track.

    Very little bird wise with the only newcomer being a Cormorant on the water along with a pair of Tufted duck, 6 Lesser Black Backed and 2 Herring gulls.

   The edge of the plantation up the Withens track held a few Chaffinch, Coal, Great and Blue Tits as well as a single Mistle Thrush, otherwise all quiet.

   To make amends this afternoon, plus all the shops shut, I had a quick dog walk at Horton Bank Top which was the quietest visit ever with just Mallards, Mute Swans and Canada geese plus Coot, Moorhen, a single Heron and 1 LBB gull. Work finished at Fly Flatts now so just need the weather to get back up there. First sailing day of the season was abandoned due to high winds.

     Looking dry for tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a light SW kicking off at 3 degrees.

BS

   

Leeshaw Reservoir

 

                                    Large count of Lapwings

                                    Oystercatchers down to 8

                                    2 Pr Pied Wagtails

                                    Several Lesser Black Backed Gulls

                                    and Herring gulls through >W

                                Raven, lower bird

                                    Mobbed by Crow.

Lots of drainage work ongoing at Fly Flatts ready for the start of the sailing season tomorrow so a trip to Leeshaw reservoir. A decent morning with full cloud on a light SW>2 at 5 degrees with light rain showers.

    Much quieter on the Oystercatcher scene with several birds dispersed leaving just 8 along with 2 Redshank but a high count of Lapwing with several now sitting eggs. Canada and Greylag goose numbers were well down meaning most will be up in the Upper Marsh fields but no Golden Plovers up there where a count of 300 plus was an annual event until a couple of years ago when they just stopped coming, even though the fields are just the same.

   Several Herring and Lesser Black Backed gulls were moving through >W, some stopping off on the water or in the fields briefly. Otherwise down to Grey and Pied Wagtails, a single Raven, Chaffinch, Meadow Pipits and Cormorant plus the usual species.

     No passing Osprey over the area which has been a hotspot in the past with the water being well stocked with Trout.

   The forecast overnight gales for tonight are supposed to have passed over by morning leaving it cloudy sunshine with chance of light rain and snow showers at 3 degrees on a moderate SW increasing midday.

BS

Not such a Good Friday, Ogden.

 

                                        A grey damp morning

                                    1 pair Tufted duck

                                    From the west bank

                                    2 Lesser Black Backed gulls present

                                        Singing Song Thrush

                                    1st batch of Mallard ducklings.

A dull morning at Ogden with drizzle throughout on a moderate SW>4 at 6 degrees. A low cloud base with fog on the tops.

    A very quiet morning bird-wise with just 2 LBB gulls on the water as well as a pair of Tufted duck, 3 Canada geese and a single Moorhen, the latter not a common species at this site. The duck feeding corner provided the first batch of 9  Mallard ducklings which will hopefully keep their heads down whilst the Herons and Crows are around. 

    The west bank just held Robins, Blackbirds, Wrens and Dunnocks along with 2 Chaffinch and the usual Tit species whilst 2 Song Thrushes were in full song in the Lodge House trees.

    A cloudy day with rain and drizzle in the morning and more hill fog on a moderate sou'westerly kicking off at 3 degrees. A wind warning for Saturday overnight into early Sunday morning with a SW> 7 near gale at 36 mph and peaking at SW>9 strong gale at 50 mph but that's "nobbut a stiff breeze" for Queensbury.

BS

   

Back to Fly Flatts.

 

                                    Ringed Plover still present

                                    1 of 8 Redshank

A bright morning at Fly Flatts with a cloudless sunny sky on a light WNW>3 at 2 degrees.

    Another lively morning but no hirundines through today. A single female Common Scoter was out on the water but way over in the NW corner and out of range. I said yesterday about the pair of Goosanders being rare at this site but this morning there were 4females and 2 males, also at the north end.

   A good count of at least 8 Redshank and 5 Oystercatcher whilst the long staying Ringed Plover, or another, was on the south bank. Several Heron on frog hunt and plenty Lapwing and Curlew as well as the usual Canadas and Greylags. Just 3 LBB and 4 Herring gull over >NE butno Wheatear sighting today.

   A near miss with the  Luddenden Dean/ Midgley Moor Osprey this morning seen by PB and PL. The bird must have continued north up the valley avoiding Fly Flatts but thanks for the shout from Bradshaw John. Also a heads up from MH via DJS with 3 Brent geese >NE over Whiteholme but not over my air space.

     A cloudy wet day tomorrow with possibly some outbreaks of sun on a moderate to strong SW reaching gale force by midday at 7 degrees.

BS

     

A cracking start to April, Fly Flatts.

 

                                    1st Wheatear back, male.

                                    female and male Common Scoter

                                Rarity at this site, pair Goosander

                                    several Sand Martins moving through.

                                    5 Redshank present.

A decent batch of weather at last at Fly Flatts with full cloud cover on a light WSW>3 at 6 degrees with good visibility.

     A good start to the month with my first Wheatear of the year with a single male in the compound as I arrived. Scoping the water I picked up two black shapes at the north end which had to be Common Scoter so a dash partly along the west bank revealed a male and female but keeping very distant.

    Whilst getting some photos of these I started getting Sand Martins moving through feeding on midges over the water before heading off >N. Surprisingly at least 8 Swallows came through among the Martins but more direct and >N, a week earlier than my previous first arrivals. Sand Martins counted at around 30.

   Otherwise 5 Redshank, 6 Oystercatchers, 2 LBB and 2 Herring gull plus a rare visit, for this site, with a pair of Goosander.

    A dry morning tomorrow with some cloudy sunshine on a light NNW at 3 degrees.

BS