Buzzing at Ogden

 

                                    12 Teal present

                                    Still 4 Tufted

                                    4 Herring gull

                                        Single male Bullfinch

A very dark dank morning at Ogden with full cloud but below the fog line on a light SE>3 at 8 degrees.

     Another struggling morning for the camera due to lack of light so once again working on a slow speed and wide opened exposure.

   A much livelier morning, even though time was limited to the east bank due to a bedroom waiting to be decorated. Teal were in good form with 12 showing, along with 4 Tufted and a good count of Mallard, whilst around 40 small gulls were present plus 4 Herring gull.

    A charm of around 40 Goldfinch along with c 30 Chaffinch and 12 Long Tailed Tits were all moving around the car park trees as well as 1 male Bullfinch, which was very vocal.

   Overhead, Woodpigeons were heading south along with a few straggler Meadow Pipits.

All this plus 150 photos and back home emulsioning the ceiling by 0915 hrs.

    Heavy rain and fog from midday on today which looks to continue the same tomorrow on a light ESE at 8 degrees.

BS

    

Another dabble at the ducks, Ogden.

 

                                    4 Tufted duck present

                                    Mallards enjoying the weeds

                                        Tufteds

                                    1 of 6 Teal

                                    Teal with gulls

                                    Black Headed and Common gull

A grey dull morning with full cloud cover and misty fog on the tops with a light SE>1 at 8 degrees.

   Much the same of yesterday but an extra Tufted totalling 4 and now at least 6 Teal along with the Mallards.

  Plenty of the usual Tits, Robins Wrens and Dunnocks etc along with a Great Spotted Woodpecker but strange why all the Green Woodpeckers have left this site and are now a scarce bird in the area. They used to be a common sound at Ogden but its 3 years since I heard one here and have only had 1 sighting in the last 2 years and this being one flying over Boothtown last year. 

    Around 50 small gulls present  along with 2 Herring gull, but a good check through failed to produce the adult Med gull found yesterday by M.P. at Thornton. Several Chaffinch have returned to the west bank.

    Once again, empty skies other than gulls and a scattering of Woodpigs >SW.

A cloudy morning on a moderate SE at 8 degrees then a capful of rain from midday onwards.

BS

   

Ogden Reservoir.

 

                                    Ideal duck habitat

                                        3 Tufted

                                        Single Teal

                                    Gulls on the gantry

                                        None with rings

                                    1 Herring gull present

                                    as well as a single LBB.

Another of those very dark mornings with full cloud cover and dead calm conditions at 8 degrees with fog on the tops. Decent viewing conditions over the water but not camera friendly.

     Plenty activity on the water but the Wigeons and Teals have moved on as well as the Goosander, leaving a single Teal and 3 Tufted as well as a record count of Mallard plus 5 Canada geese.

  Around 50 Black Headed gulls were present as well as 6 Common, 1 LBB and 1 Herring whilst 2 Cormorants were being constantly mobbed by BH gulls after their catch.

   Once again, empty skies with another very poor vis mig season with nothing near the massive counts we used to get years back.

  A cloudy day forecast for tomorrow with a light SE at 8 degrees.

BS

    

Flying visit to Ogden

 

                                    Early sunrise from Soil Hill

                                    Over t'mill. Black Dyke Queensbury.

                                    Queensbury church tower.

                                    Very few gulls

Full dark cloud at Ogden but dry and dead calm at 8 degrees.

  Very little time this morning so a quick dog walk on the east bank at Ogden and back home by 0830hrs.  Very little showing around the edges of the water, though only a bin scan from the east side, but looking like a clear out of Wigeon and Teal, unless they were hidden in the weeds, with only 2 Tufted and the usual Mallards present. 

    A single Raven overhead and 15 Black Headed, 2 Common and 1 LBB gull present. No time to check the trees etc but satisfied myself that nothing new had arrived, which was this mornings plan.

     A cloudy morning on a very light SE, meaning possible fog at 8 degrees.

BS