Another wet walk around Ogden.

 

                                   Distant, wind blown Goosander

                                Goosander getting dive bombed with this gull

                                Looked interesting with very snouty head

                                    Could'nt make it into a Caspian.

                                    4 Bullfinch present today

                                    Few Black Headed.

Contrary to the forecast, this morning was very wet, very windy and very dark with a moderate WSW>4 and continuous rain until 0945 hrs when it brightened briefly, but by this time I was tackling up. A mild temp of 8 degrees.

      The female Goosander was on the water looking very wind blown, sporting a punk hair cut. It was constantly being dive bombed by the only Herring gull present which got alarm bells ringing as it had a very snouty head and pale underwings but at the distance I could get no detail and no decent photos. I will try to enhance the photos later and have another look.

    Just 4 Bullfinch this morning along with a single Goldcrest, otherwise empty trees, although I only did the west bank. A Gt Spotted Woodpecker flew from the Lodge House tree whilst just a handful of  Black Headed gull were on the water.

    Showing dry and some sunshine for tomorrow on a moderate SW at 6 degrees.

BS.

    

     

Birding in the dark, Ogden.

 

                                    Overflow at full blast.

                                    1 of 2 Dipper down in the sluice gate

                                    8 Bullfinch in the dark Alders

A horror of a morning at Ogden with a dog walk the only reason I attempted it. It was as black as night with full dark cloud cover and heavy rain throughout on a moderate S>4 at a mild 10 degrees which only added to the problems by keeping the bins steamed up.

    Just a walk along the prom this morning and as far as the west bank Alders with visibility very limited. The Bullfinch flock of 8 had returned but impossible to get anything like in the camera even though I had left the 400mm at home and opted for the Canon 70-200mm with an aperture down to 2.8 

and iso of 16,000, and still not enough light.

   Just 10 Black Headed gulls on the water and 2 Dippers down in the sluice gate whilst the Raven was cronking away up in the plantation. Strangely, winter Mallard numbers are well below average for this time of year.

     Tomorrow looking better with chance of showers but some sunshine on a moderate to strong Sou'westerly. Only 12 days to the shortest day now.

BS

Another dabble at Leeshaw.

 

                                    Plenty gulls in the fields and water.

A bright sunny morning at Leeshaw with a moderate SW>4 at 6 degrees.

   Gulls were the feature of the morning with around 400 small gulls and several Herring but the bulk of them were just out of sight in a field at the west end of the reservoir. All scoped through for Med and Caspian plus we should be due for an Iceland in the next couple of months.

     Still no wildfowl other than a few Mallard and 14 Greylags whilst a single Heron and Dipper were down in the brook. Otherwise Cormorant, Mistle Thrush, Kestrel, Little Owl and Mipits plus the usual species.

   Back to heavy rain in the morning on a strong SSW at 8 degrees, possibly turning dry after midday.

BS

    

Birds at last Leeshaw Reservoir / Dog and Gun field.

 

    LEESHAW             1st bird this morning, Gt Spotted Woodpecker

                                Only the 2nd sighting I,ve had here.

                                    Just a single LBB

                                    East shore

                                    Around 70 Herring gull present

DOG AND GUN FIELD.   Mix of small gulls

                                    Several Herring

                                    Single LBB gull.

Decent weather at Leeshaw with full cloud on a light SE>1 at 6 degrees. Rain and mist moving in by 1000 hrs but knocking off time.

     First bird seen, as I was approaching Leeshaw along Lee Lane, was a Great Spotted Woodpecker up on a telegraph pole, only my second sighting of this species at Leeshaw. Moments later a Sparrowhawk whistled across the road checking out a empty bird feeder at one of the cottages.

    The water and surrounding fields were alive with gulls with around 300 small, c 70 Herring and a single LBB but nothing else on the water other than 2 Cormorant and the usual Mallards.

   Very few geese present with just 4 Greylag and 1 Canada though 26 Greylag were in a field on Long Causeway by TMR including the 2 families of whites which bred at Fly Flatts this year.

   A few Mistle Thrush and Collared Doves were moving around the wires whilst a flock of 48 Meadow Pipits were moving around the manured fields, possibly over-wintering birds. A Little Owl was in its usual area.

   On the way back, a stop off at the Dog and Gun field which held around 50 small gull, 12 Herring and 1 LBB. A good scope through all the small gulls this morning failed to turn up a Med gull.

    Looking dry and bright for tomorrow on a moderate SW at 8 degrees.

BS

The struggle continues, Ogden

 A pleasant enough morning at Ogden with full dark cloud on a light SW>2 at 8 degrees with light drizzle throughout.

    A single lap of the water this morning in very dark conditions making viewing difficult, and again, the lens cap never even got removed. I think I should have sold the camera when I was at Janet Greens the other day.

   Other than a couple of Robins, Wrens and Dunnocks the waterside trees were completely deserted with the only birds of note being a Gt Spotted Woodpecker flying over the tree canopy and a single Dipper down in the sluice gate area and that was it. Around 40 small gulls were on the water along with a very low winter count of Mallard.

   Showing a cloudy, and possibly, foggy morning on a light SE at 6 degrees then rain from midday onwards.

BS

Its a struggle, Ogden.

 Decent conditions at Ogden this morning with odd breaks of sunshine through an otherwise cloudy sky on a light SSW>2 at 3 degrees. Bad visibility due to silhouetting. 

    Two laps of the water this morning just turned up odds and sods but nothing to get in the camera.

The Siskin flock was again teasing me with a group of 28 which flew from the east wood over the water to the west side but not to be re-located, whilst 2 singles flew from the north wood towards the west. The problem this winter is there is an abundance of Alder trees rich in fruit so the birds are spoilt for choice and seem to be sticking to feeding deeper in the wood.

     The 2 Kingfishers were very active flying up and down the east shore but never seen to settle. A good flock of mainly Coal Tits, as well as a few Blue and Greats were working their way through the waterside trees whilst a Raven sounded to be getting heavily mobbed by Crows somewhere in the wood.

    The water just held a single LBB gull as well as 2 Herring and a dozen small gulls plus the usual Mallards. Otherwise, a Kestrel overhead and that was as good as I could do.

Looking like a cloudy showery day tomorrow on a moderate SW at 7 degrees.

BS

A non birding day.

 With the car in for M.O.T this morning I had to be in Halifax for 0830 hrs and then wander round the town with the local druggies to pass on a couple of hours. It made me understand why everyone uses Amazon now with no shops of any meaning.

   WH Smiths had 3 bird books aged at the under sevens whilst Janet Greens had 4 second hand, well out of date lenses, and no SLR cameras. The store is now taken over with printing machines for mobile sim cards. Most of the other half decent shops are boarded up.

    Strange how most of the druggies ask for money because they are stranded and need to get back to Leeds?

   On the plus side, I got down the Woolshops just in time to see one of the Pied Wagtail roosts dispersing from a tree with excess of 50 birds flying off. I was told that 2 trees down there are packed with them last light.

   The berry trees down by Wickes held Blackbirds, Mistle Thrush and Redwings but no arrivals of Waxwings as yet, though Scotland are now reporting a few. Otherwise, just a single Peregrine up on the spire, watching around 100 feral pigeons flying round.

   Back home for 1100 hrs but still thick fog and heavy drizzle so just the usual wet dog walks around Foxhill.

I just looked on the Slimbridge Reserve live webcam with wall to wall Shelduck, Pochard, Pintail and Teal along with hundreds of Tufted and Lapwings as well as Whooper, Bewick's and Black Swan. There is also still a large Dunlin and Turnstone roost there. Thats knocked the excitement of Ogden in the morning.

   A part cloudy morning for tomorrow with a moderate SSW at 3 degrees.

BS.

   

    

   

Steady away at Ogden.

 A bright morning at Ogden with a mix of cloud and sunshine on a light SW>2 at 4 degrees.

   Despite the perfect conditions, birding was very poor with a full circuit round the water studying all the Alder trees, very little was found.

     The Siskin flock of around 20 birds flew high over the tree canopy at the north end but continued deep into the plantation. No Bullfinch or Tit flock this morning with the only small passerines being the usual Robins, Wrens, Dunnocks and Blackbirds, with no sign of Goldcrest or Treecreeper.

    A single Raven was cronking away all morning but out of sight in the wood whilst a Gt Spotted Woodpecker flew across the front of the car on Ogden Lane. Whatever has happened to Green Woodpecker which was once a daily sight and sound at Ogden, where I have now only had one sighting of this species in 3 years and that was over Shibden Valley.

   Just 2 Herring gull on the water along with around 40 small gulls. A disappointing visit for my first December outing.

    A poor forecast for morning with plenty cloud and chance of rain and fog on a moderate SSE.

BS

Looking forward to February at Fly Flatts.

 

                                    Mid February is when Ringed Plovers start to

                                  appear at Fly Flatts.

                                    Juvs start to show July.

A bright sunny day but unfortunately a wait in for the central heating plumber who told me the 15 year old boiler is a write off so its a 10 day wait now with no central heating and limited hot water for a new one fitting. 

   So far, I'm clear in the morning so should be back out in the field, but then another morning spoilt on Thursday with the car in for MOT.

    Just a reminder above of what I'm waiting for now when the Ringed Plovers start trickling back into Fly Flatts late February, though last year the water was high so the first time with no breeding taking place. Just Christmas and New Year to get out of the way now then back to some decent birding, hopefully.

  A cloud and sunshine morning on a light southerly at 4 degrees.

BS