Dark and wet Ogden.

 

                                3 Teal, 1 Wigeon, out in the darkness.

                                    Drake Wigeon

                                    3 of 4 Teal

                                    Wigeon and Teal

                                    Wigeon harassed by gulls

                                        Teal

                                    Female Bullfinch

Another wet misty morn at Ogden with rain followed by drizzle and mist with fog on the tops. A light ESE >2 at 8 degrees.

   A very dark morning but what I find to be ideal weather for reservoir watching with the full cloud and light drizzle on a light wind of any direction though an easterly tends to bring in the fog. 

     A lively morning both on the water and in the trees with the water holding the drake Wigeon, though no sign of the female, with 4 Teal, 1 female Goosander, 4 Tufted and 2 Cormorant but gull numbers were down to about 50.

    Passerine Alley had several Goldfinch, a pair of Bullfinch and several Long Tailed Tits whilst the west bank plantation tree tops were alive with Blackbirds, Mistle Thrushes, and Redwings but no 

Scandinavian invasion of Fieldfare as yet, but imminent.

    A wet day tomorrow with fog in the morning and light rain on a light SE at 6 degrees. By midday the wind turns round to the NW and strengthens to a moderate to strong bringing heavy rain.

BS

    

    

Fog and rain, Ogden.

 

                                A dark and wet Ogden

                                    

                                   A pair of Wigeon present

                                        Female.

                                    1 of 5 Tufted duck

                                    1 of 4 Teal

                                    2 Cormorant present

A rear horror morning at Ogden with thick fog and heavy drizzle for kick off but luckily the drizzle turned to rain which cleared the fog for around 1 hour before the drizzle and fog reappeared. A light NE>2 at a mild 7 degrees.

   Yesterdays male Wigeon was still present and joined by a female but difficult to get onto in the conditions, the male sticking to the west bank. A single Heron was on the east bank as well as 2 Cormorant whilst 4 Teal and 5 Tufted were moving around the water.

    Very few gulls present and needless to say, nothing in the murky skies overhead.

A grim forecast for tomorrow showing heavy rain from start to finish on a light easterly at 6 degrees and probable fog and mist.

BS

A lively Ogden.

 

                                    5 of 7 Teal

                                    Single drake Wigeon

                                    Sticking to the west bank

                                    Hidden under the banking.

                                    Poor selection of gulls

A bright sunny morning with clear blue skies on an icy cold light NNW>2 at 4 degrees. Clouding by 0930 hrs.

    Better on the wildfowl scene this morning with 7 Teal present along with 6 Tufted and a single drake Wigeon. The Wigeon was very difficult to get to tabs with as it stuck to the west bank out of sight and could only be viewed from the east bank at distant across the water. Failed to get any decent shots even at 640mm.

    Otherwise, just short of 100 gulls present as well as 3 Cormorant with just a few Woodpigs >SW, just about marking the end of another very poor visible migration season with the main feature to come being the arrival of the Fieldfares.

   Not a good forecast for tomorrow with a rainy morning on a moderate south easterly at 7 degrees  turning drier after midday but a chance of fog and mist.

BS

Fly Flatts, Super Whooper morning.

 

                                    A late Wheatear.

                                    Two distant Whoopers NW corner

                                    Surrounded by gulls

                                    Two fly overs >SE

                                Other two leaving the water >SE

A bright sunny morning with full blue sky on an icy cold NNW>3 at 3 degrees. Clouding and wind increasing by 0930 hrs.

   A good start to the morning with a late Wheatear on the fence alongside the entrance track, and then, as I pulled up by the water, or where the water used to be, I could see 2 Whooper Swans way over in the NW corner of the water. As I walked the compound 2 Whoopers flew overhead >SE making me think they were the 2 off the water but surprisingly they were still present, leaving around 15 minutes later in the same >SE direction.

  No waders present, which I have given up on this year, with just 3 Meadow Pipits and a Pied Wagtail on the shoreline. The water was quite busy with 35 LBB and 2 Herring gull, 18 Mallard and a single Greylag goose whilst 1  Raven and 2 Kestrel were overhead with a steady flow of Woodpigs >S.

    A cloudy/sunshine day tomorrow on a light NNW starting off at 4 degrees.

BS