Wild and wet, Ogden.

 

                                    Single Raven over

                                    Little Grebe catching well

                                    1 female Goosander

                                Several Swallows motoring >S

                                    Gulls on the east bank

                                Centre Herring gull dark mantled, argentatus.

                                    Centre bird laid down.

A very wet and windy morning at Ogden with full low cloud on a strong to near gale W>6 gusting 7, but sheltered in the trees, with a mix of heavy rain and horizontal drizzle blasting across from the west at 12 degrees.

    Several gulls in the sky moving in no specific direction but very lively as always in a strong wind. Swallows were motoring through >S whilst a Raven headed towards Fly Flatts. Around 0830 hrs a skein of Pink Footed Geese went over >W, noisily contact calling but unfortunately they were up in the cloud so passed over unseen.

   A new arrival on the water was a female Goosander along with the long staying Little Grebe whilst around 150 gulls were present with Black Headed and Commons on the east shore and big gulls on the west bank. One Herring gull stood out as a much darker mantled bird making me think Yellow Legged until it came out of the water showing its pink legs making this bird a probable argentatus.

     Showing dry for tomorrow but still a moderate W>5 starting at 10 degrees.

BS

      

A much livelier Ogden.

 

                                    East bank, a better count of gulls

                                    West bank

                                   Double figure Herring gulls

                                    A hungry juv LBB gull

                                    9 Cormorants >SW

                                    27 Pink Footed Geese >NW

                                    Very high Sparrowhawk.

A cool but dry and windy morning at Ogden with full cloud cover on a W>3 at 10 degrees.

   Much livelier this morning with a much healthier gull count of around 250 mixed gulls, and Herring gulls in double figures, though nothing special among them after a thorough search through.

     Some aerial movement this morning with a skein of 27 Pink Footed Geese which could be heard well before being seen high above the water >NW. Swallows were also overhead >S plus Meadow Pipits but this dried up by 0845 hrs. Also overhead  9 Cormorant, 3, 4, 2, headed >SW, one of which was another orange leg ringed bird but too high to read the number, whilst the original ringed bird was on the west shore. A Sparrowhawk glided high above the water.

     A nice group of birds were working their way through the west bank waterside trees but very mobile and well hidden in the foliage. The birds comprised of Coal and Long Tailed Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper,

Goldcrest, Goldfinch and Chaffinch.

      Not the best of forecasts for tomorrow with a showery morning clearing by midday on a strong to near gale SW turning W but slightly warmer starting at 14 degrees.

BS

    

Migrants 1 Gulls 0. Ogden. Ogden.

 

                                    Around 50 Goldfinch

                                    Several Swallows

                                    Leg ringed Cormorant

                                    Low count of gulls, West bank

                                    Several Herring gull.

A bright sunny morning on a moderate W>4 at 12 degrees. Dark clouds over by 0945 hrs.

    Once again, all the activity was around the Lodge House trees and the bottom end of the Withins track with a flock of around 50 Goldfinch moving around the tree tops with at least 3 Siskin, 2 Bullfinch and a few Chaffinch. Swallows were feeding on midges overhead as they slowly drifted >S. 

    Gulls were on a downer with around 100 mixed but just the usual crew as well as Cormorant, Heron and Little Grebe. other than Swallows the skies were empty.

    A dry morning for tomorrow with a light W turning SW and increasing moderate to strong after midday bringing rain p.m. Temp starting off at 10 degrees.

BS

   

     

All quiet at Ogden.

 

                                    6 Mistle Thrush present

                                Very few gulls, east bank only.

                                    Juv LBB wanting feeding.

A bright sunny morning at Ogden with just 20% cloud and sunshine on a cool WNW>4 at 10 degrees. Full cloud cover by 1000 hrs.

     One of the none eventful days at Ogden  with around 50 mixed gulls on the east bank and an empty west bank. Some Common gulls still in full summer plumage with bright yellow legs and bill whilst the majority are now starting to get head streaking and several Black Headed have now lost their dark summer hoods.

    Usual 3 Cormorant on the banking whilst the Kingfisher is back at its winter venue, down in the sluice gate, along with a Heron competing for the same area of water.

     A flock of around 10 Long Tailed Tits were working their way through the waterside trees whilst 6 Mistle Thrush were present by the Lodge House. Quiet overhead other than Swallows >SW.

    A moderate to strong westerly wind tomorrow bringing rain showers, mainly after midday at 10 degrees early morn.

BS

    

A lively Ogden

 

                                                    42 Mistle Thrush >SW

                                    Heron down in the sluice gate

                                        2 of 4 Cormorant.

                                    No shortage of Common gull now

                                    East shore

                                    West bank

                                    

After a wet and windy start at Ogden the wind turned from the SW to W>4 taking the rain away and leaving a mix of cloud and sunshine at 12 degrees.

    An amazing kick off to the morning when, as soon as the rain stopped the flood gates opened, with scores of Mipits moving >S with one flock like a black cloud of over 100 birds. Unfortunately it disappeared over the tree tops before I could get the camera on it. A count of 42 Mistle Thrush headed >SW whilst Chaffinch and Linnets headed >S in small groups, as well as Swallows, with a Sparrowhawk on a higher level but not bothering with the exodus of birds. By 0830 hrs the skies had gone quiet.

     A single Teal was asleep out in the centre of the water and remained so throughout, whilst 4 Cormorant were present on the west banking, along with a Heron down in the dark sluice gate area.

      Around 150 gulls spread between the West and East shores with 8 Herring gulls present.  Skies looked good for Pinkies over but not to be this morning.

    A light chance of scattered showers tomorrow, mainly in the afternoon, on a moderate NW at 12 degrees.

BS