A foggy Ogden and a last minute mega.

 

                                    Cormorant through the fog

                                        Few small gulls

                                    Drake Teal

                                Teal scattered about the water

                                    1 of 3 Goosander

                                        Teal

                                    Drake Wigeon and Teal

                                    Female Wigeon

                                    Mega, Black Redstart, Soil Hill area.

                                    distant record shots .

Thick fog for the first hour at Ogden this morning then clearing by 0900 hours to cloudy sunshine on a light W>2 at 8 degrees.

    Very much the same with Teal, Wigeon, Tufted and Mallard, plus the addition of 3 female Goosander plus a few small gulls and 2 adult LBB gulls.

    The drake Wigeon is now starting to show its cream pale forehead pattern and more grey upperparts.

The waterside trees held a large amount of Blue Tits and Blackbirds whilst the Chaffinch flock was very mobile and headed off over the lodge house towards Stod Fold.

    On the way home I got a phone call from DJS who was watching 2 Black Redstarts from the Soil Hill mast track. Luckily I was 2 minutes away driving up Ned Hill so I met Dave and immediately one of the birds showed but at distance and only for a few seconds before it disappeared. I managed the above shots but out of range so record shots only.

    NK then turned up at the scene on his way to Soil Hill and Ogden so he walked to another view point and re-located both birds but unfortunately time was up for me so did,nt get another sighting.

    Late afternoon I went back to the area and although one had been spotted by another birder 15 minutes before I arrived I failed to turn them up again after a good search around, although by now it was dark clouds and drizzle so they would probably have gone to roost.

   See Calderbirds blog for Daves good photos and report and NKs blog for his report.

Another cloudy day tomorrow with patches of sun and chance of showers on a light SSE wind increasing p.m.

BS

   

Another try at Ogden.

 

                                        Around 40 Chaffinch

                                    Favourite weeds

                                        Usual Teal

                                    Wigeon still present

                                        Several Black Headed gulls.

After early drizzle the morning brightened up to give partial cloud and sunshine on a light W>2 at 7 degrees.

   The usual contenders were on the water with Teal, Wigeon, Tufted and Mallard, along with a mix of around 50 Black Headed and Common gull.

   No sign of the Tit flock today, although I never left the west bank being involved checking through the 40+ Chaffinch flock in hopes of another Brambling but no luck today. A small group of 7 Siskin flew from the Alders but disappeared over the tree canopy not to be relocated.

  The Cold Edge Road to Fly Flatts is now closed until the 2nd November as well as the road to Leeshaw via Oxenhope so hilltop birding restricted at the moment.

   Looking like a decent morning tomorrow with some sunshine on a light west turning south west at 7 degrees then cloud and possible rain from midday with the wind increasing.

  BS

   

    

A lively Ogden

 

                                        3 LBB on water

                                        2 Wigeon present

                                        Teal and Wigeon

                                    Several Long Tailed Tits

                                    as well as Goldcrests

Despite the forecast for dry and sunny I got two good drenchings with a morning of sunshine and showers on a strong W>4-5 at 8 degrees. At least they got the strong wind correct which, unlike Fly Flatts, the wind is'nt an issue at Ogden.

     A livelier morning, both on the water and in the waterside trees with the water holding 3 LBB and 4 Herring gull as well as a handful of small gulls. The 6 Tufted are still present whilst a count of 23 Teal were present, most of which were sticking to the middle of the water. Still 2 Wigeon and a high count of Mallard but no Goosander today, which seems to alternate between Ogden and Mixenden.

     A good Tit flock is building up, which I managed to catch up with on the west bank, with a good count of the 4 Tit species, along with several Goldcrests and Treecreepers. No Firecrest as yet and only about half a dozen Chaffinch. 

     The Kingfisher is back at its winter venue, down in the sluice gate area, whilst 10 Canada geese flew overhead, high and >SW.

     Cloudy sunshine for tomorrow with a low risk of  showers on a moderate westerly, decreasing as the day goes on, at 8 degrees.

BS

     

Back to Ogden

 

                                    1 of 2 Grey Wagtail

                                    Around a dozen Teal

                                    2 Wigeon still present

                                    Teal and Wigeon

                                    Posing Mallard

                                    Few Common gull.

A bright start to the morning with some sunshine  but contrary to the forecast it clouded over by 0915 hrs with light rain. A cold WNW>3 at 7 degrees.

    I forgot it was the school holidays so plenty disturbance with the car park and Ogden Lane heaving as I left at 1000 hrs. Nothing untoward this morning with the usual Tufted, Teal, Wigeon and Mallards on the water, along with the long staying Goosander and a few small gulls plus 1 Herring.

     Only 1 Chaffinch seen today whilst 2 Grey and 2 Pied Wagtails were in the duck feeding corner, and very little in the waterside trees, other than several Blackbirds in the berry trees but no continentals. 

     Cloudy sunshine for morning at 9 degrees with a near gale force westerly increasing as the day goes on.

BS