Persevering at Ogden Reservoir

 

                                    Unusually high count of 38 Canada geese

                                    East bank

                                    15 Herring gulls present this morn.

                                    Looking across to the west bank

                                    Very distant Little Grebe

                                    Pink legged LBB gull.

                                    Oddball gull ,centre

                                    YL Herring mantle, pale yellow to flesh coloured.

                                    2 Herring gull.

Despite a forecast for a dry morning it was wet on and off throughout with some rain and then drizzle showers, with full cloud on a moderate W>5 at 12 degrees.

      A count of 38 Canada geese were present which is unusual at this site whilst yesterdays Little Grebe was still feeding well but sticking to the north west corner at a good distance.

    A better count of gulls today with 15 Herring and around 50 LBB plus the usual small gulls. One Herring type gull caught my eye being a gull that I've had before and discussed with MC. The mantle is in between Herring and Lesser Black Backed making it good for Yellow Legged Herring but the legs are the stumbling block being very pale flesh to yellow coloured. Another outstanding gull was a LBB which had retained its pink legs, which is not unusual but made it stand out from the crowd. Swallows were overhead but otherwise the usual species.

      See if the forecast is more accurate for tomorrow showing a very wet cloudy morning on a moderate sou'westerly at 13 degrees and brightening up after midday.

BS

Walking in the rain, Ogden Reservoir.

 

                                    5 of 6 Tufted duck

                                        West bank

                                       West bank

                                    Little Grebe.

 

East bank                                                                          

                                    Just 5 Herring gulls

A wet morning at Ogden with light rain starting at 0800 hrs, and then continuing throughout, with full dark clouds on a light WSW>2 at 14 degrees. 

   Much better conditions for the gulls with around 200 mixed but only 5 Herring and no sign of the recent Yellow Legged Herring which, if its the same bird from Ogden, has been clocked at TMR, Leeshaw and Redcar Tarn recently. 

    The 6 Tufted duck family had returned this morning, and a surprise to get a Little Grebe on the water along with the Great Crested Grebe, whilst 2 Teal were very hard to spot in the darkest part of the water.

     No sign of the leg ringed Cormorant with 6 present and 2 fly overs, high and >SW. Otherwise, down to the usual species in the waterside trees and around the feeders. A group of 4 Kestrels were in the air together over Ned Hill, probable the Fly Flatts birds.

     Looking dry for morning after overnight rain then a chance of rain mid afternoon on a moderate to strong westerly at 12 degrees.

BS

Ogden Reservoir.

 

                                    East Bank gulls

                                    Ad Herring

                                    2 CY Herring gull

                                    Very few on the east bank.

                                    Cormorant with Orange LH leg ring 

                                    Silver metal ring, RH

                                        Ring 546.  Ringed at Cheshire, 2021

                                    Herring 2 CY

A bright part cloud/ part sunny morning at Ogden on a cool SW>2 at 10 degrees.

     A bit better on gull numbers this morning with around 40 LBB, 6 Herring and several Common and Black Headed. The Gt Crested Grebe is still on site along with 6 Cormorants, one of which was wearing an orange LH leg ring, number 546, and the usual silver metal RH leg ring. This looks like a new in bird, or one which I've failed to pick out previously.

    Otherwise steady away with just a few Swallows >S.

Looks like a waterproofs day tomorrow with rain throughout on a light sou'westerly at 12 degrees.

BS

Bank Holiday blues, Fly Flatts, Mixenden, Ned Hill track.

 A cloudy but clear morning at Fly Flatts with broken cloud on a moderate NW>4 at 12 degrees.

   A bad end to a bad month at Fly Flatts even though conditions are excellent for waders with tons of exposed shore, several pools and islands and the lagoon at its best, and still the waders don't come.  

    After a thorough check of all the shoreline, the water and the migrant bushes I'd just come up with

2 Stonechat, 3 Wheatear, 8 LBB and 2 Black Headed gulls plus 5 Kestrel. This has got to be my worst ever year at this site but no explanation of why.

    By 0900 hrs boredom had set in so it was tackle up and a stop off at Mixenden on the way home, which was another damp squib, with just 2 LBB and 6 Black Headed gulls present.

   As a last resort it was a walk on the Ned Hill track to see if anything was passing through the coll but other than a few LBB gulls and corvids all was quiet. 

   By this time I'd got the message to call it a day with hopes of a better September, though looking back at September last year, not a single wader at Fly Flatts, which is the norm for up there in the autumn. Oh well, there's always the skeins of Pinkies to look out for, my first last year being on the 24th Sept.

      Looking mostly dry for tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a moderate SW turning W at 12 degrees.

BS

     

Back on gull patrol, Ogden.

 

                                    A low gull count this morning

                                    Plenty Common Gulls now.

                                Juv LBB still being fed.

Dense fog on the tops as promised early morn with Ogden just below the cloud base but very dark clouds with the last of the overnight rain followed by light drizzle. Some breaks in the cloud by mid watch with quick bursts of sun on a light SW>2 at 12 degrees.

     A poor gull count this morning with around 30 LBB plus a few Common and Black Headed all on the east bank with nothing but 3 Cormorant and a Heron on the west bank. A good scan around the shoreline failed to turn up anything wader-wise and only the Mallards and Gt Crested Grebe on the water. The pair of Grey Wagtail were below the duck feeding area.

    Swallows were moving through, early doors, low and skimming the water , and a surprise to see 5 Sand Martin in with them, all moving >S.

     Another promise of fog for morning on a light Westerly turning NW and increasing after midday. A low risk of rain in the morning with probable showers from the west p.m. with a temp of 12 degrees.

BS

    

Migrants in the mist, Fly Flatts

 

                                    Bush full of Whinchat and Stonechat

                                    Soon as the mist lifted they were gone.

                                            Several young birds.

I arrived at Fly Flatts just as the fog was leaving, with misty conditions but visibility across the water, though no vertical vision with very dark, low cloud and light drizzle on a light SW>1 increasing SW>3 at 12 degrees.

   First off, after a quick scope around the shore, was check the migrant hot spot area where several Meadow Pipits were flitting about, and after a bit of patiently waiting, Stonechats and Whinchats started to appear but very flighty, moving between the bushes and reeds in the top fields. At least 5 Whinchat and 6 Stonechat as well as 2 Willow Warblers, 4 Wrens and a Blackbird. By this time the mist was lifting and the birds disappeared into thin air, not to be seen again. A charm of around 50 Goldfinch were moving around the thistle tops.

    Another scope of the shore failed to produce any kind of wader with just 32 LBB and 8 Black Headed gulls whilst the family of 1 female and 5 young Tufted were on the water along with a single Mallard and Canada goose. Several Swallows were skimming over the water >SE.

    Another misty morn for tomorrow but dry until midday then chance of heavy rain and thunderstorms in the afternoon. A light to moderate SW at 12 degrees.

BS