Hard work at Ogden.

 

                                    An autumnal west bank.

                                    Gulls on the west shore

                                    1 of 3 Teal

                                    Female Wigeon.

                              Only a portion of the Chaffinch flock present.

A bright sunny morning with a moderate SW>3 at 8 degrees.

   School holidays and sunshine are not a good recipe for Ogden with too much disturbance this morning spooking the gulls to spend most of the time out on the water and small passerines constantly being kept on the move through the waterside trees.

    Only a portion of the Chaffinch flock were showing but soon left after being flushed several times, so no Brambling sightings this morning. A Tit flock was moving through the trees with Coal, Great and Long Tailed Tits as well as 2 Treecreepers and a single Nuthatch, whilst a small flock of Goldfinch were feeding in the beech trees.

     The water is coming up nicely, ready for the winter wildfowl, but this morning just held 2 Cormorant, 3 Teal, 4 Tufted and a single female Wigeon and nothing moving in the sky. Plenty eyes out this morning with Bradshaw John and Pete Grba doing the rounds.

    A wet and windy morning for tomorrow with showers on a moderate to strong sou'westerly at 8 degrees improving as the day goes on.

BS

   

A worthwhile soaking at Ogden.

 

                                    Single Wigeon

                                    Just 2 Teal

                                    Wigeon

                                    Wigeon and Teal

                                    Around 80 gulls.

A very dark and wet morning at Ogden with full low cloud on a light S>1 at 6 degrees with light rain throughout.

    This morning I spent my time on the west bank which turned out to be a good move as when I came across the Chaffinch flock there were at least 5 Brambling in with them but very mobile moving through the waterside trees and occasionally dropping down onto the weeds on the banking but always remained partially hidden with the trees. After about 40 attempts of a photo all I had was blurs, leaves and weeds which didn't help in the darkness and rain.

     A Tit flock was also in the waterside trees with the 4 common Tit species as well a 2 Nuthatch, Goldfinch, Goldcrest and Treecreeper but no joy on my target bird of Firecrest, although they are being reported as on the move.

   The water and banking held 2 Teal, 1 Wigeon and 3 Grey Wagtail along with around 80 gulls present.

Nothing moving overhead although most of the time I had my head down concentrating on the Brambling. Todays sighting of Brambling is just 5 days later than when I had a single in the same area last year.

    A drier day tomorrow with a low chance of rain on a moderate to strong SW at 8 degrees.

                                    As near to a pic as I managed.  Brambling.

BS

      

Weathering the storm, Ogden.

 

                                    A break between showers

                              Mallards and 6 Wigeon enjoying the weeds, far shore

                                    3 of 8 Tufted duck

                                        Wigeon on the water

                                    4 Teal present

                                    Yellow Legged Herring gull

A wild and wet morning at Ogden with a near gale W>7 at 36 m.p.h gusting at strong gale W>9 at

52 m.p.h. with torrential showers easing as the morning went on, with some breaks of sunshine at 7 degrees.

    After a quick early morning fence repairing job I got to Ogden at 0800 hrs but due to the conditions I stuck to the east bank not wanting to risk under the large trees on the west bank plus it was slightly sheltered from the worst of the rain. 

     Unfortunately the birds thought otherwise sticking to the shelter of the deep west banking and not a good morning for the camera. At least 6 Wigeon were feeding on the weeds on the west bank along with several Mallard whilst 6 female and 2 male Tufted were on the water along with 4 Teal.

  Around 50 gulls across the water including 1 Yellow Legged Herring gull. Impossible to see any small passerines this morning with clouds of leaves blowing around. Nothing skyward this morning other than a Jay which flew east to west into the plantation.

     A calmer day tomorrow with a light to moderate southerly and a good chance of rain throughout the day at 7 degrees.

BS 

   

    

Between the storms, Ogden buzzing.

 

                                Last sunrise of British summertime over't Black Dyke.

                                        4 Teal present

                                    Mistle Thrushes >W

                                    Woodpigeons >SW

                                        2 Wigeon present

                                    Skein of Pinks >SE

                                    Yellow Legged Herring gull, 'michahellis'

                                    Way across on the far shore.

Full very dark cloud this morning at Ogden with fog on the tops. The early sunrise lasted 10 minutes before being snubbed out with cloud on a light W>3 and icy cold at 4 degrees. By 0930 hrs the wind was increasing bringing rain from the west.

     As expected, or hoped, the birds took advantage of a weather window between the two storms with plenty sky movement. Woodpigeons were heading >SW in small groups whilst Mistle Thrushes, Fieldfares and Redwings headed >W along with several finch sp. but too high in the dark clouds to identify bart scope.

    A skein of Pink Footed Geese headed >SE but unsure of the count other than 60 plus as they quickly disappeared over the trees and whilst they were in sight they were too close to get a full photo using my 400mm fixed lens. DJS may come up with a number as he picked them up over Ringby Top after they left my area.

   The water held 4 Teal, 2 Wigeon and 2 Cormorant whilst the east bank trees produced a pair of Bullfinch, several Blackbirds and a Kingfisher flying low below the Willows.

    Looking across to the west bank from the east bank there were 5 Herring gull, 8 LBB and around 30 small gulls whilst the star of the show was a Yellow Legged Herring gull which stood out from the crowd, even at that distance.

   The end of British summertime today so a bit lighter or early morning birding for a while but bad news for any evening birders. Don't forget to put your clocks back, a good way to remember which way the clocks go is the old saying, ' Spring forward, Fall back.'

     Looking like a wet day tomorrow, mainly in the morning at 7 degrees. Some controversy about the wind with the two forecasts I use, one saying W> near gale 7 at 33 m.p.h. and the other saying 

W> strong gale force 9 at 53 m.p.h. though the second forecast gave strong gale from midday today and so far up here on the tops at Queensbury its nobbut been a stiff breeze, or a good drying day as my mother used to say.

BS

    

    

Steady away at Ogden.

 

                                    Early morn fog lifting

                                    From the west bank.

                                    1 female Wigeon present

                                    Very few gulls

                                        Lesser Black Backed.

Dense fog on the tops with a misty start at Ogden but soon clearing to leave near full cloud with patches of sunshine on a very light NW>1 at a mild 7 degrees and remaining dry. On the way home the fog had dropped down into the Aire Valley looking down to the east.

    Just the one female Wigeon on the water with a clear out of Goosander, Teal and Tufted duck leaving just 2 Cormorant. Gull numbers were low with around 80 small gulls along with 4 LBB and 2 Herring gulls.

    Better movement in the sky with probably the last dregs of Woodpigeons >SW whilst several flocks of mixed Redwing and Fieldfare headed >E ahead of the approaching weather front. The waterside trees along passerine alley were alive with continental Blackbird plus a pair of Bullfinch in a birch tree.

     What looks like a dry morning tomorrow on a moderate SW at 5 degrees. The wind builds up to gale force 8 at 40 m.p.h. after midday bringing heavy rain.

BS

Another bright morning, Ogden.

 

                                    Bright autumnal morn

                                Reflections on the water.

                                Woodpigs >SW

                                    6 Distant Teal present.

                                    Single drake Wigeon, far bank.

                                    2 Cormorant on the water

Another bright and sunny morn at Ogden with a very light WNW>2 at a cold 5 degrees.

   The skies looked good for a big Fieldfare blast off today, but that never happened, with just a steady flow of Woodpigs heading >SW, but this dried up by 0830 hrs with very little else overhead.

    The water was very hard to check with strong reflections and low sun with just 6 Teal present as well as 4 Tufted and the drake Wigeon from yesterday but all keeping to the far shore and banking.

    Gull numbers were low with around 50 small gulls and 5 LBBs plus 2 Herring, whilst 2 Cormorant were on the water. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over the promenade along with a few Chaffinch whilst 2 Kingfishers are now present but otherwise a pleasant but quiet morning.

   1300 hrs and a dog walk over Foxhill found that winter thrushes must have taken advantage of a window with Fieldfare and Redwing piling over Foxhill Park, Queensbury all >SW. Flood gates closed by 1430 hrs.

   A foggy start for morning with sunshine and showers and a 50% chance of rain. A light NW wind increasing after mid day to, gale force, peaking at Force 8, 41 m.p.h at 1700 hrs.

BS