Bank Top Country Park. p.m.

 

                                    Queensbury, a cracking sunrise

                                        Here comes the sun

                                    Very short lived

                                    Several Black Headed gulls

                                    1 pr Mute Swan

                                    Herring gulls lined up.

                                    Just the one Lesser Black Backed

After a brilliant sunrise it all went downhill with the rest of the day being cloudy and damp on a light

W>3 at 0 degrees.

     The gas man cometh this a.m. for the annual fire/boiler service so it was mid afternoon, with shopping etc done, that I was free for a quick visit to Bank Top Country Park.

    Rather quiet on the water with the Cormorant and Goosanders missing along with a lower count of Coot, Moorhen and Mallard although some Mallard were arriving to roost.

    The 2 Mute Swan were on the water along with several Black Headed gulls whilst 18 Herring gulls, a single Lesser Black Backed and 2 Common were around the banking along with 1 Heron.

    No small passerines found in the trees other than Robin and Great Tits.

A milder morning tomorrow with the traditional Christmas Eve fog and full cloud with drizzle on a moderate westerly.

BS

    

Blizzard conditions, Queensbury.

 

                                    A snowy scene in Queensbury

                                    Foxhill Park

                                        Foxhill School

A real snowy, icy morning up here in the gods with a strong NW>6 at zero degrees. Heavy snow showers but not amounting to much but very icy roads. A vast improvement after midday with the winds starting to ease and plenty sunshine.

       No birding today other than 3 dog walks over Foxhill, the late morning one producing a skein of 75 Pink Footed Geese over very high >NW and to the north of me whilst a few Black Headed and Common gulls were in the park. 

   Very busy on my feeders today with several House Sparrows, Dunnock, Robin, Blue Tit, Woodpigeon and Starlings.

    Looking better for tomorrow with a lighter westerly and dry at 2 degrees.

BS

     

    

Bright and breezy Ogden. p.m. Winter solstice.

                                        Blue Tits enjoying the feeders
 

                                        Coal Tit

                                        Single Canada goose grazing.

A very wet morning on a strong SW>6 gusting 7 so settled for a breezy walk over Foxhill then hit Ogden early afternoon where the wind had turned NW>5 gusting 6 but bright with some sunshine and cloud to the west at a mild 8 degrees.

    The extremely rough water held very few small gulls and even the Mallards were sheltering, scattered around the edges, whilst a single Canada goose was grazing by the valve tower.

    A Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail and Dipper were down in the sluice gate whilst Great, Blue and Coal Tits were on the feeders with Dunnock and Robin cleaning up below the feeders. A Gt Spotted Woodpecker flew over as well as a distant Buzzard.

  Limited time and a bit risking under the trees to check the Alders so just stuck to the promenade area.

    Another very windy day for tomorrow with a near gale westerly with some rain and possibly a dabble of snow. Next week's looking good so far. At least the shortest day is behind us now so a steady move to longer daylight.

BS

Leeshaw Reservoir

 

An icy cold wind at Leeshaw early morn with full cloud, mist on the tops and constant drizzle at 2 degrees.

    As expected, very little to show  with around 50 Black Headed gulls, 5 Common, 3 Herring and one LBB. A single Raven went over along with a small squadron of Starling >SW whilst 2 Stock Dove were in the goose field. The water just held Mallards, Canadas and Greylags, all on a small count, along with a single Cormorant and 6 Lapwing on the bank.

     A Dipper was down in the beck and an overwintering Meadow Pipit was present. Otherwise down to the usual species with no overhead movement.

    Not the best of forecasts for morning with rain and a near gale force sou'westerly.

BS

Harold Park/Park Dam

 

                                        Harold Park

                                    Plenty gulls to check through

                                        Several Blackbirds leaf digging

                                    Loads of Coots

PARK DAM                Moulting Cormorant    

                                Gt White Egret with Heron

                                    11 Goosanders present

                                    Kingfisher flying from wood beams

                                        Kingfisher on collision course with Heron

                                    Gt White Egret moving positions

A very bright and sunny morning at Harold Park with a moderate NW>4 at an icy cold 2 degrees.

       A good count of c 75 Black Headed gulls on the lake along with 8 Herring and 10 Common but still no Med gull mixed in with them. Two pair of Tufted had returned to the water but no Scaup whilst the Little Grebe was present along with a high count of Coot and Moorhen plus the usual Mallards, Greylags and Canadas. A tree full of yellow berries in the park held a single Mistle Thrush and 9 Magpies.

   Over the road at Park Dam 9 Tufted had returned to the water whilst 11 Goosander and 2 Gt Crested Grebe were present but no sign of the Pochard, but this could have been skulking under the banking at the far end where most of the Mallards were.

    The Great White Egret was on the banking at the side of a Heron before flying a circuit and landing in a spot nearby. A Kingfisher was sat on some wooden beams but flew along the waters edge, nearly colliding with a Heron, as I raised the camera. The Mute Swan family of  9 were still present and being fed by a lady from Swan Rescue.

    Lots of Great and Blue Tits in the waterside trees along with Woodpigeons and Collared Doves.

A dry but cloudy morning tomorrow on a moderate SW at 2 degrees with rain appearing before midday.

BS

    

A wet and windy Wibsey Park.

 

                                No shortage of Tufted here

                                    Sign of the times/  Moorhen

                                        2 of 4 Herring gull

A very wet and windy morn at Wibsey Park though the wind is not really an issue at a lower level.

Very heavy rain throughout on a SW>5 at 8 degrees and full dark cloud. Again, not a morning for the camera with more deletes than saves.

     The aim of the exercise this morning was to check the Tufted ducks to see if they had moved on like yesterdays Harold Park birds, and also to make sure the moving around Scaup had'nt arrived here.  

A good count of Tufted, both male and female, with a minimum of 37 with possibly more but hard to get an accurate count with them mulling around the island. Nothing in the way of Scaup but a single drake Goosander was present whilst the drake Shoveler, that usually winters at this site, remains absent

this year.  

    Around 50 Black Headed gulls, as well as 4 Herrings, along with 2 Mute swan and the usual Canadas, Greylags, Mallards, Coots and Moorhens were present whilst a flock of 18 Redwing flew overhead. Nothing in the trees other than Woodpigeon and Collared Dove'

    Looking good for morning with some sunshine, dry, and a moderate NW and then a pile of rain, snow and gales to take us up to Christmas. Just 3 days to the shortest day then a steady rise in daylight, I hate these late start mornings waiting until after 0800hrs for some form of daylight.

BS