Autumnal morn at Ogden.

 

                                    8 Teal duck present.

Dense fog on the tops this morning but bright and clear at Ogden with a cold W>3 at 8 degrees giving it a real autumnal feel.

    Apart from the weather giving it an autumn feel ducks have started arriving with 8 Teal present, busily feeding around the shoreline, whilst 3 Tufted, 1 Little Grebe and a female Goosander were on the water as well as the usual 3 Cormorants.

   Still around 150 gulls which were mainly LBB and Herring on the west bank and a lower count of Common and Black headed on the east bank. I had hoped to turn up the Med gull that was around the local area yesterday, M.P. but nothing as yet.

    Otherwise just a Pied and Grey Wagtail on the shore, plus the usual species, and all quiet overhead.

A dry start to the morning with rain pushing in from the west by midday on a moderate >SE at 9 degrees.

BS

A drizzly Ogden.

 

                                    Around 200 gulls present

                                    2 of 6 Teal

Better birding weather conditions this morning at Ogden with full cloud on a moderate W>3 at 12 degrees with drizzle showers throughout.

    The drizzle worked its magic again with 6 Teal out on the water and distant sighting of a single Common Sandpiper which flew from the SW corner and dropped down into the channels at the north end. 

     The female Goosander was still present and the Little Grebe was back at the north end of the water along with 3 Cormorant. Around 150 gulls present, mainly across on the west bank, with several Herrings among them.  Empty skies today other than a few gulls and the usual Corvids and Woodpigeons etc.

   Forecast for tomorrow is showing early mist then a bright sunny morning with some cloud after midday. A moderate SW with a kick off temperature of a cool 9 degrees.

BS

     

A quieter Ogden

 

                                    1 of 4 Cormorants

                                    Including the orange ringed bird.

                                    Around 100 mixed gulls

                                    Single Heron.

Full clear skies and sunshine at Ogden this morning on a very light SW>1 increasing >3 at 12 degrees.

     A nice morning to be out but not birding conditions making it much quieter than yesterday. The Teal and Dunlin had expectedly moved on leaving just the usual Ogden species with 4 Cormorant, 1 Heron, 

1 Canada goose plus the usual Mallards and no sign of the Little Grebe today. 

    Around 100 mixed gulls present spread on the east and west bank with completely empty skies.

A foggy start to the morning with a cloudy showery day with higher chance of rain after midday. A light SW turning W at 12 degrees.

BS

Another 1st for me at Ogden, Dunlin.

 

                                    Around 150 gulls, east and west bank.

                                    Single female Goosander

                                        10 Teal present.

                                Distant Dunlin in the rain.

                                    Winter plumage

                                    A 1st for me at Ogden.

One of those 'bring em in' mornings that I like with a mix of rain and drizzle showers with full cloud on a WNW>3 at 14 degrees.

    Around 150 mixed gulls spread between the east and west shores along with 3 Cormorants and a single Heron. A female Goosander was present as well as the long staying Little Grebe whilst 10 Teal on the water was a bonus as well as 3 Greylag geese and 4 Tufted duck.

    Near knocking off time I did a final scan around the shore when a wader flew through my field view way across on the west bank. My first thought was Common Sandpiper but I stayed on it till it landed on the distant shore and settled down. 

     At the distance from the east bank, and through the rain with bins only, I got its greyish plumage but its head was tucked under its wind which made me think Knot but, after patiently waiting 10 minutes, 2 Black Headed gulls started harassing it and luckily it flew across to the east shore but still some distance away and no chance of getting nearer as my view would be blocked with trees.

     As it landed, 2 quick shots was enough to see it was a Dunlin in winter plumage showing its long black legs and curved bill. It once again settled down with its head tucked under, which was how I left it, asleep in the waters edge. 

   Though Ogden is by no means a decent wader site this is the second, first for site, wader species this year, the last one being Ruff.

    As we officially move into autumn, autumn equinox today, the forecast for tomorrow is full sun on a light southerly, increasing slightly after midday, kicking off at 10 degrees and peaking at 17 degrees.

 BS

    

Fog Dodging, Ogden, Soil Hill, Perseverance Rd.

 

                                    Dense fog at Ogden

                                Gulls are down there somewhere.

                                A world of difference, Soil Hill.

                                    Fog leaving the valley by 0930 hrs.

                                Single skein of 49 Pinkies >W, Soil Hill.

The dense overnight fog at Queensbury cleared by 0600 hrs only to find that, due to no wind, it had dropped down into the alleys with Ogden completely blanked out. Back up on the tops it was full blue skies on a very light SW>1 at 14 degrees. By 0930 hrs the fog was clearing from down below.

    A walk up to the mast on Soil Hill produced a single Wren and a Cormorant >W with at least 2 distant Wheatear on the stone circle. A steady flow of Mipits headed >SSW.

    A distant sighting across to the bungalow on Perseverance found a small bird on the gable end of the roof where the Black Redstart has been sighted in previous years but a dash on there found it to be a Pied Wagtail. 

    The next 30 minutes from the top of Perseverance Road produced several Mipits, now moving >S after the valley fog had lifted, whilst 3 Buzzards were mega high and moving directly >W closely followed by a skein of 49 Pink Footed Geese also >W. 

   An afternoon dog walk up Foxhill Park produced a Red Kite being mobbed by 2 gulls mega high in the blue sky. The Kite slowly drifted off >E.

    A wet and windy morning forecast for tomorrow with early fog and heavy showers on a moderate sou'westerly at 12 degrees, improving after midday.

BS