Foggy Oggy.

                                    Up to 8 Long Tailed Tits
 

                                    As good as it got, the promenade.

                                    Frozen foggy reservoir

                                    Start of the west bank

                                Kingfisher struggling down in the sluice gate

                                    Few Common gull in with the Black Headed

Just a light overnight covering of snow on top of yesterday coating but the roads not drastic from Queensbury to Ogden, though Ned Hill not passable. As I arrived at Ogden, so did the fog with a light SW>2 at minus 1 degree.

     The fog stuck throughout the watch with visibility only a third of the way out whilst all the fringes 

of the water were frozen over. With several waters frozen there's a good chance of wildfowl visiting Ogden as long as the water remains unfrozen.

      Up to 8 Long Tailed Tits were on the feeders along with the usual Tit species but no Nuthatch today.

The west bank trees were very quiet apart from 4 Redpoll very high up at the top of an Alder tree whilst the usual Blackbirds, Robins, Dunnock and Wrens were present.

   No visibility to see if  NKs good count of Tufted were on the water with just a few Black Headed and Common gulls in the Mallard feeding corner.

     After a chance of overnight rain or snow tomorrow shows to be a day of cloudy sunshine on a moderate SW at 1 degree.

BS

     

      

Wibsey Park in the snow.

 

                                    Wintery scene, frozen lake

                                    Several Herring gulls

                                    Around 100 Black Headed

                                    1 Pair Mute Swan

                                    Plenty Long Tailed Tits

                                    As well as Treecreepers

                                        Only 8 Tufted.

Unexpected overnight snow left a decent covering by morning with the roads snow covered and very icy causing me to stick to the main roads and head downhill to Wibsey Park. Cloudless sky and sunshine made a pleasant morning with a light covering of snow on a NW>3 at minus 3 degrees.

    The lake was 80% frozen over with just a small area of water where the Tufted duck, Mallard, Coot and Moorhen were fighting for space along with 2 Mute Swans. Only 8 Tufted at the moment and no sign of the drake Shoveler, for the second year running, which usually over-winters here.

     Around 100 Black Headed gulls were on the ice along with 20 Herring and 5 Common gull but the Herrings soon left >W. A careful check through the Black Headed gulls failed to turn up a Med gull.

    The trees around the park were buzzing with the 4 common Tit species, Treecreepers and Goldfinch 

along with several Woodpigeons, Collared Doves, Blackbirds and Robins.

    So, despite the weather, I salvaged the morning with a decent 2 hours birding.

Tomorrows weather could go either way with a snow warning out with expected snow showers on a moderate SW at a slightly milder temperature of minus 1 getting slightly above freezing point.

BS

Leeshaw Reservoir

 

                                    Around 300 Greylags i the goose field

                                    1 of 3 Pink Footed geese

                                    These 3 have been present since last winter

                                    Around 50 Canadas

                                    1 pr Teal under the far bank

                                Dog and Gun field small gulls

                                    Just a single Herring

Another bright crisp winters morn at Leeshaw with full sun in a clear blue sky but bitterly cold in a NW>3 at minus 3 degrees.

     Avoiding the Sunday morning crowd at Ogden I had a very icy drive to Leeshaw with some very slippery ungritted roads passing TMR the length of Long Causeway.

     The goose field at Leeshaw was heaving with around 300 Greylag and c 50 Canadas along with the 3 long staying Pink Footed geese that have been at this site throughout the summer since last winter.

A good check through failed to find any Barnacle, Bean or White Fronted geese but these geese had a thorough check yesterday by M.C.

     The water was quiet with just a few Mallard and a pair of Teal whilst gulls were in very poor form with just a handful of Black Headed, and none moving overhead.

     A group of 17, over wintering, Meadow Pipits were in the top field along with a Pied Wagtail.

Otherwise, just Dipper and Kestrel along with the usual Pigeons and Corvids etc.

    On the way home, the Dog and Gun field held around 40 Common and Black Headed gulls as well as a single Herring gull.

    Tomorrows forecast is just a repeat of today with plenty sunshine on a light NW wind starting off at minus 4 degrees.

BS

Another good session at Ogden.

 

                                    5 Tufted still present

                                    Several Treecreepers

                                    Around 20 Redpoll

A bright sunny morning at Ogden in a bitter cold NW>4 at minus 3 degrees. Some frozen water at the far north end with a few Black Headed gulls stood on it.

     The 5 Tufted were still on the water but sticking to the north end whilst around 100 small gulls and 5 Herring were riding the choppy waves.

   A Dipper and Kingfisher were down in the sluice gate along with 2 Grey Wagtails.

The waterside trees were very active with Goldcrest, Treecreeper and Tits but the highlight being the flock of Redpoll are now up to around 20 birds but no Mealy or Goldpoll. 

    Another bright sunny day for tomorrow with a light NW starting off at minus 4 degrees.

BS