Not one for the record books. Mixenden/Ogden.

 As expected, dense fog on the tops early morn with mist and drizzle at both the venues though visibility was good enough, but not for sky watching, on a light SW>2 at 10 degrees.

      Mixenden reservoir was void of bird life other than 4 Common and 6 Black Headed gulls on the water and nothing else. I was about to head to the west bank to check the alders for Siskin and Redpoll, that was until a woman started walking towards me on the east bank with an evil looking XL Bully cross type off the lead and pounding about. I could see she could'nt handle it, and not wanting my two dogs eaten alive I got out of there sharpish.  Another venue off the list.

     On then to Ogden to try and save the morning but just 3 Herring and a dozen small gulls on the water along with the resident female Goosander. Once again I aimed to check the west bank alders but workmen were on the banking with a quad and other equipment, so, with cars rolling in by now, I put my third plan into action which was, forget it and go home.

     With overnight fog suppose to be clearing by 0700 hrs in the morning leaving it cloudy on a light WNW giving visibility as good, which I dont believe for a minute.

BS 

Leeshaw Reservoir

 

                                    Fields full of Greylag geese

                                            North shore

                                        Greylags moving fields

                                    Good count of LBB and Herring gull

A bright clear morning at Leeshaw but heavy cloud to the west. Blue sky and sunshine on a light SW>2 at a cold and frosty 3 degrees. By 0945 hrs the mist was rolling in from the west shrouding the moorland tops.

    Very little sky movement with just Woodpigeons, Jackdaws and a few Starling but drying up by 0900 hrs. Fieldfares are still holding back after I expected a move today. Previous years big move days have always been between the 14th and the 25th of October, although the big moving days of all species  has dropped dramatically from the early nineties when Fieldfare, Redwing, Woodpig and Mipits came over in uncountable numbers.

     Gulls and Greylags were on good form this morning with excess of 250 Greylags  and a count of 46 LBB, 23 Herring, 28 Common and c 150 Black Headed. I,ve yet to go through the distant photos  to make sure I did'nt miss anything special through the scope.

     Otherwise it was down to 3 Lapwing, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Dipper, plus the usual species.

Looks grim for tomorrow with cloud and light rain throughout on a moderate sou'westerly. Visibility is given as very poor. I,m snookered now when its foggy with Leeshaw out of the running for the next 3 weeks with 2 lots of road closures and long, busy, diversions, so it will be a case of sticking to the lower sites.

BS

Last day of British summertime, Ogden.

 

                                Last sunrise of British Summertime, Queensbury.

                                    Single gull in the glow.

                                    Queensbury from Perseverance Road.

                                Black Dyke mill and parish church.

                                    Sunrise at Ogden

                                    An array of colour.

A nice bright sunrise this morning with the fog cleared but the sun was short lived and clouded over by 0815 hrs and some mist creeping over the tops, through the turbines. A light SW>2 at 11 degrees.

    With our other dog to bath and groom I decided on a quick dog walk and check at Ogden and took the smaller Canon 70- 200 zoom in hopes of getting some nice colour shots of the sun on the trees in their autumn plumage but the sun disappeared before I had the chance.

       Plenty Redwing over >SW but difficult now, at this time of year, to ascertain whether they are movers or from roosts breaking up, whilst Woodpigeons were piling over, high and direct >S, and continued to do so into the early afternoon. No chance of any counts as too busy watching for off lead dogs with irresponsible owners and keeping my two out of harms way.

     Otherwise, 12 Black Headed on the water, plus the usual Mallards and that was it. All the feeders were without food so no Nuthatch today.

     A light SW for morning with clear skies and sunshine. With no Fieldfare sightings as yet they may take advantage of tomorrows window before Monday and Tuesdays rain and fog.

BS   

Looking back this year at better times.

 The day the lights went out. Dense fog all day so a day of dog grooming and no birding.

Just to remind me that birds did exist locally this year here are a few of the specials.

                                        Caspian gull Fly Flatts

                                        Great Black Backed gull, Leeshaw

Yellow Legged Herring gull, Ogden   Adult                                      

                                    Yellow Legged Herring gull, Ogden  2cy

                                    1cy Mediterranean gull.  Thornton

                                Adult Med gull,  Thornton

                                    Common Sandpiper,  Fly Flatts

                                Ad Ringed Plover,   Fly Flatts

                                    Dunlin,  Fly Flatts

                                    Mega !!  Bird of the year, Wood Sandpiper, Fly Flatts

                                    Sanderling, Fly Flats

                                    Wheatear, Fly Flatts

                                    Greenland Wheatear,  Fly Flatts

                                        Gadwall,   Leeshaw

                                        Pintail,  Redcar Tarn and Fly Flatts

                                    Shoveler   Wibsey Park

                                        Common Scoter, Fly Flatts

                                        Long Eared Owl

                                    Great White Egret,  Leeshaw

                                    Little Egret , Leeshaw

Arctic Tern, Leeshaw                                                           

                                    Common Tern, Leeshaw

                                    Arctic Tern, Leeshaw

                                Spotted Flycatcher,  Ogden

                                    Black Redstart,  Fly Flatts

                              Juv Ringed Plover,  Fly Flatts, The only wader this autumn !

                                    Black Redstart,  Fly Flatts

                                    Whinchat,  Fly Flatts.

Hopefully a better morning tomorrow with a light SW and some sunshine but this fog will take some shifting overnight if there's only a light wind.

BS