Just the usuals, Ogden.

 

                                        Long staying Goosander.

A bright sunny morning at Ogden but very icy on a biting W>3 at 1 degree.

     Little time today so just a check of the west bank and water with the Alders holding the usual Bullfinch, Goldcrest and 4 common Tit species whilst the 2 Kingfishers were moving south to north along the west bank waterside trees.

   Around 80 small gulls on the water with several overhead, moving >NE, but otherwise just the long staying Goosander and Mallards.

  Looking like a write off for tomorrow with a day of heavy rain and near gale force southerlies. Roll on spring time.

BS

   

Struggling to find something new, Ogden.

 

                                    Nuthatch on the feeders

                                    1 of 2 Herring gull

                                    Several trees containing Bullfinch.

                                        1 of 6 Goldcrest.

Thick fog at Queensbury but Ogden was just below the cloud base with dull and damp conditions on a light NW>2 at 3 degrees. By 0930hrs the mist was rolling in along with rain.

    Despite the poor conditions there was plenty to keep me interested with firstly, the feeders were very busy with Coal, Great and Blue Tit as well as a single Nuthatch along with the usual ground feeders. As I as looking through the viewfinder the local Sparrowhawk came steaming through, battering into the fat ball feeders but away with empty talons. I held the shutter button down but, because it was so close, I just came away with 6 shots of half a wing and a tail section.

     Next stop was the west bank where several of the Alder trees had Bullfinch feeding in them with a count of around 12, along with 2 Siskin, one of which was a cracking male, but once again, failed to get a half decent publishable shot.

   Plenty Long Tailed Tits around and at least 6 Goldcrest, plus 2 more Goldcrest in the carpark shrubs.

Around 50 small gulls on the water along with 2 Herring, plus a single Cormorant and the usual Mallards.

    Looking good for tomorrow with plenty sunshine on a light westerly starting off at 0 degrees.

BS

     

Searching for Redpolls, Ogden.

 

                                    Alive with Long Tailed Tits

                                    8 Bullfinch present

                                        2 Kingfisher skimming over the water.

A decent morning, weather wise at Ogden with cloudy sunshine on a light WSW>3 at 6 degrees with just a couple of light showers.

     The waterside trees were very lively with a good count of Long Tailed Tits keeping constantly on the move. At least 6 Siskin were present along with 8 Bullfinch, 2 Goldcrest and a single Treecreeper before a Sparrowhawk came hurtling through the waterside trees and disappeared into the wood.

    Nothing untoward on the water today with around 40 small gulls and no sign of yesterdays drake Goldeneye though 2 Kingfishers flew fast and low over the water heading for the north bank.

    A colder morning forecast for tomorrow with a cloudy damp morning at 3 degrees on a light easterly with chance of sleet and snow after midday.

BS

Goldeneye for Ogden.

 

                                   A long awaited drake Goldeneye.

A misty damp morning at Ogden with thick fog on the tops but clear around the reservoir but a very dark, camera unfriendly morning on a moderate SW>3-4 at a warm 10 degrees.

    The highlight this morning was one of my target wildfowl for this sight with a drake Goldeneye out in the middle of the water among the small gulls.

   A small group of 5 Siskin were moving around the tops of the Alders along with several Long Tailed Tits but otherwise quiet and no Bullfinch today, although there was a lot of disturbance with noisy spats, sticks and ordnance survey map groups walking round.

    A Raven was overhead and a Kingfisher in the sluice gate area but the Dippers had been flushed from the 'Parakeet pond' just as I was getting there.

    A cloudy wet morning forecast for tomorrow with some outbreaks of sun on a moderate to strong SW at 6 degrees.

BS

Siskins at last, Ogden.

 

                                    1 of 2 Dippers

                                    Female Bullfinch

                                    7 Herring gulls present.

A bright sunny morning at Ogden but icy cold and slippery underfoot at 1 degree on a light SW>2.

    After a lot of neck aching, eye straining effort around the Alder trees at Ogden I finally dropped on a flock of around 30 Siskin but all very mobile and keeping deeper into the plantation among the thicker trees making it impossible to get the camera on them. As far as I could make out there are no Redpoll in with them as yet.

      A Tit flock was working its way around the waterside trees comprising of Long Tailed, Blue and Great Tits as well as 2 Goldfinch and the usual Wrens, Robins, Blackbirds and Dunnocks whilst 4 Bullfinch were in their usual area in the Alders.

    The 2 Dippers were showing well with 1 posing for photos for a change, thanks to very few public about. The water was still wildfowl free, other than the Mallards, but the gull faired a little better with 7 Herring and around 30 small gulls.

     Not the best of forecasts for tomorrow with a cloudy damp day and morning fog on a strong Sou'westerly but a temperature rise up to 10 degrees.

BS

Icy cold Ogden.

 

                                    4 Bullfinch enjoying the Alder fruit.

A gorgeous morning at Ogden despite the icy cold NW>3 blowing across the promenade. Much milder around the track in the shelter of the trees but bad visibility with the low blinding sun. Very little cloud with a temp of one degree.

    Although I found the conditions pleasant, the birds obviously thought otherwise with very little about. The highlight once again were the Bullfinch with 3 males and 1 female putting on a good show high up in the west bank Alders, busy feeding off the ample fruit cones.

   Otherwise down to 3 Long Tailed Tits, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Treecreeper along with the woodland regulars. A Kingfisher and 2 Dippers were down in the sluice gate area but, yet again, the water remained void of wildfowl other than the Mallards which seems strange as the Manchester reservoirs are heaving with Teal, Wigeon, Gadwall, Pochard and Shoveler. Only a few small gulls present.

    On the way home, 4 Grey Partridge were in the Ned Hill fields.

A mostly cloudy day tomorrow on a light SW starting off at 1 degree.

BS