A reet wet do. Leeshaw, Lower Laithe, Leeming.

 

                                    Wet and murky Leeshaw

                                    3 Redshank present

                                        Some of 28 Oystercatchers

Dense fog on the tops this morning so a visit to Leeshaw where the weather was miserable with misty conditions moving through and constant heavy horizontal drizzle on a moderate WSW>4 at 7 degrees.

 More road closures and diversions through Oxenhope.

   Nothing other than the expected species with 3 Redshank, 28 Oystercatchers, 5 Curlew and around 100 Lapwing. The goose field held a low count of Canadas and Greylags along with 2 Little Owl and a few Meadow Pipits whilst 2 Pied and 2 Grey Wagtails were in the overflow. Just a single 1CY Herring gull heading >W.

   Lower Laithe was poor with Canadas, Mallards and 2 Oystercatchers whilst Leeming held 6 Tufted duck along with Canadas, Mallards and 2 Grey Wagtails.

     A sunshine and showers day tomorrow with a chance of rain, sleet and snow on a moderate westerly at 1 degree.

BS

    

A quick glance at Ogden

                                            A beautiful morning at Ogden

Clear blue skies and sunshine on a cool NW>3 at 2 degrees.

   A very late start this morning, not getting out until 0900 hrs, with the impossible task of trying to get a doctors appointment for Lynda. After 3 days and a stack of phone calls and internet forms I finally got an appointment for her for next week. Luckily its not life threatening. You've more chance of seeing a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker than a doctor in Queensbury.

     Anyway, just a flying visit to Ogden just to get the dogs out and check the water. The dog walking was fine, the birding was terrible, even though the conditions were perfect with nothing but Mallards on the water and a walk on the west bank provided just Robins, Dunnocks and a few Long Tailed Tits.

   No sign of the Fieldfares this morning but a lot of road resurfacing going on along Perseverance Road.

   Back to a cloudy wet day tomorrow with a moderate SW at 6 degrees with possible hill fog.

BS

    

Blizzard conditions Ogden, match aborted.

 

                                    Blizzard conditions Ogden

                                    In between the snow showers

                                    Next blizzard on way.

                                    3 LBB gulls

                                    Perseverance Rd, Fieldfares and Starlings 

Set off this morning for Leeshaw due to a strong NW>6 but as I got to Keelham a heavy snow shower was starting to cover the roads so diverted to Ogden. Real blizzard conditions at Ogden with the worst blizzard so far this winter so waited in the car to see what happened with thoughts of getting home while I could. Luckily it started to clear leaving bright blue skies and sunshine on an icy cold strong NW 5 gusting 6 at 1 degree. By the time I got across the promenade another serious blizzard arrived so time to get out of there.

    Only birds seen were 3 LBB and 2 Herring on the water plus several Tits on the feeders.

On the way home, a field on Perseverance Road held around 30 Fieldfare and 50+ Starlings but unfortunately right in the sun so no good for photos. Back home by 0900 hrs with still a mix of sunshine and snow showers.

    Promising to be a decent day tomorrow with plenty sunshine in the morning then starting to cloud after midday on a light WNW starting off at zero degrees.

BS

   

Ogden in the rain.

 

                                    A wet morn at Ogden

                                    LBB and Herring gulls

                                    Chaffinch, not common here

                                    Plenty Wrens up singing

                                    Just 2 Canadas on the water.

Full cloud cover at Ogden this morning with a mix of rain and drizzle throughout on a moderate SW>4 increasing as the day went on. A temp of 4 degrees but the afternoon heavy rain that was forecast held off. Thick fog up on the tops.

   Plenty movement along a wet and muddy west bank, giving me the job of bathing the dogs when I got back, though it was sheltered from the wind, the rain not being a problem.

   The waterside trees held several singing Wrens along with 3 Chaffinch and a few Treecreepers whilst a noisy Buzzard was up in the plantation just showing itself briefly over the water.

   A Gt Spotted Woodpecker was hammering on a tree but remained unseen whilst several of the 4 common Tit species were feeding on the tree buds.

    A few Herring and LBB gulls were on the water along with 2 Canada geese but nothing to get excited about this morning.

   A blustery day given for tomorrow with a moderate to strong WNW and chance of heavy rain, sleet and snow showers with possible thunder, starting off at 2 degrees, wonderful !!!!

BS

Fly Flatts

 

                                    Minimum of 10 Redshank

                                    Several Reed Buntings

                                    3 Stonechat

                                    6 white Greylag raised here last year

                                    1 of 4 Heron

      

Decent conditions at Fly Flatts this morning with full cloud cover on a light SW>3 at 4 degrees.

    The shore is beginning to show well now in the SW and SE corners as well as the peninsular showing well on the east bank.

   At least 10 Redshank present as well as 6 Oystercatchers but no sign of the Ringed Plover, otherwise just Curlews and Lapwings wader wise.

   The compound bushes were busy with a good count of Meadow Pipits along with several Reed Buntings, 3 Stonechat and the usual 2 Pied Wagtails. I never get a Heron at this site throughout the year until the frog season starts and this morning 4 were present. Unfortunately, a lot of the spawn is now high and dry where the water level in the dyke has dropped.

   Nothing untoward on the water other than the geese and Mallards although a text this morning, from an unknown, number reported 36 Whoopers on Lower Laithe.

   Only raptors showing were 2 Kestrel and a distant Peregrine heading >S over Tatty Pie Hill.

A bad forecast for tomorrow with heavy rain throughout on a moderate sou'wester at 7 degrees.

BS.

Leeshaw and Leeming Reservoirs.

 

LEESHAW                    Herons after the frogs.

                                Several singing Wrens.

                                    Lapwing in full breeding plumage

                                Spot the 2 Redshank in with Lapwings

                                    Around 200 Lapwing

                                Minimum of 32 Oystercatchers.

                                    1 of 2 Little Owl

  LEEMING                        Single Buzzard over

                                1st 2 Sand Martins of the year.

                               High up and buzzing around at mega fast speed.

                                  Went dizzy trying to get them in the camera.

A bright sunny start to the morning at Leeshaw reservoir but then fully overcast from 0800 hrs on a light WSW>2 at 6 degrees.

    More or less the same as my last visit with the addition of a pair of Grey Wagtails down in the beck plus a higher count of at least 32 Oystercatchers and around 200 Lapwing. Two Redwing over >W, a rare sighting this winter, whilst several Wrens were up singing along with MeadowPipits.

   Just 1 Pink Footed Goose on the water but most of the Canada and Greylag flocks in a top field out of sight. Around 8 Curlew in the fields but again no gulls other than 2 LBB over >W. Up to 6 Redshank present.

   A quick stop off at Leeming on the way home was fruitful with 2 Sand Martin high over the water and zooming around at great speed making me dizzy trying to get them in the camera. They disappeared when a calling Buzzard flew over. Nothing on the water other than Mallards and 3 drake Tufted duck.

    Passing Keelham on the return journey several Fieldfare were in one of the fields, also a Redshank in the gulley in the Raggalds Flood field.

A day of cloudy sunshine tomorrow at 5 degrees early morn with the light wind starting off  from the NE then slowly moving around to E then SE then S and finally SW late afternoon. Visibility could start off as hazy.

BS