Fly Flatts, steady morning, good finish.

 

                                    Clear at last, Fly Flatts, across to the Nab.

                                    Lagoon

                                    North along the west bank.

                                    6 Oystercatchers present

                                    2 white Greylags raised here last year.

                                    Finishing touch over Foxhill Queensbury.

                                    127 Pink Footed Geese >W

At last, a clear, dry morning with a moderate SW>4-5 at a mild 7 degrees with full cloud and good visibility.

   Fly Flatts not yet fired up with several Canada and Greylags, including the 2  first winter Greylags which were born and raised at this site last year. Plenty Mallard on site as well as 6 Oystercatchers.

   A few noisy Red Grouse were over on the moor but no small passerines other than a Robin, Pied Wagtail and Wren in the compound and no sign of Curlew as yet.

    Just as I thought it was all over, I was passing Foxhill school on the way home when a large skein of Pink Footed Geese were overhead moving >W. A quick divert into Fleet Lane and out of the car to get a few photos but could only get part of the skein in with the 300mm fixed lens on. I got a count of  127 birds and after I alerted DJS, as they were going in his direction, he got a skein of 60, so either a different skein or my skein that had separated. A pleasing end to the morning.

    Same forecast for tomorrow as today with cloudy sunshine on a moderate SW at 7 degrees.

BS

  

A breezy Ogden.

 

                                    Ogden, early morn

                                    All small gulls on the water.

                                    3 Tufted present

                                    as well as 2 Canadas

                                    Several Treecreepers

                                    6 Curlew >E

A pleasant enough morning at Ogden with part cloud and sunshine at 6 degrees. The wind was a strong 

W>5 gusting 6 but the wind is rarely a problem at Ogden as it's sheltered in the Causeway Foot Col with only the promenade exposed to the wind.

    The highlight of the morning was a group of 6 Curlew high over the water struggling to head >W before having a change of plan by swinging round and away >E towards Soil Hill.

    There are now 2m 1f Tufted duck on the water as well as 2 Canada geese and around 75 mixed Common and Black Headed gulls but no big gulls present.

  The west bank trees held several of the 4 common Tit species as well as several Treecreepers but a very poor winter for Goldcrest, eliminating any chance of a Firecrest , plus I think the checking of the Alders for Siskin and Redpoll at this site has now come to an end.

    A part cloudy day tomorrow but showing dry and a moderate, but lighter wind from today, blowing from the SW.

BS

   

A near miss at Ogden, Iceland gull.

                                    A bright morning at Ogden.
 

A bright clear morning at Ogden with 40% cloud and sunshine on a moderate to strong W>5 at 7 degrees.

   A bit of excitement this morning when Dan B texted to say that an Iceland gull had just flown over Soil Hill heading for Ogden where I was at the time. An unusual number of gulls flying around and on the water but no sign of Dans gull which must have kept heading west or possibly veered off towards Mixenden. A good spot by Daniel who ironically had just twitched one at Leeds a few days previous. Many thanks for the text Dan and later from DJS. See Daniels report and photos on 'e bird West Yorkshire, Soil Hill'. Also on Calderdale Birds blog.

    With the Iceland on my mind and a good count of gulls coming and going in the strong westerly wind I spent most of my time along the promenade area gulling.  Only 4 Herring gull present and all the rest being Black Headed and Common with up to 100 gulls on the water at one point.

    Otherwise, just 1 pair of Tufted duck and the usual Mallards with the waterside trees going unchecked.

A part cloudy morning tomorrow with 60% chance of rain at 6 degrees and again a strong westerly.

BS

Ogden Reservoir

 

                                    Good visibility 

                                    4 Greylags present

                                    Single drake Tufted

                                    1st winter Grey Wagtail.

A better morning but still fog on the tops and heavy drizzle to start off with. Ogden was clear with the drizzle soon passing over on a light SW>3 at 7 degrees.

      The highlight this morning at Ogden was 4 Greylag geese on the water which is an unusual sight here. The 5 Tufted duck had gone and the single lone drake Tufted had returned to the water.

   A first winter Grey Wagtail was down in the overflow, probably the bird which was bred here last year, whilst around 20 Black Headed gulls were on the water but no Common or big gulls.

  The west bank trees were busy with Blue, Great and Coal Tits along with 2 Treecreepers but a very poor winter for Goldcrest, Redpoll and Siskin. The first Chiffchaff should be showing soon, the main influx being April but I have had sightings in the past early March though over-wintering birds can't be excluded.

   A supposably dry morning tomorrow with cloudy sunshine at 8 degrees but spoilt by a moderate to strong westerly reaching force 5.

   BS

   

Fly Flatts

 

                                    Very wet and windy

                                    Good visibility.

Atrocious conditions this morning at Fly Flatts with a strong  SW>5 at 1 degree and heavy horizontal rain throughout. Visibility was clear but a low cloud base just above the turbines.

    A dog walk around the compound and a check of the east bank was enough with a few Greylag and Canadas across on the north shore and a single Wren and Robin in the compound bushes. By 0930 hrs it was tackle up and head for home. 

   The morning was saved when 2 Curlew flew over >W as I was locking the top gate. The Nolstar fields just held a few Common gulls.

  A highlight at home when Lynda said "are those baby Woodpigeons below the garden feeders". They were in fact 2 Stock Doves, a first and unusual sighting for the garden.

    Another cloudy, wet and windy day tomorrow with a moderate sou'wester but the temp up to 7 degrees so at least it will be warm water coming down.

BS

Wibsey Park

 

                          Snow and fog at Queensbury, playing bowls at Wibsey.

                                        42 Tufted duck

                                        2 Mute Swan

                                    Around 50 Black Headed gulls

                                    A very wet Pied Wagtai

After a quick snow shovel in the fog at home it was down to Wibsey park where, to my surprise, they were playing bowls. No sign of fog or snow here with full cloud and light rain throughout on a light SE>2 at 3 degrees.

    Once again, a good count of Tufted with 42 on the water but no Scaup, and the first winter not to have Pochard and Shoveler at this site. The usual Canadas and Greylag geese as well as 2 Mute Swan plus Coot, Moorhen and Mallards.

    No big gulls here today with around 50 Black Headed on and around the water plus several moving overhead. A very wet looking Pied Wagtail feeding on the path whilst the trees held several Woodpigeons and Collared Doves but very little else.

    A cloudy wet morning on a moderate Sou'westerly at 3 degrees, improving slightly after midday, which is no good to me, but at least the easterlies are gone for now.

BS