Fogged and rained off. Dog grooming day.

 

                                   2 not so happy dogs

                                    Bobby first

                                    Pippa second

                                    5 Hours later. Done for another 6 weeks.

With the usual dense fog, along with very heavy rain, I pulled the plug on birding and took advantage of the weather by getting both dogs bathed and groomed whilst I was grounded. The fog and drizzle continued throughout the day up here in Queensbury.

     I could do with moving to Wharfedale where MC is on the goose hunt finding several wet fields with White Fronted, Bean, Pink Footed and Greylags present. Apparently their is a big influx of White Fronted geese around the country but no chance in this area with the persistent fog.

     Another foggy damp morning forecast for tomorrow on a light north easterly at 2 degrees with a snow warning after midday.

BS

Foggy Oggy.

 

                                        A misty morn.

                                    Visibility just across the water.

Queensbury in the dense fog as per usual with Ogden still foggy with visibility just across the water on a light E>2 at 4 degrees with light drizzle throughout.

    A pleasant enough dog walk along the west bank provided that it wasn't birds you were looking for with the waterside trees completely deserted other than a couple of Great and Blue Tits plus a Blackbird. 

    The water held the usual Mallards plus a dozen Black Headed gulls whilst a few Chaffinch were in the car park area. 

  The forecast for tomorrow is a duplicate of today with some rain on a light easterly at 4 degrees plus of course the fog. Its a matter now as which breaks first, me or the weather !

BS

Back to the fog, back to Ogden.

 

                                    Low cloud base over the plantation.

                                    Ever present Mallards in the gloom

                                    Starting to brighten

                                1 of 2 Song Thrush in full song

                                    Few Black Headed on the water.

Dense fog at Queensbury but Ogden was clear with a low cloud base staying just above the plantation top. A few early rain showers, which don't bother me as long as I can see, with a light SE>2 at 3 degrees.

    The first sound I heard as I got out of the car was a Song Thrush in full song. I managed to trace it high up in a tree and then got a second singing bird near the Lodge  house.

    The waterside trees were lively with Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Chaffinch. Goldcrest and the usual Blue and Great Tits whilst several Blackbirds were present.

    Just managed to catch sight of  the Kingfisher through the trees as it flew along the waters edge towards the north end whilst a Raven was over the top of the plantation. Just about a dozen Black Headed gulls on the water.

    Another day of the same given for tomorrow, and the rest of the week, with a light easterly along with rain and fog.

BS

    

Fly Flatts at last

 

                                    A full overflow

                                    Clarity at last

                                    South bank

                                          SE corner

                                        The Lagoon, full to the top.

The light S>3 managed to keep the fog at bay with a low cloud base just at the top of the turbines with full cloud apart from a quick burst of short lived sunshine and occasion drizzle showers.

     Though still very quiet up there it was good to be able to get a visit in and check for any returning waders. My earliest Ringed Plover was 7th Feb whilst the earliest Oystercatcher was 5th Feb with the first Curlew a little later at 14th Feb though Leeshaw usually gets the first Curlew around now.

     A good walk and scope around the bankings failed to produce anything other than Canada and Greylag geese, who's numbers are slowly rising, ready for the breeding season, along with14 Mallard.

  A pair of Lapwings were already holding territory on the Flat Moor and up displaying and warning off the Crows. A few Common gulls were moving around the area whilst a flock of around 50 Herring gulls were heading >SW but very distant and soon to disappear in the low cloud.

    Nothing in the Nolstar fields other than a few Common gull and several Magpies.

With 2 different Iceland gulls reported in the vicinity, bang on schedule, its something to look out for.

Todays weather was good while it lasted with the light wind back to SE tomorrow with full cloud and light rain at 5 degrees and a good possibility of back to the fog.

BS

More fog, more Ogden, more Pinkies.

 

                                    A misty start at Ogden

                                    Down the overflow

                                    Limited visibility

                                    Fog lifting

                                    Cleared briefly

Dense fog as per norm at Queensbury with Ogden partially clearing to leave low cloud and mist on a light ENE>2 at 4 degrees with some light drizzle.

    The west bank trees were lively with the 4 common Tit species as well as 2 Goldcrest, 3 Treecreeper and a single Nuthatch whilst a small flock of around 10 Chaffinch were working their way along the overhanging waterside trees.

    Just 4 Common gulls and 8 Blacked Headed on the water along with a small count of Mallard, which has been much lower than their usual winter count. Several left when the water rose, covering the weeds, and never returned.

    Back at the car park and tackling up I got a skein of Pink Footed Geese over, to the north of me which soon disappeared into the mist. This was minutes after DJS had text me with a skein over Lee Mount but his skein was much larger with my skein comprising of around 50 geese heading >E.

   Possibly a bit drier for morning but cloudy at 5 degrees on a light southerly for a change  with a chance of better visibility but I'll believe that when I see it.

BS

    

Below the snow and fog, Wibsey Park

 

                                    No sign of snow or fog at Wibsey.

                                        Good count of Tufted duck

A better morning than expected with the overnight snow turned to drizzle and a steady thaw going on. Still enough snow to shovel out but then set off to get below the fog and snow line at Wibsey Park. No sign of fog or snow here and the Crocus out in full bloom. A light E>3 at 3 degrees with full cloud and light rain throughout.

    With a low expectancy visit to Wibsey, plus the rain coming down, I left the camera at home and depended on my phone camera which zooms to 10x but I found to be ok on landscapes but useless for close up bird photography.

    A good count of  46 Tufted duck, 14 Herring gull and around 50 Black Headed gulls along with 26 Canada and 8 Greylag geese. Otherwise down to Coot, Moorhen and Mallards as well as 2 Mute Swan.

    The trees held several Woodpigeons and Collared Doves plus a single Mistle Thrush.

                                    Foxhill Park this afternoon

The forecast for tomorrow, for a change is, fog and drizzle on a light easterly at 4 degrees. No surprise there then.

BS

Out in the murk and Pinkie movement. Ogden

 

                                        A misty start

                                    West bank Alders

                                    In comes the fog.

Once again I left Queensbury in the fog and arrived at Ogden to find it misty but workable on a moderate to strong ESE>5 gusting 6 at 2 degrees with light drizzle throughout. By 0930 hrs the fog was rolling in. Although the weather has been foul the snow and heavy rain has kept away so far so I have been able to still get out daily, though Fly Flatts has had to be put on hold until the fog leaves us alone.

Having said that, the snow is piling down this afternoon.

     The best of the morning was when I let the dogs out in the garden at 0645 hrs when a noisy contact calling skein of Pink Footed Geese went overhead in the dark and fog sounding to be heading east.

     Ogden was very quiet with just 1 Herring and a few Black Headed gulls on the water as well as the Mallards. No Tit flock found today with not a bird found along the west bank other than a few Crows and the ever present Raven cronking somewhere up in the plantation.

    The snow is forecast to continue through the night then possible turning to rain Friday morning on a moderate easterly at 2 degrees along with the mandatory fog of course.

                                  Looks like I spoke too soon, Queensbury 1830 hrs.

BS

     

  

Killing time at Ogden.

 

                                    A murky Ogden

                                    Across the promenade

                                    West bank

                                    Goldcrests in the dark

Overnight snow left a light covering in Queensbury but was thawing well at first light. Ogden was still in the fog with very little visibility over the water but bird-able in the trees, though very dark and damp at 2 degrees with  dead calm conditions.

    With visibility down to about 6 feet over the water it was a matter of concentrating on the waterside trees. Just as I was thinking all was lost I stumbled on a decent sized Tit flock slowly working their way through the trees with around 30 birds comprising of Blue, Great, Coal and Long Tailed Tits as well as Goldcrests, Treecreepers and at least 2 Redpoll. The birds were very actively feeding and in the darkest area of the trees.

    With these easterlies, and these weather conditions set to continue for another week at least, its just a matter of killing time until the wind turns and we can get out of this rut, by which time the waders should be arriving at the reservoirs.

     More fog forecast for morning with a high risk of rain, sleet and snow on a moderate easterly at 2 degrees.

BS