WEST YORKSHIRE BIRDING

BRIAN SUMNER.
WELCOME TO ( WEST YORKSHIRE BIRDING )
KEEPING BIRDING LOCAL.

BLOG UPDATED DAILY AROUND 1900 hrs.

FEEL FREE TO SEND ANY COMMENTS, QUERIES OR QUESTIONS DIRECT TO MY E.MAIL AT THE ADDRESS BELOW, OTHERWISE TEXT OR WHATSAPP. 07771 705024.


CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE THEM.

ALL IMAGES ARE STRAIGHT FROM THE CAMERA WITH
NO PHOTOSHOP TUNING. TAKEN ON J PEG.

E MAIL ADDRESS :-
Briansumner51@hotmail.com

NOTE !!
No sightings of Roe Deer, Fox, Hare or Badger will be mentioned on this blog throughout the year and links will be removed from other blogs giving the whereabouts of these mammals due to the rising influx of poaching, long dogging and lamping by sick individuals.
BS




Friday, October 16, 2026

Back at Ogden.

 

                                    A bright autumnal morn.

                                    Clear blue skies.
                                    Sparrowhawk overhead

A bright sunny morning at Ogden with full blue skies and sunshine on a cool W>2 at 6 degrees with fog banks in the valleys.
   A much quieter morning on the water with just a single Tufted duck and 2 Cormorant plus the resident Mallards. Around 50 gulls with a brief sighting of an adult Yellow Legged gull across on the west bank but immediately flushed by a Sparrowhawk overhead and not to be relocated after that.
     A skein of Pink Footed geese headed >SE but well to the south of me so out of camera range and hard to get an accurate count but a guesstimate of 150.
    A steady move >SW of Woodpigs and Redwings but no Fieldfare as yet. Passerine Alley held a few Chaffinch and Tits whilst the Kingfisher was in its usual area, but otherwise a steady morning.
    Full sun for morning on a light NW at a cool 4 degrees clouding in the afternoon but staying dry.
BS
    

Thursday, October 15, 2026

Ogden Reservoir.

 







A full cloud morning but clear skies on a cool SW>3 at 7 degrees.
   A big move >SW of Redwing, Woodpigs and Jackdaws over the west plantation but dying down after 0830 hrs with just Woodpigs trickling through after that.
     No sign of  Teal today but the 4 Tufted duck from yesterday still present and a new Goosander arrival which I would say is a male in October eclipse.
   Around 150 gulls present, which considerately flushed from the west bank to the east bank where I was stood, so a good chance to scour through them. Several Chaffinch were moving over the west plantation in no certain direction whilst a single cronking Raven flew overhead. No check of the west bank Alders today.
    A dry bright morning given for tomorrow on a light W turning NW at 6 degrees then clouding after midday with a chance of showers.
BS
    

Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Below the fog, Ogden.

 

                                    4 Tufted duck present




                                    West bank gulls
                                 Very high Jay over the water.


A dry morning at Ogden with low hazy clouds and fog on the tops. A light W>3 at 10 degrees with breaks of sunshine clouding mid morning.
     Quite a bit of sky movement this morning early doors with good numbers of Redwing and Woodpigeon >SW over the western plantation as well as 6 Stock Doves. A single Jay headed high and >SE along with 4 Swallow whilst 4 Continental Blackbirds were in the Lodge House berry trees. 
    Otherwise, 4 Tufted duck, 2 Cormorant and around 100 gulls, all carefully checked through.
A good move of Redwings >SW over Queensbury, Foxhill this p.m.
A dry, cloudy sunshine morning tomorrow on a moderate Sou'westerly at 8 degrees clouding over after midday with a chance of mist and rain.
  BS

Tuesday, October 13, 2026

A wet and windy Ogden

 

                                    Ogden, early morn, after the rain.

                                    2 Teal flying over the west bank.

                                    Better count of gulls today



                                    East bank
                                    Several Goldfinch in Alders.




        Torrential rain showers to start the morning slowly clearing to leave blue sky and sunshine with just occasional scud clouds passing over on a moderate W>4-5 at 12 degrees.
    A better count of gulls this morning with around 300, spread between the west and east bank, the east bank holding around 50 Common gulls.
   Just 2 Teal and 1 Tufted on the water as well as 4 Cormorant and the usual Mallards and Little Grebe.
A decent sized Tit flock was moving through passerine alley whilst around 30 Goldfinch were in the Alders as well as 1 very mobile Redpoll.
   The trees below the car park held around 20 Chaffinch raking through the fallen leaves but no sign of Brambling as yet.
   After a possible misty start the morning will be dry and sunny on a light SW at 6 degrees. Cloud and wind set to increase after midday.
BS
      

Monday, October 12, 2026

Beating the fog, Ogden.

 

                                Red ball vis mig sunrise.

                                    Very short lived
                                    2 Tufted present
                                    Several Long Tailed Tits.

                                    Very few gulls on the west bank

                                Plenty Common gulls, east bank
                                    Low count of LBBs.

A lovely bright red sunrise but very short lived with full cloud and mist moving in by 0845hrs bringing light drizzle on a light SE>2 at 8 degrees.
    A red ball sunrise always meant a megs vis mig day when we used to watch from TMR and this morning was no exception with Woodpigeons piling over Queensbury >SW from 0700 hrs but unfortunately this was very short lived when mist and fog soon started to roll in from the east closing the flood gates.
   Ogden remained reasonably clear but horizontal visibility only, so with very few gulls to check through, and just 2 Tufted on the water, although I didn't venture to the north end, I did a check along the west bank for small passerines.
    A good Tit flock was moving through the waterside trees with mainly Long Tailed and Coal 
 along with a few Blue and Great Tits. The Alder trees held a good flock of around 30 mixed Goldfinch and Redpoll but very hard to get to grips with whilst the leaves are still dense.
    Wet and windy for morning with rain on a moderate to strong SSW clearing to sunshine and showers after midday.
BS

Sunday, October 11, 2026

Fly Flatts reservoir.

 

                                    Tons of wasted shore.





                                Greenland Wheatear showing 7 primary tips




                                    3 Pied Wagtail
                                    8 Pink Footed geese >SE

                                    Going into the sun.

A bright sunny start to the morning with clear blue skies but mist banks over the western ridge. A cool W>2 at 6 degrees.
     The water is still receding with acres of muddy shore and pools but, as the norm at this site in autumn, not a wader to be found, which was expected but still a disappointment.
    A very quiet morning with the highlight being a Greenland Wheatear moving around the area showing a very colourful breast, long legs and 7 primary tips. Greenland Wheatears are always the last of the Wheatears to move through.
     Just 5 Canadas on the water, whilst overhead, 8 Pink Footed Geese headed>SE, 2 Kestrels were over the quarry and a steady trickle of Common gulls >NE. The Meadow Pipits are now gone with just 5 left on the shoreline along with 3 Pied Wagtails, whilst 3 Red Grouse were on the moor.
      Showing a damp and foggy day tomorrow with drizzle, fog and mist courtesy of a light SE at 9 degrees.
BS