Tracy, back with avengence

                                          Photo courtesy, Tracy Collier

Just when you think you,re getting some half decent photos someone comes on and spoils it for you with a shot like the one above.
This stonking Sparrowhawk was taken by Tracy, and through glass at that , just as she arrived home from work and looked out of the window.
Well done Tracy and thanks for sending it for us all to admire, even if it does make me jealous that I didnt take it.
BS

Queensbury Today

                                                      Dunnock

                                            Alert Woodpigeon

                                Chaffinch visiting the garden.

A calm , warm, spring like day with blue skies throughout but nothing in the way of movement.
The garden bird feeders have been busy of late with a pair of Chaffinch visiting the sun flower seed daily which may not sound anything exciting but is a rare bird up here at this altitude.
Chaffinch and Greenfinch are found lower down near and below the village but up here at Foxhill they are replaced with House Sparrows, 28 of which were on the feeders at one point today.
 A Woodpigeon made a rare visit and the usual Dunnocks and Robin were present. The Blue Tits seemed to have moved on to breed and have not been seen for a few days now.
A visit at lunch time to the Tawny Owl site found no owls and no pellets so it looks as if they also have moved to their breeding area.
BS

Dailies Dinner time Dash

Some photos of last years local Willow Warblers. BS

A blustery day with a W>5 and cloudy brightening by mid afternoon with sunshine but still low temperatures.

A quick lunch time check on the Dailie fields found several singing Willow Warblers at the bottom of the slope in Hawthorns and at least 2 in the newly planted trees, probably about 8 in all just scanning from the top of the slope.
A Green Woodpecker called from down in the holly bushes and a pair of Bullfinch were near the tunnel vent pipe.
Nothing in the skies other than a steady passage of Swallows >N.
BS

Ogden in the rain

                                                   Song Thrush

                                      Nothing to sing about today

                                                  Picnic time

                                       Old faithfuls  LBB gulls

                               Raggalds floods Redshank dont mind the cattle

An early evening trip to Soil Hill had to be aborted due to low cloud so it was on to Ogden where the weather was misty with heavy drizzle and a strong NW>5 which rapidly progressed into torrential rain coming down in stair rods for about 30 minutes before clearing and brightening slightly.
Stuck it out as the conditions were ideal for passing Terns but not tonight Josephine.
Just 2 LBBs on the water along with the usual Canadas and Mallards and passerines were none existent other than 2 Song Thrush and a scattering of Gt Tits.

Raggalds flood  still had the 2 Redshank ,which seemed undeterred by the cattle around them ,along with 5 Pied Wagtails and 1 female Wheatear.
BS

Leeshaw Reservoir

                                         Still Golden Plovers in the fields

                                         1 of 2 Little Owl

                                           Male Wheatear  11 Present

                                            2 Oystercatchers

                                                female Pied Wagtail

                                            The 2nd little Owl

                                    Plenty Meadow Pipits around

                                                 male Pied Wagtail

                                                         Goldie

Arrived at an unworkable Fly Flatts at 0645hrs in a howling near gale force WNW>7 so it was back in the car and down the valley to Leeshaw reservoir where the wind was still strong WNW>5 with showers of drizzle and grey skies with odd patches of sunshine.
Good numbers of Wheatear around and surprised to see Goldies still in the fields. Swallows were piling through low over the water battling into the wind >N

Leeshaw
14 Golden Plover
17 Wheatear
2 Redshank
2 Oystercatchers
1 Cormorant
2 Little Owl
1pr Pied Wagtail
+ usual Curlew, Lapwing, Canadas, Greylags etc
c150 Swallows >N

Raggalds Flood
2 Redshank
1 Lapwing
2 Pied Wagtail
3 Wheatear
4 Mallard
BS

Oxenhope watchpoint

                                          Several Mistle Thrush

                                                    Clumsy landing

                                        Plenty local Curlew

                                         Distant Golden Plover on the moor

                                    Swallows along the banking

                                 No shoreline for this Oystercatcher to land

                                                  Curlews passing through

A late afternoon visit to the Oxenhope watch point found an improvement in the weather with sunshine and a light E>3 after a cold day with several snow showers.

Nothing unusual to report from here with the water holding 10 Canadas , a few Mallard and 15 LBB gulls with no sign of Goosander or Goldeneye.
Several Mistle Thrush were in the wood with a steady flow >N of Swallows and Curlews.
The only wader present was a fly past of an Oystercatcher which could,nt find any decent shoreline so headed off towards Fly Flatts.
One Wheatear was seen briefly but no sign of Ring Ouzel.

On the way back Raggalds flood still held the 2 Redshank that have been present for a week now, these were also reported by AC this morning.
Also present was 2 Pied Wagtails and 1 Wheatear.
BS

Ogden p.m. visit

                 Plenty Long Tailed Tits around

                         Enjoying the last of the sun

                                                      All Canon  100-400mm

                      Jay, not a common sp. at Ogden

                                   Jay doing aerobics

                                   The 2 near resident LBB gulls

A early evening after work trip to Ogden proved pleasant in the sunshine with just light showers and a cool NW>4.
The water was quiet with just 8 Canadas, 2 LBB gulls and the usual Mallards with no sign of the long staying m Goldeneye.
As usual on a sunny evening passerine alley was alive with Gt, Blue and Long Tailed tits after insects that collect there for the last of the suns rays.
Robins, Dunnocks and Wrens were in the hedges and a suprise of 2 Jays that had been down for bread from the duck feeding area.
Overhead 14 Swallows and 1 Swift headed >N whilst 2 Song Thrushes sang loudly from the Rhododendrons.
No sign of Willow Warbs tonight.
Lets hope we get a birdie weekend.
BS