1430 hrs and a howling SW>6-7 near gale force with slight showers, where to go ?
Anybody normal would say head for the lowlands so I set off up Soil Hill.
Ned Hill track was ultra boggy and wild but a few LBB gulls were coming through the col with small gulls in the field below.
Going up onto the hill summit was easy with the tail wind, it was the stopping at the top which was the problem and keeping vertical once up there but it was clear and reasonably dry allowing me to give it a thorough check over.
A couple of Skylark were on the west summit along with 6 feral pigeons whilst the NK pond held 4 Mallard and a single Moorhen.
Going down the north slope tree line a cock Pheasant and 3 hens darted for the trees and a bit of a surprise to see 3 Blackbirds fly low from the gulley into the alders keeping well down.
Knowing it was too early for Ring Ouzel I did,nt get too excited but went down to check them out anyway until one gave a startled call confirming Blackbird.
Walking back up the north slope into the wind was bad enough but a big black cloud with BS engraved on it pelted me with face stinging hailstones, lovely.
With the cloud gone I checked the east summit doing 4 zig zag searchers feeling certain to turn up a Snow Bunt but not to be but whilst scanning to the west 6 geese appeared which I suspected as Pink Footed but with the distance, bad light and unable to hold the bins steady I knelt down and fired some shots at them with the monster lens.
I didnt put them out on the grapevine as I was,nt certain of sp. and they were well to the north of Fly Flatts heading >NW out of the Halifax area anyway.
When I got them on the computer at home I was pleased to see that they were Pinkies.
So despite the weather I had an enjoyable hour and a half up on Soil Hill, what a sad man I hear you say.
BS