My first thought for my Saturdays late afternoon birding was Northowram for A.C.s Siskin flock which I wished now I,d stuck to.
With clear blue skies and thermals good for moving birds it was up to Ringby Top to do a bit of sky watching and check the fields for Buntings.
On the way up the track from Swalesmoor / Queensbury end I got a bad feeling with a lot of snow melted and the going very boggy.
The top track was ankle deep in mud and very slippy but me thinking I,m invincible on I trudged until suddenly my feet shot from under me and down I went in the boggiest muddiest section.
I ended up on my side half submerged in water and mud along with the camera and bins.
After 20 minutes scraping mud off and trying to restore the camera and bins it was off again but not having to worry about getting muddied up any more.
A thorough search of the top fields produced 1 Skylark and 1 Meadow Pipit even though the field that used to attract pre roost Pied Wagtails is ideal for Snow Bunting and Shorelark now and Yellow Wagtail in the spring.
The Skylark came reasonably close posing for a photo but it was then I found the camera had packed in, strange that, my last Canon did the same when I filled it with mud and water.
Otherwise it was down to Corvids and Magpies with just 3 Herring gulls overhead.
Back home and a gasp from Lynda when she saw the state of me it was a bit of tea and with the sun shining off again at 1630 hrs to check the Barn Owl site in ideal conditions for photos but after 1 hours stand in a freezing cold NE>5 it was time to admit another dip.
On the way back it was a call in at Ogden thinking I could still save the day if there were Whoopers on the water, well you,ve got to think positive , but the best I could do was a few Canadas .
With the light now almost gone it was time to call it a disaster day and move on planning tomorrows birding, or lack of it , you can,t let it get you down , I could turn up a mega in the morning, stop laughing!!
Right, its time to strip the camera down and see if I can bring it back to life.
BS
WEST YORKSHIRE BIRDING. BRIAN SUMNER. I am based at Queensbury and bird a patch within a 10 mile range of home incorporating 16 stretches of water, several plantations, a belt of woodland, stretches of river and canal and good areas of moorland. I specialize in upland birds, reservoir and sky watching. My local patch is Fly Flatts reservoir. Any reports can be sent by text or call to 07771 705024 or see profile for e mail address. All images on this blog are copyright.(2024).