middle of counting and checking them.
Having checked Leeshaw, Fly Flatts and Mixenden this morning the reservoir check continued late afternoon then again early evening in search of a small black dot in the centre of the water, namely a Common Scoter.
Oxenhope reservoir 1500-1630 hrs Sunny with a warm W>5. Visibility Drax.
Very much the same as yesterdays visit but much harder to sift through today with the sun in the lens and the birds were so tightly compressed together mostly crouched down or in the water so no sign of the Yellow Legged but with 13 Herring present it was probably still there.
Black Headeds were again pouring in doubling the amount first counted but fewer waders today.
c 400 LBB
c 250 BHG doubling in numbers by the time I left and still piling in.
7 Common Gull
13 Herring Gull
2 Common Sandpiper
1f Goosander
1 Redshank
Plenty Swallows and Swifts
+ usual sp.
Ogden1900-1945hrs warm and sunny W>4
Unbelievable that at 1900 hrs on a Sunday night Ogden was as busy as Blackpool pleasure beach on a Bank Holiday Monday.
The bottom car park was packed so I had to go up into the high risk car park which is sponsored by Autoglass but luckily on my return all the glass was intact and the wheels still on so the visit was,nt all bad.
With the amount of people there it was a matter of a quick check of the water and a look through the Black Headeds before getting out of there fast but at least it gave the dogs a walk and gave me peace of mind that I was,nt missing a local Scoter.
The search continues.
1 juv LBB
2 Common gull
45 BHG
1 Heron
sev Swallows
+ usual sp.
PS I have had a couple of e mail queries recently asking why I never mention the Oxenhope reservoir by name and what do I mean by members only .
This is simply a rule stipulated by YW in the agreement to grant us permission to bird there by not advertising its name in the attempt to keep general public away and entry can only be granted by being a member of Bradford Ornithological Group. To my mind the best £20 per year I spend just for the reservoir alone.
It badly needs more watchers up there but its a bleak spot and not for the faint hearted so if you like gulls , waders and waterfowl why not join and get up there, and no, Im not on commission.
BS