1400 hrs Soil Hill N>3 icy cold , blue sunny skies. Visibility 3 peaks, all snow covered.
A stonking hour and a half on Soil Hill in perfect conditions and plenty bird activity.
A light covering on snow on the summits and frozen water gave it a real taste of things to come, I could almost smell the Snow Buntings.
Plenty birds about but all to search for and very mobile and elusive.
A Little Owl was on a distant wall in the sunshine but out of the wind whilst 2 Stock Doves were on one of the feeding areas.
Both male Reed Buntings were present and I finally caught up to the pair of long staying Stonechats after quite a search.
A cock Pheasant was down in the tree line as well as Redwings and Fieldfares. The large flock of Starlings and Fieldfares were still near the mast and a constant flow of gulls headed to the Oxenhope roost.
A real pleasing session despite dipping on the target bird.
over Christmas and New Year
Photo courtesy Denise Shields.
BS