Ogden gulls

 Gull numbers building possibly due to lack of
  shoreline at Oxenhope.

  Common gull back in summer dressage

With this afternoon on grand daughter( x3 ) duty in Shibden Park and sorting out a loan to pay for the ice cream down there it was a late finish so just time for a gull check at Ogden.
                                                              Gull numbers are building well which is probably due to the lack of shoreline at Oxenhope so hopefully we,ll be turning up a Med or Caspian gull in the near future.
Nothing Scoter wise out on the water but 6 Cormorants present using both the water and shoreline. This number should increase over the next few weeks.

Lesser Black Backed..................123 of various ages plus sev pink legged
Herring ......................................2 ad
Black Headed.............................78 again of all age groups
Common Gull.............................2 Ad full summer plumage.
BS

Leeshaw Reservoir

         Yellow Legged Herring gull, centre rear

                                                        YL  left

                                 Common gull starting to show autumn
                                               head streaks.

                                      YL  top left Common lower right

                                           Whimbrel/ juv Curlew

Fly Flatts at 1515 hrs was like Blackpool on a Wakes weekend with a full complement of boats out , which I expected, but there were about a dozen people walking dogs around the banking so on to Leeshaw with a bright start then rain showers becoming persistent.
                                                                  Nothing special on the water other than 15 BHGs but then 5 LBBs came in, one of which was the Yellow Legged Herring gull which settled and stayed on the water. Shortly afterwards a single Common gull also settled on the water, this bird starting to get its autumn head streaks. Just 3 Oystercatchers present along with 1 Little Owl and the usual Lapwings etc. A surprise to see a Willow Warbler in the brambles once again.
                                                                    As I was packed up ready to leave 2 large waders came speeding in making me think of Godwits the way they ziz zagged over the water , then after a full circuit of the water they landed way across on the nw shoreline. Grabbing the bins back out of the car revealed them to be Whimbrel or juv Curlew, the nearest looking to have a very dark eye stripe . Just time for an out of range photo before they took off >W before I had chance to get the scope set up.
One of those , have to let it go ,records.
BS
                                                             

Heading East, Whetstone Gate.

                          Scud clouds pouring through the valley

                                      Whetstone Gate

                                    Murk over the moors

                                   Alive with Red Grouse

  Unfortunately most will be shot by Saddos in a
                       couple of weeks.

                                            Top of the moor

      Fly Flatts in the clouds from Whetstone

Setting off this morning I could see Fly Flatts and all to the west was in cloud and rain so it was a divert east where things looked brighter.
Unfortunately the weather front decided the same and arrived at Whetstone Gate the same time as me with heavy rain showers and low scud clouds on a brisk W>5.
                                                           The target birds of Red Kite, Buzzard and Short Eared Owl were out of the question in the conditions so it was scour the moor to see what I could turn up. Ironically as I was leaving the skies brightened.
                                                      The moor is alive with Red Grouse obviously brought in there for the sad little men with guns looking for easy peasy targets next month.
Two Dunlin were a good find out on the moor as well as a male Stonechat which showed briefly before dropping down into the bracken. At least 2 Curlew were still present whilst Mipits were everywhere. A few LBB gulls flying below the clouds and that was it but it was nice to return to one of my old stomping grounds and refresh a few memories, and the dogs enjoyed it.
BS

Augusts gone by. 2015/ 2016.

A walk down Slaughter Gap late afternoon in the hope of early dispersing Redstarts failed to produce the goods. The usual long walk down and scramble back never gets any easier but the dogs were in good form so helped pull me up.
                                                  No sign of passerines other than Linnets, Mipits and around 9 Wheatear, all distant on walls but adults in autumn plumage.
Several Swallows and Swifts were overhead but little else.
                                                  Just to ease this boring report heres some August birds from 2015/2016.

                                     Common Scoters, Oxenhope

                                         Queensbury Buzzard

    Twitching a Ruff at Oxenhope  KM   BV

                      The last Blackcap I saw, 2016.

  Fly Flatts SEO 2015, remember these ?

                           Ogden juv Gt Crested Grebe

               Taylor Lane Spotted Flycatcher

                         Fly Flatts Buzzard

                         Taylor Lane Cuckoo juv

                                EGP Little Egret

 A few years now since I got this for the first 2 in
                    Calderdale, EGP . 2003 May 1st

                                                   Taylor Lane Cuckoo 1 of 5

                    Redcar Tarn Med gull.

                          Odd sighting, Oxenhope summer Wigeon

                       Leeshaw YL Herring gull
                        2016, 3rd summer.

BS