With Fly Flatts, Cold Edge, Ogden and Mixenden checked today with no prize I shot across late afternoon to check Lower Laithe and Leeshaw reservoir on an off chance of saving the day.
Lower Laithe was its usual self with 2 Cormorants and a few small gulls plus its resident Mallards.
Lower Laithe is a strange place being a very large expanse of water with no access other than viewing from the road which can be very dangerous being narrow and a speed track and the water rarely holds anything of interest. In the past it has picked up some good waterfowl coming up the Sladen valley but these only seem to use the water as a quick stop off point to rest and refresh before soon moving on again.
On then to Leeshaw which was very much the same with 4 Cormorants and a number of small gulls, 75 % of these being Commons, some still in summer plumage. 3 Buzzard soared over Top Withins, Wuthering Heights country, before drifting off >SW well in the distance whilst a single Snipe made a brief appearance.
So not a good weekend with the usual annual lull between visible migration finishing and the colder weather starting but soon we,ll be back on a roll.
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).