1445 hrs and a gull check at Ogden in real horrendous conditions. Not bad when I set off but on arrival the wind howled over the water W>7 gusting 8 with horizontal heavy rain and dark 100% cloud cover.
Around 200 small gulls out on the water but impossible to check the way out ones with rough water and all the gulls facing the wind away from me. The ones I could check were all Black Headed and Commons with no big gulls found.
My rig for today ,in the conditions, was the Canon 300mm fixed to get more light and a Canon 2x converter in my pocket just on the off chance that something was lurking on the water.
Giving up on the water I took shelter behind the info centre and caught up to a few common passerines around the Rhododendrons with Great, Coal and Blue Tits but again no Long Tailed Tits. Robins, Wrens, Dunnocks and Blackbirds were present and a quick sighting of a single Nuthatch which was pleasing so early on in the year, a species that can be hard to come across locally. Although I took several photos of the passerines in the shrubbery none were what I,d call really worthy of putting on the blog. With no signs of improvement it was back to the car and head for home.
One pleasing factor was that although the skies were so dark it remained daylight until after 1600 hours this evening.
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).