With very heavy and prolonged snow showers throughout the afternoon I thought it wise to abort a 1445 hr visit to Fly Flatts so once again stopped off at Mixenden reservoir where luckily the sun shone in blue skies until the last 15 minutes of the watch when the wind picked up to near gale force >WNW >6 with a vicious snow storm knocking the visibility down to 20 yards and making it a struggle driving home.
The water was much the same as yesterday but with an extra female Goldeneye leaving 1 male and 2 female now present as well as 5 Cormorant and around 50 small gulls.
Walking along a very wet and boggy west bank a male Sparrowhawk flew low through the Alders and drifted along into the pine trees. Approaching the overflow in the NW corner a small passerine
flew up from the waters edge but as I grabbed the bins one foot shot from underneath me and left me sliding down the banking in a pirouette trying to keep upright as well as get onto the bird. Fortunately I found my feet and remained upright but unfortunately I lost the bird.
BS