1500 hrs and a trip to Fly Flatts to check out the situation. Not expecting to get anywhere near I was surprised to find I could drive past the Withins and on to the reservoir gate. looking down the track all was clear so with a smile on my face I drove through the gate and down the track. Three parts of the way down I turned the corner to find the track completely blocked with a 4ft snow drift which even Yorkshire Water hadnt attempted to drive through in their off road vehicle.
With car abandoned I walked down the track to a second surprise, the reservoir was completely frozen over solid apart from one small pocket of water. This was unbelievable after just getting back from shopping in Brighouse that is completely snow free.
A scan around the deserted area then reverse back to the top of the track and head back to civilization and Mixenden reservoir.
The water here ,which was 25 % frozen yesterday, had thawed and much of the snow gone apart from the ice around the shoreline but after a search along the west bank there was no sign of the Dunlins, as reported by DJS this morning after his search had produced the same.
The water was very quiet with just 18 Mallard and the usual small gulls with no signs of the earlier Goosanders or Goldeneye. With a crowd of nuggets throwing stones in the water , including half a bike and a wagon mudguard, plus the cracking of air rifles in the wood ,I was pleased that the Dunlins had moved on, Mixenden is no place for an approachable wader like the Dunlin.
Just to show the Dunlins plumage difference :-
BS