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| Greylag in the snow |
1500 hrs at Leeshaw with 100 % cloud cover but bright and calm W>3. Only the drifts of snow are left now mainly piled against the walls around the edges of the fields.
Once again the area was buzzing with good numbers of birds although nothing of note. The highlight of the watch was when 198 Canada geese came in low and landed on the water. The noise was tremendous as they came overhead, one of the times I should have had the smaller lens camera around my neck as Big Bertha down at the lowest setting of 150 mm had no chance of getting them in the frame.
The flock of Golden Plover was mobile in the far distant with a Merlin, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel to contend with. Curlews are slow coming with only 4 on the moor but typically as I packet the camera away and started to drive off 17 flew right overhead.
A call at teatime from fireman Craig reporting an Oystercatcher at Mixenden reservoir.
Leeshaw
198 Canadas
85 Greylag
c 150 Lapwing
c 100 Golden Plover
3f 1m Goosander
5 Cormorant
5 Herring gull......................>W
2 LBB gull.........................>W
4 Curlew on moor plus 17 over >NE
11 Oystercatcher
8 Meadow Pipit
1 Merlin
1 Kestrel
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Mistle Thrush
+ usual sp.
BS