Beating the weather. Elland Gravel Pits

       Dippers have used these same stones for over 40 yrs

        All taken in the dark at 10,000 ISO

 With strong westerly gales, fog and heavy drizzle I headed down to my old stomping ground of Elland Gravel Pits to walk along the canal and check out the river. The weather down there was like a different world with little wind but dark clouds and some light drizzle.
                                                                   Amazingly , looking over the bridge to the river a Dipper was at one side whilst 2 Little Grebes were at the other, exactly the same spot as they always used to be when I down there every Sunday morning over 40 years ago.
                                                                       A good year for Bullfinch with a minimum of 9 males and 3 females counted along the canal bank but no sign of Siskin or Redpoll flocks although it was too dark to scan the Alders.
2 male Goosander were on the ski lake but otherwise it was down to the usual species. A pleasant walk away from the upland weather and the dogs enjoyed it too although it was hard keeping Bobby away from the canal, he could,nt understand why Mallards could go on the water and not him.
                                          Plenty Redwings on the 2 large Rowans at Lane End above Brighouse but no Waxwings.
BS