With still a good depth of snow and fog throughout the day here at Queensbury I headed for Elland Gravel Pits to find a mild late afternoon with little breeze and dry though very dark .
As always, a good selection of birds but too dark for photos and way too busy to do any serious birding with a continuous flow of people, off lead dogs , joggers and bikes along the tow path. Hardly any chance to check the trees for watching for people and bikers coming past you. At least it got me out and away from the snow which seemed strange as I got back home after walking along the canal at Elland on a decent afternoon only to find kids sledging and making snowmen in the foggy park, like 2 separate worlds.
Plenty species to see but nothing out of the ordinary although several large flocks of big gulls were moving very high west in v formation which could easily have been mislead as geese. A very large Mink swan across the canal and disappeared below the banking, hopefully just a single escapee, not the sort of thing you want breeding in the area.
5 Cormorant
2 pr Goosander
5 Mallard
2 Moorhen
6 Jay
Several Siskin and Redpoll
2 Mute Swan on canal
1 Little Grebe on river
1 Mink
+ usual sp.
Looks like I,ll be looking for another low lands venue for morning if the fog and snow dont go.
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.(2025).