On arrival at first light the patchy fog was clearing with a half attempted sunrise and some areas of blue sky. By the time I,d walked the west bank and checked the water and boatyard the fog dropped and it was lights out.
Prior to the fog coming down Red Grouse were the only birds showing with not a bird of any description either on the water or in the air. What a weird month this is so far. On the way home a Buzzard was briefly over the Crossroads Inn below the clouds which just gave me time to anchor on and get a quick half hearted shot as by this this time my will to live had drained away.
Late afternoon and with a massive bank of fog still over Fly Flatts I set off for Mixenden reservoir which on arrival had been taken over by nuggets in the SW corner lobbing things in the water and just being a general nuisance. Back in the car and on to Cold Edge Dams which was misty but bird able although by the time I,d checked the goose field and Leadbeater Dam the fog had once again beaten me leaving it too thick to check the track, Haigh Cote dam and mill dam.
A quick return to find Mixenden Reservoir nugget less apart from on the west bank in the trees where they were very noisy and excited passing round the wakky bacca.
A check of the water from the south bank then on again to Ned Hill Track to see what gulls were coming through the Causeway Foot Col on their way to the Oxenhope roost. The large bank of fog was now coming down the west ridge towards Ogden and stretching all the way along into the Calder Valley. Not looking good for morning!!
Looking across the valley at Ogden there were cars parked as far as the eye could see in all directions and gridlock on Ogden Lane. Strange how people think they are getting away to the quiet of the countryside surrounded by hundreds of people, they may as well go stand in the middle of Leeds or is it just me turning into Victor Meldrew.
Fly Flatts....
Red Grouse
Mallard
1 Buzzard
Cold Edge Dams...
89 Canada geese
2 Greylag geese
1pr Mallard
Sev BH gulls
Mixenden Reservoir
2 Moorhen
1 Cormorant
1f Goosander
3 Mallard
Sev small gulls, 75% Black Headed, 25% Common
4 Herring gull over >SW
Ned Hill track
2 Kestrel
9 Herring gull
37 Lesser Black Backed gull
Continuous flow of small gulls
1m Goosander
all gull and Goosander movement >N to roost.
This retirement job is not as easy as its made out to be.
BS