In a bid to get away from the early, heavy snow showers, ice and fog on the tops it was back down south to a calm and mild Elland Gravel Pits.
Dull conditions prevented much scanning through the Alders where there were several Siskin but no signs of Redpoll . Once again Bullfinch were the dominant bird with 11 counted , mostly males, in trees by the fishermans lake along with good flocks of Blue, Great and Long Tailed Tits.
The ski lake held 8 Cormorant along with 2 male and 3 female Goosander whilst another 2 male and 1 female Goosander were on the canal. A Nuthatch landed briefly to drink from a puddle on the towpath along with several continental looking Robins all the way along the tow path brambles. Around 50 small gulls were present mainly on the river with a Heron on the banking, otherwise it was down to the usual species.
On the way down to Elland the 2 Rowens at Lane Head above Brighouse were alive with Redwings but on the way back a Waxwing invasion had taken place as grapevined earlier by JM with the flock building to 51 ( AC) . As I stopped to look, the birds were high in trees by the Lane Head Hotel but with plenty birders and cameras present , plus having the dogs with me, I headed back to a snow white Queensbury.
BS