A blustery Leeshaw reservoir this morning with 100% cloud cover on a moderate SW>5 at 23 m.p.h.
A count of 310 Greylag in the big field this morning along with the single Pink Footed Goose among them which took quite a bit of finding with most of them feeding with their heads down and the rest curled up sleeping. No big blast off today with the wind blowing making them stay put throughout the watch. Five Canadas were also present today but staying on the water along with 3 pair of Goosander, 9 Mallard and the usual small gulls. Otherwise it was down to
several Fieldfare and Redwing in the fields and 3 first winter Herring gull on the gantry.
By late afternoon the wind had increased to near gale SW>7 at 32 m.p.h.
with heavy drizzle making the tops unworkable so a visit to Ogden to check on the Tit flock and Siskin/Redpoll position.
The reservoir perimeter track is now reasonably dried out so a full walk round for the first time in about 9 months though I still had to bath the dogs on my return as they tend to want to sniff about off the sides of the track.
Weather wise it was reasonably sheltered from the wind and rain but very dark under the trees where all the birds were. The Kingfisher was showing well and ideal for some cracking photos but way too dark to get any half decent shots.
The Tit flock was split in two around 50 yards apart, both with the 4 common tit species and around 7 Goldcrest between both but nothing with a nice bright eye stripe!
Other small stuff were Dunnocks, Robins, Wrens and 3 Treecreepers whilst 4 Siskin were high in the Alders but no sign of Redpoll.
About 20 Goldfinch in the car park trees roost but the Chaffinch roost seems to have broken up with no shoreline weeds due to the high water level so looking sad for Bramblings at this site over winter.
BS