Its not oft that I duff out from birding but this morning was one of them. After a dog walk in what felt like hurricane force winds and white sheets of rain I thought it best to hang up my bins and see what the rest of the day brought.
After an afternoons Asda and the Range shopping things seemed to have settled down with some blue sky showing so it was saddle up the team and head for Leeshaw.
A bit of an exciting drive there with Denholme Rd closed due to flooding plus a car half submerged in the water, another driver that thought his car had a propeller. Luckily it was by the salt pile so a short cut through the council yard by passed it. Elsewhere the roads were covered in pebbles and tree branches with more floods in Oxenhope where the fire brigade were pumping out houses.
Conditions at Leeshaw were good with a mix of blue skies and dark clouds at 9 degrees but a very strong W>8 gale force and periodically raising to W>9 strong gale. Large waves and deep swell on the water with spray and white horses which didnt seem to bother the Goosanders and Mallards along with a few small gulls.
A good passage of gulls was apparent with several Herring, mostly 1st winters plus a few LBBs though they all came through low over the far moor heading west. A real taste of Kittiwake was in the air although March is the magic month for them.
The geese, Oystercatchers and Curlew were missing, obviously gone looking for a more sheltered spot leaving the stubble field to a mass of Starling, Fieldfare and Redwing not seeming to be perturbed by the wind at all which by now had got back to full strength and was breath taking walking into it.
Good to meet another hardy birder up there beside myself.
Two Oystercatchers were on the Raggalds Flood as I passed on the way home, probably the Soil Hill birds seeking shelter.
Its looking like the wind is to continue for another week and a forecast of 4 days snow to look forward to but we,re a hardy bunch, we can take it, and soon we,ll be watching for Osprey and counting Wheatears, roll on March.
Leeshaw
5 pr Goosander
1 pr Teal
13 Mallard
c 200 Starling
c 100 Fieldfare
c 30 Redwing
c 50 small gulls
steady passage of Herrings and LBBs >W
+ usual sp.
Raggalds Flood
2 Oystercatcher
c 80 Lapwing.
BS