Another decent birding day despite a moderate W>5 and some heavy sleet showers but not enough to throw a spanner in the works.
Leeshaw was once again buzzing early morning with mostly Common gulls on the move >W along with Black Headed as well as 6 Herring and 2 Lesser Black Backed, one of which had the signs of Intermedius.
Just one male Goosander on the water as well as Mallards and Canadas with no Greylag present.
The 5 Oystercatchers were very mobile in the wind moving to fields to probe then back to the shelter of the waters edge.
The stubble field was alive with Fieldfare, Redwing and Starlings as well as 2 Meadow Pipits present.
A bit later back from our browse around Brighouse this afternoon so a quick visit to Ogden with sunshine and showers, more of the latter , which kept the passerines moving around.
The pair of Goosander were still present on the water along with 3 Herring gull plus the usual Mallards and small gulls. Nothing moving skyward other than, as yesterday, a single Cormorant high and >NE which was probably the same bird moving to a roost, possibly from Mixenden.
Passerines were hard work with several dark clouds coming over and several heavy sleet showers and it was just a matter of luck if you caught them during a sunny period.
Coal tits were the bird of the visit with a large tit flock on the west bank with mostly Coal tits as well as Blue and Great with up to 4 Treecreepers and 6 Goldcrest but again no sign of Long Tailed tit.
A quick sighting of around 30 Siskin which flew over the water from the North to the East bank though a quick meet with JL who had found them settled in Alders on the north end of the track. A Treecreeper was playing run around the tree trunk with me so I waited patiently for that special shot and as it came into view a dog walker coming towards me shouted loudly " what are you taking", " Nothing now" was my reply. Hence the one and only poor Treecreeper shot.
Leeshaw
5 Oystercatchers
1 LBB gull graellsii
1 LBB gull intermedius
6 Herring gull
1 m Goosander
c 200 Fieldfare and Redwing 75% being Fieldfare
c 400 Starling
2 Meadow Pipit
Ogden
3 Herring gull
1 Cormorant.....................>NE
4 Treecreeper
6 Goldcrest
sev Coal, Blue and Great tits
1pr Goosander
c 30 Siskin, very mobile.
BS