silhouetted at the top of the trees.
A frosty start to the morning at 2 degrees with some sun but low scud clouds over on a S>5.
Gulls were the bird of the day with a good move >W of Herring. LBB, Common and BHG just as they did last weekend before the last storm appeared as if they know whats coming. Otherwise things were very much the same although there are now 3 Curlew present with the 5 Oystercatchers whilst 2 Pied Wagtails were new in looking very tatty whilst in the moult. Several Lapwing are now on territory in the fields seeing any other birds off that get too close.
A stop off at Sentry Hill on the way home to see if gulls were still moving but this had quietened down a lot as murky drizzle clouds started to roll in. Whilst up there a report from AC with 3 skeins of Pinkies heading in my direction from Redcar Tarn but although I could see way over all the Keighley area I got no geese which had obviously gone up into, or above, the cloud.
Late afternoon and with low cloud over the tops it was back to Ogden for some unfinished business , checking the Goldcrests for a Firecrest and trying to pin down the Siskin flock.
Not the best time for either with heavy rain throughout and dark clouds but well waterproofed up I battled on regardless.
Nothing in the Alders but I came across a massive Tit flock of around 100 birds in a small area both in the trees and on the ground. The ground looked to be moving with so many birds raking through the leaves on the hillside whilst others moved about low in the undergrowth and others in the tree tops. The group comprised of Blue, Great and Coal Tit with several Robins, Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Treecreepers, Blackbirds and 3 Nuthatch. An amazing sight to see and I ended up stood for 1 hour watching and checking through them in the pouring rain.
One bird caught my eye which first glace I thought Blackcap but but it flew sharply like a Coal tit and the same size. All I got in the few seconds were brown back, plain black head cap and whitish cheeks with no wing bars. I put this to Marsh/Willow Tit but not enough to confirm it and I never got a second sighting though it will probably remain with the group.
As I walked back towards the promenade the rain stopped and as I passed under the Alders a group of Siskin were feeding and these were later joined by a small group of Redpoll but all keeping very high up in the trees with the sky silhouetting them. With the camera wide open to try get some light in I snapped away and came away with a camera full of grim but record shots.
The pair of Goosander were still on the water along with the usual small gulls. Quite a day.
Leeshaw
3 Curlew
5 Oystercatchers
2 Pied Wagtails
84 Herring gull
19 LBB gull
127 Common gull
200 + BH gull................all gulls >W
+ usual sp.
Ogden
1pr Goosander
c 100 tit flock inc
Blue,Great, Coal, Blackbirds, Robins
Goldcrests, Chaffinch
2 Treecreeper
3 Nuthatch
The Alders held 10 Siskin, 15 Redpoll.
BS