A real horror of a day with a red sunrise early morn which lasted about 5 minutes before the fog rolled in. On arrival at Leeshaw it was clear but very dark and torrential rain, sleet and snow on a light SE>3 at 3 degrees. The rain eased to drizzle mid watch but remained very dull and murky.
Heavy going walking in the rain with steamed up bins and camera but the dogs did,nt seem to mind and the gulls certainly did,nt, and as a lady hiker once told me, " there,s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes".
Very little otherwise apart from the usual Mallards and geese but plenty gulls to keep me occupied with small gulls very active moving from the fields to the water whilst Herrings dropped in at the water to preen before moving off again >W.
No signs of Yellow Legged this month but shouldnt grumble with 17 seperate sightings so far this year. Had a few scares with Commons at distance in the poor conditions as its surprising how yellow their legs and bills can become on adults at this time of year.
Mid afternoon and with the atrocious weather, plus people Christmas shopping I risked Ogden which is a bit ambitious for a Sunday afternoon and even today the car park was near full.
The rain was coming down in stair rods most of the time but did ease off slightly for a short period. Gull presence was poor with just a handful of small gulls on the water plus the usual Mallards with no sign of the Mandarin which keeps reappearing, or so I was told today.
The rest of the activity took place around the Lodge House feeders with 2 male Gt Spotted Wdpeckers, a Nuthatch and several Chaffinch and Tits.
Another forecast of rain all day for tomorrow but the strong SW wind promised should shift the fog.
Leeshaw
18 Herring gull
2 LBB gull
c 400 small gull
+ usual sp.
Ogden
27 BH gull
2 Common gull
2 m Gt Spotted Wdpecks
1 Nuthatch
+ usual sp.
BS