1 Skein of 156 birds.
A brighter morning at Ogden and a bit ambitious for me to risk it on a Sunday but with limited time it was the nearest port of call and got there early before the rush. As I left at 0930 hrs the car park was heaving.
An icy cold E>3 at 1 degree and broken cloud which had frozen about 1/3 of the fringes of the water overnight.
Around 100 small gulls were on the water with several stood on the ice which gave me the opportunity to check for leg rings, but none showing.
A Green Woodpecker was calling from the trees below the car park but remaining unseen. This is a species which used to thrive well at Ogden but are now becoming something of a rarity.
Passerine Alley was buzzing with Long Tailed and Coal Tits as well as a few Goldcrest plus the usual Robins, Wrens and Dunnocks.
As I got through the alley in the direction of the info centre I heard the familiar contact calls of Pink Footed geese so it was a quick dash out of the trees to get a sighting. It was frustrating to hear them but not see them until I looked directly above me and there they were, very high and heading >N so only time to knock a few photos off before I could only see the tail end of them heading over TMR.
A few more reports came through during the day meaning there must have been a bit of a move on, most of these heading to the east of the region up the Aire Valley.
Up then to Ringby Top with a 360 degree view though conditions in the sky were poor with a hazy sunshine and a light haze all around the horizon. The wind had increased to a bitterly cold E>5 with the temperature of 1 degree but feeling much colder with the wind chill.
Nothing in the fields other than the usual Corvids and only 1 Common gull present plus 2 LBBs >SW.
A flock of 16 Lapwing were to the east in the distance which were probably the Shelf Moor birds whilst the highlight was a flock of 9 Golden Plover which appeared from nowhere and flew fast and low below me over the field to the south of the Snow Bunt field before disappearing over the ridge of the quarry, possibly also heading for Shelf Moor.
No chance of a photo with the birds being low and fast plus the fact that I went into panic mode trying to get the camera out from under my coat with a button still fastened and after I,d done flapping like a headless chicken, the birds had gone.
Good to bump into local birder Ian who was giving his patch the once over before heading off down Shibden Valley.
Anyway, a good finish to a poor month, so hopefully February will be better once, we get rid of the promised snow mid week.
Ogden
1 skein Pinkies.................156 >N
1 Green WdPecker
c 15 Lt Tits
c 100 Small gulls
+ usual sp.
Ringby Top
9 Golden Plover
16 Lapwing
2 LBB..............>SW
1 Common gull
BS