Back to reservoir watching at an ideal time just now with several waters frozen over and wildfowl moving around looking for new sites. Just had a text from MC saying that Estonia is well frozen so Smew are on the move. Micks getting them down in Oxon, see link on right.
First check was Ogden at -5 degrees, a winter record , before it got up to -3 but feeling real brass monkeys with the added wind chill.
Re yesterdays blog, 3 Black Headed gulls had full breeding plumage hoods as well as 2 Common gulls out of around 100 small gulls but an absence of big gulls. The reservoir is around 50% frozen but a thaw looks likely to start late in the day tomorrow.
Nothing else of not other than 6 Stock Dove over >W and the usual Tits, Kingfisher etc.
Stood on the east bank at Mixenden was like Siberia, not that I,ve ever been to Siberia,
with the SE>5 blasting across the water though strangely there is no ice on the water but plenty ice and snow around the banking.
A count of 11 Black Headed gulls here with full breeding plumage hood, some of which were jet black, something I havent noticed before but maybe I,m just taking more notice this winter with nothing else to watch. MC , as well as KM, also remarked that they are getting breeding plumage earlier
both having noticed them showing in December but as Mick said, several song birds are singing earlier than they used to also.
Just one adult Herring on the water and that was it but at least there,s plenty room for the wildfowl when they drop in. I,m also expecting winter plumage Dunlin at Mixenden when the banking thaws. The last 3 here that DJS found was the first week of March 2018. Ever the optimist.
BS