The usual morning check at Ogden in milder conditions at 1 degree on a S>4 and full cloud.
The ice on the water was very noisy as it creaked and banged with large cracks appearing in it as it slowly started to thaw.
Just the usual small gulls and 2 Canadas along with a good count of Mallard. By 0930 hrs cars were piling in and tempers were fraying so time to get out of there sharpish. Roll on the thaw so I can get back to the peace and tranquility of Fly Flatts.
A visit to Cold Edge Dams didnt go as planned as I expected the water to be frozen over but wanted to check through the geese in the usual field. The 2 big dams and both small dams were frozen solid although there was quite a few gulls on the ice including 2 nice adult Herring gulls in summer plumage.
Several of the resident Mallards were holed up in the hen pen at the top of the track scrounging free meals when the hens got fed along with 5 Canadas but disappointingly no other geese were present so I don,t know where they have moved on to.
Good to hear a Curlew call and get a quick sighting as it flew north following the west ridge. There was a good Starling flock at the far end of the goose field with a few Fieldfare mixed in with them. Walking back along Lumb Lane a mobile flock of around 40 Goldfinch were moving around the Alder trees.
Not much doing but a pleasant change whilst I pass the time on waiting for the thaw so I can get back to some serious birding at Fly Flatts and also Leeshaw when the lock down eases.
BS