Another day, another fog bank across the tops and heavy drizzle. Oxenhope was again just below the cloud base with light drizzle and a few mist patches moving through on the light NE>3 at 12 degrees.
Leeshaw was reasonably busy with birds on the move and a decent count of gulls. 1 Snipe was on the far shore along with Lapwings whilst 5 Snipe headed high and >W in migration mode. A single Buzzard was on a telegraph pole up near Bodkin farm before dropping down onto a fence post. Big counts of Mipits now soon to be moving off, the third week of this month being their peak movement time.
An afternoon visit to TMR was aborted with gunmen up there so on to Leeming reservoir which has a low water level and plenty exposed shore, an area to keep an eye on over this month.
Just the usual residents but a good count of Tufted duck on the water and 2 Curlew over >SE, very high in the cloud above the Paul Clough mast.
This is usually a good water for gulls during the winter months but just 4 Commons on today.
A sign of Tern movement with a distant Commic Tern over Denholme this morning, (MP), and a Black Tern in MCs area of Oxon.
Leeshaw
1 Snipe...resident
c 200 BH gull
23 LBB gull
2 Common gull
5 Herring gull... 1st summer
1 Buzzard
1 Heron
2 Cormorant
11 Lapwing
+ usual sp.
Vis Mig
61 Swallow..............>S
16 House Martin.....>S
5 Snipe...................>W
sev Mipits.............blogging
Leeming
12 Tufted
38 Mallard
9 Canada geese
1 Kestrel
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Cormorant
4 Common gull
1 Grey Wagtail
+ usual sp.
Vis Mig
2 Curlew.......>SE
BS