Thick fog on the tops to the west this morning but Leeshaw was bright with blue skies and sunshine apart from a few shower clouds over. A light SW>3 was blowing at 8 degrees.
Leeshaw reservoir once again continued its good run this morning with a single Whooper Swan on the water along with a Wigeon and a record count of around 500 gulls including
35 LBBs and 12 Herring but no sign of yesterdays Yellow Legged.
Woodpigs and Starlings were piling through but no count done with so much going on, around and on the water.
The Whooper was constantly harassed by small gulls making it keep flying but always landing again back on the water till eventually the gulls seemed to accept it and started leaving it alone.
Not much time mid p.m. so a quick check of the local gull fields , finding very little, followed by a check of Ogden to see if any Wigeon or Whoopers had come down during the day.
Plenty gulls present whilst a walk around the perimeter of the water found 3 good Tit flocks comprising of Coal, Blue and Great along with several Goldcrests and Treecreepers but no Long Tailed Tits, Redpoll or Siskin.
A low count of 13 Chaffinch were on the banking weeds whilst the Kingfisher and Dipper were down in the sluice gate area. Several Goldcrests were in the Firecrest site but no repeat of Firecrest in this area since DF found one there in 2013 which doesnt seem 2 minutes since we were watching it, where have those 8 years gone.
Just a few Mallard and small gulls on the Raggalds Flood with yesterdays Wigeon moved on and the water near half receded already.
A text at midday today of a Red Kite over the centre of Bradford. This sighting by Gary of the Angela and Gary team, thanks for the text Angela.
LEESHAW
1 Whooper Swan
1 Wigeon
c 500 gulls
12 Herring gull
35 LBB gull
23 Lapwing
several Woodpigs and Starlings over.
+ usual sp
OGDEN
2 Canada
2 odd plumaged Greylag
c 150 small gull
11 LBB gull
4 Herring gull
13 Chaffinch
sev Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Tits etc
6 Continental looking Blackbirds
+ usual sp.
BS