A bright start to the morning but soon clouded over with a W>3 at 4 degrees
Leeshaw did no favours this morning apart from staying below the cloud base with very little activity. Around 300 small gulls on the water plus 10 Herrings and a single female Goosander
whilst 9 Meadow Pipits and a pair of Pied Wagtail were by the conduit.
A mid afternoon visit to Mixenden was under pressure to find something decent but after a full circuit of the water, with empty west bank trees, and just the usual gulls on the water, apart from a single male Goosander, things were looking grim.
But all was not lost when a small skein of 25 Pink Footed geese came over from the direction of Ogden golf course and headed >W over Slaughter Gap. Shortly afterwards a second small skein of 19, headed >W to the south of me looking to be over the Wainhouse Tower area. The day was saved.
Then, a report from Harry C via DJS reporting an Iceland gull on Ogden. An Iceland was reported there yesterday but dismissed so I quizzed the id until Dave sent one of Harrys photos through. That was enough, I went down the reservoir banking like an olympic skier and over the wall in one and into the car.
Five minutes later I was on the promenade with Harry watching an amazing 2nd winter Iceland gull fairly well offshore and surrounded by around 150 other gulls, mostly small.
This is a new species for Ogden for me and it makes me wonder if its the same gull as we had around Thornton, Leeshaw and Mixenden last year, then a 1st winter?
Well spotted to yesterdays unknown finder and well re located to Harry today.
BS