Last dabble of 2022, Leeshaw reservoir.

 

                            The trickling Dipper stream is now a fast flowing river.

                                A bit better gull count today.

                                An adult Lesser Black Backed at last.

                                    Single Cormorant

                                    Small gulls on the gangway

Luckily this morning Leeshaw managed  to dodge the large banks of fog lying in the valleys as well as on the tops leaving a pleasant morning with full light cloud, and dead calm at 6 degrees.

              Nothing to see the year out in style but plenty to occupy me throughout the watch. A better count of gulls compared to the last few days with around 150 small gulls, 10 Herring and a single Lesser Black Backed whilst the water held Mallard, Greylag, Canada, 1 Cormorant, 1 Teal and a distant pair of Wigeon at the western end of the water and difficult to see due to reflections of the banking on the still water.

         Plenty Fieldfare and Starlings around plus a single Pied Wagtail and a Raven overhead. Otherwise it was down to the usual species.

        A check of the Thornton fields on the way back found them deserted of gulls other than a few in the Ring O Bells field.

       Well thats another 365 blogs published with another year gone so it just leaves me to say thanks to all my readers and for the several reports, queries , general information and kind words I receive by e mail, text and Whatsapp. Its your feedback that keeps the blog alive, plus the fact that I enjoy doing it.

                           A Happy Healthy New Year to you all. All the best for 2023. 

                                                            Brian.

BS

Wet and windy, Leeshaw.

                                 Usual 3 Goosander on the water

                                No shortage of water now

                                Sparrowhawk up in the dark skies

A very windy and wet morning at Leeshaw with a strong S>5 gusting 6 with full, very dark, cloud and light rain throughout at a mild 5 degrees.

        The birds must have been keeping their heads down today in the strong wind with a much quieter morning than yesterday with only a handful of small gulls present on the water and none in the local fields. The water otherwise held the usual 2 male and 1 female Goosander, a few Mallard, Canadas and Greylag as well as a single Cormorant.

         A Sparrowhawk soared high up in the dark sky keeping a watch on the numerous Starling, Fieldfare and Redwing but only 1 Mistle Thrush seen today as well as 8 Meadow Pipit.

      On the journey there and back there were several large flocks of Fieldfare over the fields at Keelham, Shay bottom, Denholme Gate and Thornton Moor.

        Re the gull I reported from Leeshaw on the 27th and put as a Yellow Legged gull, michahellis, which caused some interest from fellow gullers, has caused me a considerable amount of time going through the gull bibles as well as hundreds of photos and internet sites as well as gull research and I now believe the gull to be a Larus Argentatus Omissus, or sometimes called a Marsh gull due to its breeding habitat.

      The dark head streaking, resembling a hood, eliminates it from being michahellis whilst the hood and yellow legs points to the eastern Baltic race Herring gull argentatus omissus. These gulls from the east Baltic breed in Russia, and winter mainly around the Channel Isles. I,ve had argentatus Herring gull , which is slightly darker mantled than our usual argenteus Herring, at local sites, though not often, whilst omissus, meaning yellow legged is much rarer. 

         The other possibility is Azores gull, which is a dark hooded yellow legged gull and a sub species of michahellis but due to bill colour ,plus the fact that it is mainly a resident bird to the Azores and a very rare vagrant to Great Britain I,ve eliminated this species.

There is also the chance of a Hybrid though none that show the dark head streaking.

         This conclusion is for my records only as without being able to check several other id features, mainly primary tip pattern, etc it,s impossible to confirm its identity 100%. Hopefully it will return but highly unlikely as probably just a passing through bird.

         I bet you,re glad you came on this blog tonight !!!!!!!

BS

      

      

                      

 

Sunshine and horrendous showers, Leeshaw.

                                Just 5 Herring gull through >W

                                Swarms of Starling

                               As well as Fieldfare, Redwing and Mistle Thrush.

                                    A stormy shower

                                   Over 200 Fieldfare

                                    300 + Starling.

A real mish mash of weather this morning at Leeshaw reservoir with one minute, blue skies and sunshine, the next minute a blasting rain, hail, sleet and snow shower. The wind was SW>5 but reaching gale force 8 as the showers moved through. A couple of the showers were some of the worst I,ve experienced with black skies and visibility down to a few feet due to the intensity of the driven hail and sleet. Luckily you can see it coming over the moor giving you time to get the dogs in the car and shelter behind the tailgate. The temperature was 3 degrees but not feeling particularly cold.

            Just a few small gulls in the goose field and on the rough water so an easy check today with the majority of gulls heading straight through >W as well as 5 Herrings. Just a single male Goosander on the water plus the usual Mallards but the water very rough with a deep swell, white horses and water gushing down the overflow. 

                Thrushes and Starling were the birds of the day with around 300 Starling as well as a flock of around 200 Fieldfare and 100 Redwing along with 50 + Mistle Thrush.

The thrushes were very mobile moving from field to field but always dropping into the more sheltered fields out of sight. The birds seemed to fly more during the heavy showers unperturbed by the lashing rain. At least 4 Meadow Pipit were also present.

More rain and gales for tomorrow but at least it keeps the fog at bay.

BS.     

 

Gulling in the rain, Leeshaw

 Leeshaw this morning was dark on arrival but dry and calm at 3 degrees. By the time I,d checked the big field and reservoir the rain started but remaining light until 0915 hrs when the heavens opened and the rain came down like stair rods with fog creeping in over the higher ground with the wind increasing to S>4.

           A very quiet morning with just 29 Mallard on the water along with the gulls. Around 100 small gulls present but only 2 Herring and nothing special showing in the small gulls.

        The top field held 7 Red Legged Partridge, probably flushed from a shoot at TMR ,whilst around 80 Fieldfare and 8 Meadow Pipit were very mobile. No photos today in the wet and dark conditions.

   

Below are more photos of yesterdays Yellow Legged Herring gull at the request of MC which is under investigation for a chance of it being one of two sub species/variant though any thought will be inconclusive from the limited and poor photos taken at distance and on the edge of first light.

                                    Adult bird, pale yellow legs

                                    Lightly speckled on body

                               Dark speckled hood, clear white neck band

                                  Grey mantle colour between argenteus and argentatus.

Thanks for interest and feedback Mick.

BS

A hectic morning at Leeshaw.

 

                                  Record count of Mistle Thrush

                                                44 present

                                Adult Yellow Legged Herring gull

                                  Several Redwing mixed in with the Fieldfare

An early morning arrival at Mixenden Reservoir found that already there were around 8 off lead nasty looking dogs charging about with equally nasty looking owners. Some of these were long dogs probably rabbiting so not the place to be with my two. This has happened on the last three times I,ve set off to go there so looks like another venue that I,ll be giving a miss.

                   On then to Leeshaw with reasonable conditions and decent visibility. Light showers throughout on a light S>3 at 1 degree and mist on the top of the moor.

                  A nice find with a suspected Yellow Legged Herring gull on the water showing dark streaking forming a dark shadow around the eye. Luckily it landed briefly on the valve tower exposing its legs which ,unlike the bright summer plumage yellow, they were a dull winter plumage yellow confirming it as a michahellis. This is the 15th YL I,ve had this year.

                A record flock of 44 Mistle Thrush were moving around the fields as well as a group of 62 Fieldfare with a few Redwing mixed in whilst 12 Meadow Pipits were feeding along the far shore.  

             The water just held the usual 3 Goosander, 1 Teal and several Mallard plus a single Cormorant, the first I,ve seen there for a while. Very few gulls again with around 100 Black Headed and Commons with just 5 Herrings and the Yellow Legged.

Gale force winds and lashing rain up here on the top of the hill tonight which seems to be the forecast for the rest of the week.

BS.

                

Great Expectations for the end of December 2022.

 With ice roads and threats of snow this morning up on the tops I hung fire hoping to go out mid afternoon but when that time came there was a mix of heavy sleet and snow showers so I took advantage of the poor conditions and got one of the dogs bathed and groomed instead.

          I,m putting high hopes on something special showing up in the last 5 days of the year inspired by my reports from the end of  December 2021 when the last 4 days produced 5 Goldeneye, 1 Common Scoter and a red head Smew all at Mixenden. Its unlikely that history will repeat itself  but, ever the optimist, stranger things have happened.

                                Mixenden,  29/12/21    2 pr Goldeneye

                                Mixenden,  30th ,31st /12/21 2m 3f Goldeneye

                                 Mixenden,  28/12/21   1 RH Smew.  Very distant

                                Mixenden,  28/12/21   1m Common Scoter

BS