A bright and sunny morning at Ogden with just a few light snow showers at first light on a light W>3 at minus 2 degrees. Several patches of frozen water around the edges of the reservoir.
The usual mass of post roost gulls were headed over >NE from a roost somewhere to the SW of us but lower numbers than yesterday and a lower count on the water with around 100 small gulls, 75% being Common plus 7 Herring gull.
Still a blank with winter wildfowl but nice to find the flock of Siskin I had in November are still around with 11 feeding in the Alders on the west bank along with the usual Tits and Goldcrests.
The 2 Nuthatches were still around the feeders whilst yesterdays Buzzard was in the same tree on the drive home.
Back for a second visit to Mixenden with 2 objects in mind. One, to check out the gulls thinking of Iceland, and two, to check the Redpoll flock for a Mealy, well you,ve got to be optimistic.
As it happened, neither of the two occurred although the Redpolls were present in the same tree with a count of 15, whilst around 200 small gulls were present as well as 2 Herrings,but nothing could be found among them.
A count of 15 Canadas were on the water , otherwise just Blackbirds, Robins and Goldcrests in the water-side trees.
Hopefully, if it does,nt snow overnight I,ll be able to get back up onto the tops where I belong away from all the ducking and diving of irresponsible dog owners with their dogs running wild.
Mixenden have the sort of dogs that make it too dangerous to take mine whilst Ogden is getting just as bad where I seem to have a slanging match every time I go. It used to be, dogs on a lead around the water, but that rule seems to have been scrapped and the signs taken down.
BS