A decent morning at Leeshaw reservoir with a light SW>3 on full cloud at 6 degrees.
Once again the place was buzzing with skies full of Curlew, Lapwing, Oystercatchers, Starling and Greylag geese. Curlews were coming in from the east and settling on the distant south bank corner as well as a field to the west which is in a dip and out of sight.
About a third of the Greylag flock came in and dropped into the same field as the Curlew whilst just 8 Canada were on the water as well as Mallard and 2 female Teal.
A poor count of small gulls but a bit of a rise in Herrings which have been poor this year so far and too early for Yellow Legged as yet, my earliest being 10th March.
Just 1 hour to spare mid afternoon so went to Ogden to find the lower car park closed and cars everywhere trying to get up and down to the upper parking area. Someone, in their infinite wisdom, has decided to have all the Bullfinch trees lobbed down in the lower car park just as they were nicely coming into bud. My next bad move was turning round and heading for Soil Hill where a full check of the east and west summit, plus halfway down the tree line produced....... a Kestrel.
LEESHAW
200 + Lapwing
19 Oystercatchers
27 Curlew
121 Greylag
8 Canada
2 f Teal
c 75 Small gull
9 Herring
1 Cormorant
1 Kestrel
+ usual sp.
FOOTNOTE..... For anyone interested,
I received an e mail from Kat at the Viaduct Theatre, Dean Clough, Halifax, asking me to spread the word about a production coming to the theatre for one night only on Tuesday 11th April called
Twitchers : Birds, Birders and the RSPB.
Anyone wanting to go can book at the box office on 01422 849227.
https://the viaducttheatre.co.uk/twitchers mikron theatre
BS