Last of the year, Ogden and Foxhill Pinkies.

 

                                    2 of 5 Grey Partridge, Taylor Lane top field

                                Skein of 78 Pink Footed Geese over Foxhill

A dry, calm morning at Ogden with a S>2 at 3 degrees and some sun but failing to get full daylight until 0900 hrs.  

            The family of Grey Partridge were in the Taylor Lane top field as I passed in the near dark but gone on my way back home.

    The west bank was poor this morning but plenty disturbance, even first light, with just a few Siskin and Redpoll flitting about in the Alder tree tops whilst only 3 Bullfinch were present.

    Nothing in the way of gulls with just 8 Commons and 12 Black Headed on the water and otherwise just the usual species. Not a good finish to the year.

    The afternoon proved better when a skein of 78 Pinkies flew over Foxhill Park >W at 1315 hrs whilst I was up there dog walking. Luckily I had thought of taking the camera, just in case. So my last bird sighting of 2023 was a skein of Pinks so I can,t ask for more than that.

                    Hope the New Year is kind to you all in health, wealth and happiness, along with bins full of birds, and I,ll see you in 2024.   All the best, Brian.

BS

Leeshaw in the rain.

 

                                Found on the way to Leeshaw, Barn Owl

                                    C 100 Fieldfare

                                    Few small gulls , Dog and Gun field

A very wet and dark morning at Leeshaw Reservoir with heavy rain throughout and dark full cloud on a light SE>2 at 3 degrees. By 1000 hrs, as I was tackling up, the mist started to roll in with dense fog by the time I got back to Queensbury.

    As I was approaching Oxenhope I spotted something white in a single tree and a quick emergency stop found it to be a Barn Owl. A second bird was seen at Leeshaw and possibly a third up on the moor.

Its amazing that years ago, when I started birding, if you wanted to see a Barn Owl you had to head east beyond York where you started picking them up. Now they are the most common owl ahead of Tawny, SEO and LEO.

     Very few gulls at Leeshaw today with just 2 Herring and a few small gulls on the water along with a single Teal and the usual Mallards. A group of 8 Siskin flew over whilst a male Stonechat was on a distant wall, but doubtlessly the highlight of the morning was a flock of around 100 Fieldfare moving around the fields to the south of the reservoir.

    Otherwise it was down to at least 18 Pheasant in the farm field and 2 Cormorant on the tower along with the usual species.

    On the way back, a few small gulls are starting to use the Dog and Gun field which will hopefully build up in the new year when this field has produced both Yellow Legged Herring and Caspian.

     Raggalds Flood held 18 Canadas, 4 Mallard and the usual small gulls.

         So far tomorrow, the forecast is a dry start with a light south wind then another wet afternoon.

BS

      

         

Leeshaw Reservoir

 

                                    First light at Leeshaw

                                Small group of Greylags

                                    Distant Barn Owl over't moor

                                    Few Herring gulls passing through

                                    Usual Mallards

                                        1 CY Herring gull

A wild and dark start to the morning at Leeshaw, after an unusual powerful winter thunderstorm last night, with a moderate SW>5 and heavy drizzle showers clearing into short sunny spells and dry at 3 degrees. Fortunately the wind is not too much of an issue at this site being fairly well sheltered with the higher ground moorland and fields surrounding the reservoir.

    A better day for gulls moving through in the wind with 14 Herring and several small gulls all >W with some stopping off at the water briefly. Still no sign of the large goose flock with just 11 Greylags and the ever present Canada goose which has a broken wing so is destined to stay on or around the reservoir.

    A  Barn Owl was quartering the moor but well in the distance whilst a Merlin skimmed past, very nearly taking a Blackbird in flight. This is only my 3rd Merlin sighting this year.

   A few Redwing and Fieldfare were moving around and a tight group of 6 Siskin headed >S.

A call from NK this afternoon reported a skein of Pink Footed Geese heading my way towards Queensbury but managed to avoid me by passing to the north of Foxhill, probably keeping low in the strong wind. A further text from DJS reported Waxwings up Pellon Lane in Halifax, certainly a good winter for this species.

      I,ve added a link on my blog to E-Bird which seems to be gathering momentum with birders, though I don,t like the silly names they put the bird on as, what was wrong with the good old bird names I,ve grown up with. Everything now is Eurasian and even game birds are,nt safe with Ring Necked Pheasants and Red Grouse now being Willow Ptarmigan. Im still calling a Little Grebe a Dabchick!.

     I,m putting a few of  my birds on the site but mainly I find it very useful to see what birds are about in the area as several of the local blog sites are now near redundant and rarely updated. The E-Bird link I,ve put on is for the West Yorkshire region, though other areas can be found once on the site. 

     A calmer start to the morning but still plenty rain forecast. Its a shame its not Spring or Autumn with the number of flooded fields around.

BS

Whoopers and Goosanders, Oxenhope.

 

                                    Lower Laithe, 13 Whoopers

                                Leeshaw, Goosanders in early light.

                                    1 CY Herring gull

                                    3m 4f Goosander

A half decent morning weather-wise with a light SW>3 and full dark cloud cover at 6 degrees. A few heavy showers moved over but not causing too much of a problem.

      First light, and first stop off was at Lower Laithe reservoir where the 13 Whooper Swans, found yesterday by birder Jacqueline, were still present on the water but noisy and and pre flight head bobbin so probably ready to move on.  Otherwise, just Canadas and Mallards with strangely not a gull present.

       On then to Leeshaw reservoir where a good count of 3m and 4 f Goosanders were on the water lifting my hopes of a winter Smew at this site.

     Just a few small gulls along with 2  1CY Herrings whilst the usual Mallards and Cormorant were on the water with a single Teal tucked under the far bank.

     Fieldfare and Redwing were in the distant Hawthorns with a single over-wintering Meadow Pipit in the goose field but no geese to be seen.

     Raggalds Flood on the way home just held a few small gulls, Mallards and Lapwings. The increasing winter Lapwing flock now seems to have either broken up or moved on, possibly back to Shelf Moor.

      A gale force sou'wester promised for morning with more rain. The roads to Oxenhope were already well flooded this morning.

BS

Back to the normal weather. Raggalds Flood

 

                                    12 Mallards in the field

                                    Plenty water for now

                                    Gushing out of the overflow

In contrast to yesterdays spring like morning, today was back to thick fog and torrential rain which was ongoing from overnight leaving parts of Foxhill Park in flood.

        Just a very wet dog walk this morning then a check on Raggalds Flood early afternoon which held a good count of 12 Mallard plus a few Black Headed gulls and Lapwings. The highlight being 2 Snipe which flew from the next field and headed high and >S over Mountain.

        Around 50 Lapwing and 80 small gulls were on the Pit Lane football pitch along with several Jackdaws.

      Whoopers seem to be starting moving now with 13 reported by Haworth birder JV, on Lower Laithe, and later seen by Brian Vickers.

    A strong SW>5 blowing at the moment, set to continue through tomorrow with yet more rain.

BS.

Back home to Fly Flatts.

 

                                Nice welcome back, Barn Owl

                                    1 of 4 Stonechat

                                    1 of 8 Reed Bunt

A stonking morning at Fly Flatts with clear blue skies, perfect visibility and sunshine throughout on a light W>3 at 3 degrees. Unfortunately this looks like a one off until into the New Year.

        Nice to get back up on the tops for the first time this month, mainly due to fog or gale force winds, which is forecast now till the New Year at least, with a threat of snow.

      A real spring like morning with more birds than expected for this time of year up there and a nice first bird welcome with a Barn Owl quartering the Flat Moor, then disappearing beyond Slade.

     Just 5 Canadas on the water and a few Herring gulls in the air all >NE whilst the compound and lagoon area held 8 Reed Bunting and 4 Stonechat. A single Raven was over the Nab.

    The sky and wind were perfect for an expected move, in todays weather window, of Pink Footed Geese but nothing this morning. Ironically, around 1130 hrs I was messing about in the garage at home when Lynda opened the bedroom window and shouted, " GEESE" . I just managed to see a decent sized skein of Pinkies disappearing to the west in the direction of Ogden.

     Then, early afternoon, a text from Pete Smith reporting just seeing Waxwings at Kings Cross, Halifax, at the junction of Burnley Rd and Warley Rd.

Kings Cross fire station area has always been a hotspot for Waxwings in previous years. Thanks Peter for yet another good observation.

     Well, its all over now ' bar't shouting' so only New Year to get over, then we,re on our way.

BS