A bright morning on a SW>3 at 14 degrees and 50% cloud.
Hospital check for Lynda mid morn so just an early morning dog walk and gull check at Ogden before the crowds arrived.
The 2 juv Gt Crested Grebe were still present along with a juv Moorhen, the latter being reported previously by NK.
A good mix of gulls, the majority being Black Headed, followed by LBBs then Herring. Just a single Common gull on the east bank whilst most of the big gulls on the water were juvs. Two Heron were also on the shore as well as a single Cormorant, whilst a Buzzard was very vocal from the plantation but remained unseen.
Not a warbler to be seen or heard in the waterside trees with just Robin Wren and Dunnock as I walked the circumference of the water.#
I find it strange that Green Woodpeckers have disappeared, a species that you heard ever visit to Ogden a few years ago. My last sight or sound of Green Woodpecker was 2022, where have they all gone. Admittedly I rarely do woodland birding but they always cropped up around my area, but not any more.
A good dip to end the day, as we were driving home from Halifax in the afternoon the farmer was muck spreading a newly ploughed field at the end of Swalesmoor with around 50 gulls following the tractor and in the field. On arriving home and dropping Lynda off I threw the dogs and camera in the car and headed back to Swalesmoor. Unfortunately, by this time, the farmer had moved on to a further field over the ridge and out of sight with the gulls still following him.
A dog walk down Crooked Lane nearby just produced about 30 laughing gas cannisters and plenty Corvids with just a few gulls overhead.
A cloudy damp start to the morning on a light NE.
BS