Unsurprisingly a morning of dense fog which makes the 19th foggy morning up here on the tops this month.
Lower down at Wibsey it was very overcast but clear with light drizzle on a SW>3 at 10 degrees.
The idea of the exercise was to get away from the everlasting fog of the uplands and do a gull check of the park area followed by a visit to Bank Top country park.
Wibsey park lake held around 80 Black Headed, 4 Common and 3 Herring gull but nothing stood out among them. Otherwise it was down to the usual duck pond species with several Tufted, Canadas, Greylags, Coots and Moorhens along with 2 Mute Swan. No sign of the annual wintering drake Shoveler at yet but usually into November before it appears, staying through the winter until around March.
The trees were quiet with just Collared Dove and Wood Pigeon as well as a few Redwing in the tree canopy.
Bank Top country park held a good count of 18 Herring, 4 LBB, 1 Common and around 100 Black Headed gull. Other species include, Coot, Moorhen, Tufted duck, Mallard and 2 Mute Swan along with a Heron and Cormorant, the latter being a rare visitor here, but as NK had it on a previous visit, the water must hold some fish.
A good to get away from the fog morning with as many, or more, species than I have had on the tops all month. September and October have been ruined with the fog, birding wise, with these suppose to be the best months on the birding calendar. Even visible migration has been pointless this year with so many days and birds missed.
It looks like today could have been a big Fieldfare day with several birds over the village midday and still continuing mid afternoon over Foxhill, all >S and low down in the heavy mist!
With easterlies about its looking nailed on for a week of fog for this area, no change there then.
BS