Chasing the Shoveler, Bank Top, Wibsey Park.

 

                                        Queensbury sunrise

Horton Bank Top.                Herring gulls

                                            Single Heron

                                    3 of 6 Cormorant in to land

Wibsey Park                    Plenty Black Headed gulls

                                    Female Shoveler in with gulls

                                    2 Mute Swan present

                                    A very mobile bird

                                    Amazing count of  c40 Tufted.

Another bright and breezy morning with a SW>6 gusting 7 and increasing throughout the day. Very poor none photographic light with full cloud at 7 degrees.

      Keeping below the worst of the wind I headed to Horton Bank Top, once again with Shoveler in mind but on arrival it was soon apparent that it was, once again , one step in front of me after missing it at Harold Park and Park Dam and now here.

   As with other local waters, a few species were missing with no Goosander, Gt Crested Grebe or Geese with just the usual Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, 2 Mute Swan and a single Heron. Just 16 BH gull, 1 Common and 15 Herring were present, this being a good spot for Herring gull but I've yet to find a Yellow Legged here.

     As I was leaving near the top of the track I turned back just in time to see 6 Cormorant coming in to land which is a bit of a rare species for this site.

    On then to Wibsey Park where, whilst checking through the gulls, I finally caught up to the very mobile female Shoveler. This is my first female this year with 2 sightings from Ogden and 2 from Wibsey but all drakes so good to catch up with it, just showing how wildfowl move around these 4 areas of water.

    An amazing count of Tufted duck here with a minimum of 40 birds, all checked for Scaup, but no joy.

Around 120 Black Headed gull and 2 Common but no big gulls present, with a good count of 39 Canada and 18 Greylag. Otherwise just the usual park lake species along with 2 Mute Swan and another site with no Goosander.

     The end of a very poor year bird-wise with a few highlights but a ton of missing species, especially waders and wildfowl. Looking back at my records, this is the worst species count since 2016 with Fly Flatts providing me with nothing of great interest since the end of August. Hopefully, this is just a blip and 2025 will be a year for the record books !!!

    Just had a call from BV to report a Red Necked Grebe on Leeshaw Reservoir today but too late, wet and windy now so hopefully it will hang fast until tomorrow. That would be a good start off to the new year.

     More wind and rain for tomorrow but a slightly less wind speed.

    Wishing you all a Happy New Year and hope all your birding dreams come true. 

              All the very best for 2025.   If you're letting off fireworks please do it quietly, I'll be in bed!!

BS

Bright and breezy, Harold Park/ Park Dam.

 

  HAROLD PARK      Another good sunrise

                                Herring gulls

                                    Mute Swan from Horton Bank Top.

                                    Little Grebe

PARK DAM                Gt White Egret

                                    Mute Swans

                                    The Swan lady

A bright and breezy morning at Low Moor with clear blue skies and sunshine on a cool SW>4 at 5 degrees.

    No sign of the reported Shoveler today and a bit quieter on the water with no Goosanders and only 2 Tufted present though a single Mute Swan with a Horton Bank Top leg ring showing was briefly on the water before flying off in the direction of Bank Top. 

   A good count of around 60 Black Headed and 18 Herring gull along with 5 Common, all carefully checked through for Med or Yellow Legged, but not to be, whilst the Little Grebe was diving throughout. A single Cormorant was new in but otherwise, all the usual expected species.

     Across the road at Park Dam I expected to find the Shoveler among the 43 Mallard but again, no sign, though I arrived at the same time as the Swan lady who was on the far shore which attracted everything over to her corner.

   Another adult Mute swan has now joined the family of 9 and all seemingly getting well fed daily.

The Gt White Egret was on the far shore before flying up into its favourite pine tree where it remained throughout. Wildfowl numbers were down here also with only 2 Tufted and 4 Goosander plus no sign of the Gt Crested Grebes, though all the wildfowl here seem to move around between the two waters as well as Bank Top and Wibsey.

    Just need some colder weather to liven up the wildfowl scene.

Mid afternoon a large flock of around 40 Fieldfare were in the newly drained fields opposite Keelham farm shop.

 Just seen tonight on e-bird that the Shoveler has turned up at Horton Bank Top, (T.Mc.)

    Looks like 2024 is going out with a bang tomorrow with a dry morning then heavy rain and gale force SW winds from midday on. At least it will keep the fireworks down a bit so not to spook the dogs.

BS

Last visit of the year to Fly Flatts

 

                                        First light, Fly Flatts

                                    Slipway under water

                                    Floating jetty

                                        The Nab

                                    Cloud over the western ridge

                                    Distant Peregrine

                                Fast and low over the Flat Moor

A breezy morning at Fly Flatts with a moderate W>5 at 3 degrees. Clear skies and some sunshine with occasional scud clouds moving over low from the west.

    Fly Flatts did nothing to boost morale after a disappointing year up there from September onwards. This site is looking like a spring only venue in the new year.

     Apart from 2 Raven, 2 Kestrel and a Peregrine, no other species were found in the reservoir grounds or water, with any bird life found in surrounding fields.

     A count of 32 Greylags, including the 2 white geese were in the Withins field along with 12 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing and 2 Mistle Thrush. A single Herring gull, flew over as well as 1 Canada goose whilst 21 Black Headed gulls were in the Nolstar field, but another year without Golden Plovers in that area.

   A mixed bag in the morning with part cloud and a moderate to strong WSW.

Out in the garden with the dogs this evening at 1750 hrs a skein of Pink Footed Geese headed >W overhead very noisy contact calling in the dark and rain. 

BS

    

Fog sandwich, Ogden.

 

                                    Clear bright start 

                                    Fog moving in mid morn.

                                        1 of 6 Bullfinch

                                        9 Long Tailed Tits present.

A strange confusing morning with the fog. Queensbury was bright with clear blue sky first light with thick fog down in the valley. Strangely, Fly Flatts and moor top was also in the fog with Queensbury sandwiched in between . Ogden was bright and clear with a touch of sun on a light WSW>3 at 5 degrees with fog starting to roll in by 0945hrs. Queensbury was also in the fog as I arrived home at 1015 hrs.

     A lively morning with plenty birds to see but also plenty birds missing with no Tit flock, other than 9 Long Tailed Tits, and still no movement in the west bank Alders with no signs of Siskin or Redpoll. The water is also missing its usual winter visits of Wigeon, Shoveler, Teal and Goldeneye with the water this morning just holding 14 Black Headed, 2 Common and a single Herring, plus the usual Mallards. The long staying Goosander was missing but arrived mid morning from the direction of Mixenden where it must use as an alternative.

     A group of 6 Bullfinch were in the Lodge House trees along with 8 Goldfinch and a very mobile Gt Spotted Woodpecker. A Raven flew over >W along with 2 Greylags shortly afterwards whilst the usual Tit species and a Nuthatch were on the feeders with Robin, Wren, Dunnock and Blackbird cleaning up below. Otherwise down to the usual species.

     Hopefully, a fog-less morning tomorrow showing full cloud with a moderate to strong WSW.

BS

      

A misty morn. Harold Park, Park Dam.

 

                                        A bright start, Harold Park.

                                    Plenty Black Headed gulls

                                        Few Herring

                                    Park Dam Gt White Egret

                                    1 of 2 Heron

                                    Single Cormorant

                                    Gt White in the distant Pine tree

                                    Gulls on the shore Harold Park

                                    Just 8 Tufted present, Park Dam

                                        Gt White Egret

                                Mist hitting Park Dam, 0945 hrs

                                Harold Park fogged off 1000 hrs.

A strange and awkward morning after a clear starry night until 0600 hrs when the fog came rolling in

thick and fast but clear lower down with a few thick banks. Luckily Harold Park was in the clear with some mist over the grass and water but a beautiful bright sunrise and blue sky.

       Harold Park had plenty to see but nothing out of the ordinary with Little Grebe, Tufted, Goosander and 9 Herring gull being the pick of the bunch. Otherwise down to the usual lake species with a low count of Tufted for this site.

     Park Dam was livelier with Tufted numbers up to 8 but Goosander numbers down to 4, whilst the 2 Gt Crested Grebe were still present but no return of the Pochard. The Great White Egret was on the banking with a Heron at each side of it before all 3 moved across into a Pine Tree at the far side of the water.

   The only new site species for me today was a Mistle Thrush on the top of the Egrets Pine tree. Otherwise all the usual Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Cormorant and geese etc. By 0945 hrs the fog was rolling but luckily it had kept away until knocking off time.

  Just read report that a female Shoveler was found on Harold Park lake last light, C.G.

    Another capful of fog shown for tomorrow on a light WSW at 5 degrees.

BS