Christmas eve at Ogden

 

                                    Single drake Tufted on the water

                                        1 of 2 Dippers

                                    A familiar well travelled BH Gull

                                    Spends summer in Northern Germany

                                    and winters around Ogden and Wainstalls area.

                                    I've watched this gull every year since 2012

A pleasant sunny start to the morning then clouded over by 0930 hrs on a light E>2 at 3 degrees.

     With a few poor results of late along the west bank I did an anti clockwise circuit of the water starting with the east bank. No improvements here until I got to the Parakeet Pond where 2 Dippers were chasing each other around at the top side of the pond.

   The north and west bank trees were again void of bird life other than a few Robins and Blue Tits whilst the water held a singe drake Tufted duck along with 1 LBB gull, 3 Common and 22 Black Headed gulls.

 A familiar Black Headed gull has returned to the area with a white leg ring VS20 and steel ring 233, a bird I have recorded every winter from 18th November 2012 either at Ogden or the Wainstalls football pitch.

   It originates from Neumunster in Northern Germany where it returns to spend its summer before turning up back here every winter.

   Cloudy sunshine tomorrow on a moderate NE wind at 2 degrees.

    

                   A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY BLOG WATCHERS.

BS

Back to normal, Ogden.

 Another misty dark morning with light drizzle throughout on a light ENE>2 at 6 degrees.

    In contrast to yesterdays visit things were at an all time low with nothing in the west and north bank waterside trees other than a few Blue Tits and Robins whilst the water just held 2 Herring, 6 Common and 15 Black Headed gulls plus the usual Mallards.

   Long Tailed Tits and a single Nuthatch were on the feeders but otherwise a very poor morning. This has got to be the worst December on record at Ogden with the weather far too mild to move any wildfowl or winter passerines around. Hopefully there will be an improvement next month and then by mid February it will be back to wader watch when the first Ringed Plovers usually appear at Fly Flatts.

   Cloudy sunshine for tomorrow with a moderate easterly but down to 2 degrees which should put a stop to the fog.

BS

    

A bit of joy at Ogden,

 

                                    6 Tufted duck on the water

                                    Usual Black Headed gulls

                            Trans Pennine Pink Footed Geese

                                    77 moving west to east.

The overnight fog partially cleared first light leaving some patches of fog and otherwise dark and misty on a light E>2 at a mild 7 degrees.

     From the prom at Ogden I picked out 6 small ducks in the water at the far north end but could only pick out one white and 5 dark birds in the mist. A quick dash on the west bank, thinking Goldeneye, exposed them as 6 Tufted, 3ducks, 3 drakes, which was at least a start to get something on the water.

    As I dashed on the west bank a small flock of 12 Redpoll flew from the same Alder tree that I saw them in last week but disappeared behind the Lodge house, not to be re-located.

    Several Tits about and at least 4 Goldcrest whilst a noisy Raven was in the plantation. Just a few Black Headed gulls on the water as well as the return of the female Goosander.

   As I was walking back through the car park, scanning the tree tops, a skein of 77 Pink Footed Geese were to the north of me heading west which were only picked up by chance in the background of the trees. These Trans Pennine skeins are bang on schedule as the geese swop from east to west and visa versa before starting to head off back to their breeding grounds.

     Another cloudy, misty day tomorrow with a slightly stronger easterly at 6 degrees.

BS

    

Winter Solstice in the fog. Ogden.

 The dense overnight fog miraculously cleared at 0730hrs but returned with the daylight at 0815 hrs and stayed thick over Queensbury all day.

     Ogden was misty with drizzle but clear enough to check the water which just held around 30 Common and Black Headed gulls as well as 3 Lesser Black Backed.

    Other than that it was just a dog walk along the west and north bank with not a bird in sight and just the usual Tits on the feeders.

   With the light wind sticking from the east the next few days, tomorrow looks about as good as today with fog forecast throughout. At least a corner has been turned now and another couple of weeks should start showing more daylight so I can get back to earlier starts.

BS

Ogden, still trying.

 

                                    Single Nuthatch

                                    Coal Tit

                                    Long Tailed Tits

                                    Black Headed gulls on the gantry.

                                    Highlight wildfowl this month, 1 Canada goose.

A bright sunny morning with dense fog stuck down in the Aire Valley due to a low temperature of  3 degrees on a light SSE>2. By 1015 hrs the fog was heading up the valley towards Queensbury and then dense fog by 1230hrs.

      All the bird activity this morning was around the feeders with a single Nuthatch and the 4 common Tit species although it had the sound of spring with a noisy Canada goose on the water and a Mistle Thrush singing its head off in the plantation.

    The west bank waterside trees were once again void of bird life with just a quick sighting of 15 Siskin high over the tree canopy, disappearing into the plantation.

    Other than the Canada goose there were around 60 mixed Black Headed and Common gulls on the water but no Herring or LBB. I've yet to have a sighting of a Great Black Backed gull this year which seems like yet another species to have deserted this area.

     Showing a day of fog for tomorrow, courtesy of a light easterly at 5 degrees.

BS

Slogging away at Ogden

 

                                        2 Herring gull present

                                    Low count of Black Headed gull

A morning of sunshine and showers at Ogden with a cold SW>4 at 6 degrees.

      Another case of empty waterside trees this morning other than 2 Treecreepers and a few Blue Tits, whilst a Dipper and Kingfisher were down in the sluice gate area.

   The 2 Goosanders from yesterday had left the water with just 2 Herring and 16 Black Headed gulls present plus a rising number of  Mallard.  Roll on springtime.

     Cloudy sunshine for tomorrow on a light SE with a good chance of fog at 3 degrees.

BS

     

One of those quiet visits, Ogden

 

                                    Now 2 Goosander present

                                2 Kingfisher skimming across the water.

A very dull dark morning with full cloud cover on a light SW>2 at 7 degrees, remaining dry.

    Birds were non existent along the west bank as warden CS just bet me to it by riding along on his quad bike so no sign of Redpoll, Siskin or Bullfinch, whilst the north and east bank trees were void of any bird life also.

    A second Goosander had joined the long stayer with both birds diving for fish alongside each other and being harassed by Black Headed gulls, of which there was around 30 present along with 1 LBB gull. Otherwise nothing else, though I did managed to finish before the rain came.

   Chance of a wet start in the morning but drying out as the day goes on and possibly some sunshine on a strong SW at 7 degrees.

BS

Target bird at last, Ogden

 

                                        Short lived sunrise.

                                    Target bird, 9 Redpoll

                                    4 Bullfinch present

                                        Poor pics in the early morn half light.

A very dark, damp morning at Ogden with a blustery SW>4 but sheltered in the trees. Light rain throughout with full dark cloud cover at 5 degrees.

     After a lot of weeks searching I finally came across a nice little group of 9 Lesser Redpoll in one of the Alder trees along with 4 Siskin, which were more hidden in a thicker Alder tree. The Redpolls shared their tree with 3 female and 1 male Bullfinch and a few Coal Tits.

      Very quiet on the water with 8 Black Headed and 2 LBB gull whilst a Kingfisher flew over the water from east to west.

   Next target birds now has to be winter wildfowl though the weather is nothing near cold enough at the moment to move birds around. A Firecrest would be nice but, going on the low count of Goldcrest so far this winter, chances are slim.

     Tomorrow showing as a dry but cloudy morning turning wet after midday on a light SW at 7 degrees.

BS