Well you can't say I don' try. Ogden.

 

                                Plenty Blackbirds but all British.

                                    Usual Nuthatch at the feeders

                                    2 Dippers again in the sluice gate

                                        along with a Kingfisher.

A pleasant morning at Ogden with full cloud but milder at 4 degrees on a light NE>2.

    Plenty Robins and Blackbirds along the west bank trees as well as a small Tit flock of Blue, Great and Coal and a single Siskin.

   The water held around 40 small gulls along with4 Herring whilst a steardy flow of Herring gull were overhead moving >NE, probably from a Manchester overnight roost.

    Two Dippers were again down in the sluice gate area as well as a Kingfisher and 2 Grey Wagtail, the latter probably being the pair that bred at this site last year.

     The forthcoming disturbance is now looming at Ogden with Christmas trees already starting to build up opposite the info centre ready to be moved and positioned around the bankings.

    Another  cloudy day tomorrow with a light NE at 32 degrees.

BS

Slogging away at Ogden

                                    Several Black Headed gulls
 

                              Return of the drake Tufted on reflective water

                                    2 Dippers down in the sluice gate.

A bright sunny start to the morning but very soon clouded over leaving full cloud with bright silhouetted visibility on a light NE>2 at 3 degrees.

     A little livelier this morning with a Tit flock moving down the west bank comprising of the 4 common Tit species as well as a single Treecreeper and Goldcrest. A group of 4 Redpoll flew overhead quickly disappearing into the plantation but no sound from the Green Woodpecker today.

     The drake Tufted duck was back on the water along with the Goosander and around 40 Black Headed and 2 Herring but no Common or LBBs this morning.

   The pair of Dippers were busy feeding down in the sluice gate area as well as a single Kingfisher.

A cloudy day forecast for tomorrow on a light NE at 3 degrees.

BS.

     

All over bar shouting. Ogden.

 A part sunny morning at Ogden but icy cold at 1 degree on a light NE>3 and mist on the tops.

    With Christmas out of the way its next stop New Year and then we're on our way.

Ogden was at an all time low this morning with the west and north bank completely void of any kind bird life other than a few Crows. 

   The water just held around 30 small gulls, 2 Herring and 4 LBB with no signs of the Tufted or Goosander. The skies remained empty whilst a few Blue Tits were on the feeders.

    The only saving grace of the morning was as I entered the west bank and a Green Woodpecker called nearby in the plantation but kept well hidden. This is a species well in decline in the area after being a common sight and sound a few years ago with daily sightings at Ogden and annual breeding down the daily fields and Queensbury station.

    This is my first Green Woodpecker this year keeping up with previous years where I have only had one sighting a year since 2020 and its 3 years since I've had one at Ogden.

    Showing tomorrow as cloudy with a moderate NE at 2 degrees.

BS

     

Ogden , Christmas morn.

 

                                    1 of 2 Kestrel

                                    Single distant Raven

                                    Several Treecreepers present

                                    as well as Goldcrest.

Twas Christmas morn at Ogden,

A good time of the year,

An angel tapped me on the back,

And said "Tha'll get nowt ere".

An icy cold E>3 at 2 degrees with full cloud and good visibility.

   A clockwise circular of the water this morning once again found empty trees along the west and north bank whilst the east bank faired a little better with several Goldcrest and Treecreepers flitting about as well as a few Robins with continental features. Two of the continental looking Robins were very slim smart looking birds with a very pale breast showing a light orange colour as opposed to our own redbreast.

    A male and female Kestrel were near the Lodge house whilst a Raven flew overhead along with a few Herring gull heading >NE. The water held yesterdays drake Tufted duck as well as a few Black Headed gulls but otherwise quiet.

    A cold but part sunny morning tomorrow at 2 degrees on a moderate north easterly.

              Hoping you've all had a good Christmas Day.

BS

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