A brilliant sunrise but very soon blanked out leaving a cloudy day but milder at 3 degrees, though feeling much colder in the SW>4. The steady thaw continues but making very slow progress.
Good to be back out at last after 8 days caged up although going is still tough with the snow and ice lingering on. Had to take the Keelham route to Ogden, not daring to tackle Ned Hill, but Ogden Lane was clear with the car park snow covered and very icy but managed to get in and park up.
A nice surprise to get a drake Goldeneye on the water which is somewhat of a rare wildfowl in this area now with me only having 2 sightings last winter, with one female on Fly Flatts last March and 2 females on Leeshaw in October and no sighting of a drake.
Along with the Goldeneye was 2 female Tufted, one of which had me thinking Scaup with its excessive white face until its tuft lifted in the wind.
A few small gulls were on the ice and water but only one Herring briefly before it left >SW.
Very few small passerines around although I did'nt check the west bank with the annual Christmas Tree dumping going on. The feeders held the usual Great, Coal and Blue Tits plus Blackbirds, Dunnocks and Robin, whilst the Kingfisher was down in the sluice gate area not seeming to bother about the icy cold water.
A call today from birder Richard reporting the Red Necked Grebe from Leeshaw is now on Ponden Reservoir, presuming its the same bird.
Not looking brilliant for tomorrow with a cloudy drizzly day and fog by midday on a light westerly.
BS