After overnight snow and still coming down lightly at 0815hrs I thought it wise to stick near to home.
By the time I arrived at Ogden, first light, the sky cleared leaving blue sky and sunshine on a light NW>2 at 2 degrees.
A pleasant walk around the waterside track in the sun and well frozen underfoot so no muddy dogs to clean. Bird-wise it was very poor, see NKs blog for yesterday, with empty feeders, so no Nuthatch etc to see there, whilst the water held 2 BH gull, building up to 6 by the time I left and 2 Commons. Also on the water was a single Cormorant and the usual female Goosander as well as the resident Mallards.
A Robin was the only bird found along the west bank whilst the rest of the track produced Chaffinch,
Dunnock, Gt and Blue Tit and a Wren along with Blackbird, Starling etc. No sign at all of Goldcrest, Treecreeper, Siskin, Redpoll and the expected Tit flock. Sheer excitement when 2 Canada geese flew over!
Strange why Ogden remains bird-less, especially on the water, when 4 mile down the road at Wibsey, Bank Top and Low Moor there are wildfowl and gulls galore. Even Roundhay Park at Leeds today reported Mandarin, Gadwall, Goldeneye, Wigeon and Teal. Seems like park watching is the thing for winter. I can only surmise that it is due to the elevation up here on the tops.
Strange why Ogden remains bird-less, especially on the water, when 4 mile down the road at Wibsey, Bank Top and Low Moor there are wildfowl and gulls galore. Even Roundhay Park at Leeds today reported Mandarin, Gadwall, Goldeneye, Wigeon and Teal. Seems like park watching is the thing for winter. I can only surmise that it is due to the elevation up here on the tops.
An early afternoon dog walk over Foxhill found 2 Whooper Swan heading >N up the Aire Valley.
Looking half decent for tomorrow with part cloud on a light southerly, unless the snow appears early, until late evening when the wind strengthens from the east bringing fog and heavy snow throughout the night and Sunday making Sunday look like a write off.
BS