I hope the forecasters that gave today as dry, bright and full sun get a written warning for being completely wrong. A planned trip to Fly Flatts had to be abandoned when I woke up to snow covered icy roads and light snow flurries. I took the easy option to Ogden where it started off bright and sunny for the first 15 minutes before thick cloud and light snow took over. By 0930 hrs the snow was piling down so a dash towards the car park by which time the shower had gone over.
In disbelief of there being no birds along the west bank I did a second circuit , unfortunately just to confirm that there was not a bird to be found. It looks like Redpoll and Siskin are going to give Ogden a miss this year, although strangely there was no Tit flocks, Goldcrests or Treecreepers.
The water held 14 Black Headed gull, 2 Common gull, the female Goosander and a single Cormorant, as well as the usual Mallards whilst a Kingfisher and Dipper were down in the sluice gate area. Two Mistle Thrush were in the Lodge House tree, the Lodge House still being empty due to an expensive septic tank problem so YW are unable to rent it out again for the foreseeable future, hence no feeders.
Otherwise it was down to the expected species with Nuthatch, Tits, Robins etc.
I learnt from a YW official yesterday that its not good news for Redcar Tarn, Keighley as an angling club have now been given fishing rights for the water.
The amazing image of the Red Necked Grebe on my header was kindly sent to me by local birder Mark Murray who took the photo at Lower Laithe, Sladen Valley who managed to see it near to the dam wall. This bird has now been in the area since the first of January moving around between Leeshaw, Ponden and Lower Laithe. The only problem being with the photo is, I wish I had taken it. Many thanks to Mark who's claim to fame was a Firecrest in his garden several years ago and at this moment has a male Blackcap taking sunflower seeds in his garden.
Some overnight rain and snow tonight then a cloudy morning with a moderate SSE wind followed by a wet afternoon, that's if they have got it right this time.
BS