Thick fog for the first hour at Ogden this morning then clearing by 0900 hours to cloudy sunshine on a light W>2 at 8 degrees.
Very much the same with Teal, Wigeon, Tufted and Mallard, plus the addition of 3 female Goosander plus a few small gulls and 2 adult LBB gulls.
The drake Wigeon is now starting to show its cream pale forehead pattern and more grey upperparts.
The waterside trees held a large amount of Blue Tits and Blackbirds whilst the Chaffinch flock was very mobile and headed off over the lodge house towards Stod Fold.
On the way home I got a phone call from DJS who was watching 2 Black Redstarts from the Soil Hill mast track. Luckily I was 2 minutes away driving up Ned Hill so I met Dave and immediately one of the birds showed but at distance and only for a few seconds before it disappeared. I managed the above shots but out of range so record shots only.
NK then turned up at the scene on his way to Soil Hill and Ogden so he walked to another view point and re-located both birds but unfortunately time was up for me so did,nt get another sighting.
Late afternoon I went back to the area and although one had been spotted by another birder 15 minutes before I arrived I failed to turn them up again after a good search around, although by now it was dark clouds and drizzle so they would probably have gone to roost.
See Calderbirds blog for Daves good photos and report and NKs blog for his report.
Another cloudy day tomorrow with patches of sun and chance of showers on a light SSE wind increasing p.m.
BS