Another murky wet morning at Ogden with more fog on the tops and low cloud over the reservoir. A moderate SW>3 at 10 degrees and constant light drizzle until 0930 hrs when the fog rolled in and the heavens opened with heavy rain.
The Teal count had risen to 21, which is still below my record there of 34, whilst 6 Tufted were present as well as the usual Mallards and the female Goosander. Unusual to have 23 Canadas on the water feeding on the weeds whilst 2 Cormorant were busy diving.
After being sure I'd missed no different wildfowl I walked around the water to the west back to check for Siskin and Redpoll in the Alders, but no luck there, so on to check the Chaffinch flock which is now at around 40 birds but very mobile between the leaf covered waterside trees and dropping down into the dense weeds on the shore.
Although I was checking through for Brambling, it still came as a surprise to pick up at least 3 but very hard to keep tabs on. I shot off several photos but only the above two where you can actually see the plumage and bright orange wing bar although the leaves picked up the focus instead of the bird.
With 30 minutes to spare I planned on staying put, in hopes of a half decent pic, but at that point the fog rolled in bringing heavy rain so up stumps and home. Half a dozen Grey Partridge were in a Ned Hill field.
Looking better for morning with cloudy sunshine on a light sou'westerly at 8 degrees.
BS