With a howling WNW > 5 gusting 6 it was pointless heading for the tops so down to Ogden for some gull watching where it was sheltered from the wind apart from the promenade with near full sun at
14 degrees.
A much lower count of gulls from my last visit with around 50 LBB, 5 Herring and several Black Headed. After 4 attempts at the west bank, due to a lot of disturbance flushing the gulls onto the water, I managed to pin down a Yellow Legged Herring gull, michahellis, which came in briefly to the west bank but very soon left towards Mixenden.
Other than that, the highlight for me was a Jay over the promenade and dropping down into trees by the sluice gate. This was my first of the year which is a species I was beginning to think was extinct in my area along with Green Woodpecker as Ogden used to be alive with both species and now I'm down to one sighting of each a year.
The Gt Crested Grebe was still present on the water along with 10 Canada geese and a good count of Mallards plus several juvs near to fledging, which by some miracle have survived the Herons and Crows.
Looking wet and windy for tomorrow with rain forecast on a moderate to strong westerly with probable hill fog, starting off at 14 degrees and peaking at 17 degrees.
BS