A dark wet Ogden.

 

                                    Siskins in the dark

                                    3 Bullfinch present.

A very dark and wet morning at Ogden but not as bad as I expected, going by the forecast, with light rain throughout and very dark full cloud cover on a light SW>2 at 7 degrees. The weather deteriorated by 1000 hrs with heavier rain and mist rolling in, Thick fog back at Queensbury.

    Around 12 Siskin were present in the same Alder as yesterday though very hard to pick out in the darkness and still no Redpolls in with them whilst 2 female and 1 male Bullfinch were in a slightly lighter area.

    The Kingfisher was moving up and down the west bank whilst the Dipper was down in the sluice gate area along with 25 Woodpigeon down the steep grass banking.

   The water held the usual female Goosander as well as 2 Herring, 1 LBB and a handful of small gulls.

Showing tomorrow as dry with cloudy sunshine at a cooler 4 degrees on a light NW.

BS.

A better morning at Ogden.

 

                                       8 Siskin present

                                        Single Goldcrest

A very breezy damp morning at Ogden with a SW>5 bringing drizzle and full cloud at 6 degrees.

    Another late start waiting for something like daylight which doesn't show until around 0830 hrs and even after that it was very dark in the trees making it impossible to get any decent images.

     Despite the late start I achieved one of my targets by pinning down a small flock of 8 Siskin which were nearly missed in the dense trees and poor light but unfortunately still no sign of Redpoll. After a lot of standing and waiting I managed a few shots as the Siskin moved around busily feeding. A single Goldcrest was in the same area but little else other than 2 Bullfinch.

   The water held around 30 small gulls along with 2 Herring and one Lesser Black Backed.

 Tomorrows forecast is looking grim with a day of heavy rain and a strong sou'wester at 7 degrees.

BS

    

Back to Ogden

 

                            Drake Goosander disappearing >W

                                    Around 30 Black Headed

                                    Plenty Blue Tits

A bright start to the morning then full cloud by 0930hrs on a light SW>3 at 4 degrees.

   Just a check of the west bank this morning with  forced into a late start at the moment with lack of daylight.

   As I walked down to the promenade a brilliant white bird on the water stood out at the north end which was a drake Goosander alongside the female. Before I even got to the promenade it took flight and headed >W over the plantation whilst the long staying female remained on the water.

     The west bank was void of birds other than several Blue Tits whilst a single Siskin flew from the top of an Alder and disappeared into the plantation.

   The Kingfisher flew from a waterside tree heading to the north end and otherwise it was just down to around 30 Black Headed and 5 Common gulls on the water.

    A mix of cloud and showers for tomorrow on a strong sou'wester.

BS

The gas man cometh, Grounded.

 With a new boiler being fitted today that was me grounded other than a few dog walks around Foxhill. Stuck inside all day had me climbing the walls but at least I missed a foggy wet morning at Ogden.

    Back in action tomorrow all being well with a forecast of a brighter day on a moderate SW at 5 degrees.

BS

Just killing time at Ogden.

 

                                Plenty Long Tailed Tits

                                    As well as Coal Tits.

                                    Just a pair of Bullfinch

A pleasant lap of the water at Ogden with bright sunshine on a brisk SW>4 at 7 degrees.

    Most of the activity this morning was at the feeders with several Long Tailed and Coal Tits as well as the usual Great and Blue. Once again the Alders remained empty with just a pair of Bullfinch on the north bank along with a brief sighting of a Treecreeper and Goldcrest.

  The Kingfisher was down in the sluice gate along with 2 Dippers whilst the water just held 3 Herring gull and about a dozen small gulls but no sign of yesterdays gull which is now looking like Caspian or Herring x Caspian after a bit more looking at and a few positive remarks from birders.

     Looking like a cloudy damp start for morning ,brightening as the day goes on with a light W at 7 degrees.

BS

   

Another wet walk around Ogden.

 

                                   Distant, wind blown Goosander

                                Goosander getting dive bombed with this gull

                                Looked interesting with very snouty head

                                    Could'nt make it into a Caspian.

                                    4 Bullfinch present today

                                    Few Black Headed.

Contrary to the forecast, this morning was very wet, very windy and very dark with a moderate WSW>4 and continuous rain until 0945 hrs when it brightened briefly, but by this time I was tackling up. A mild temp of 8 degrees.

      The female Goosander was on the water looking very wind blown, sporting a punk hair cut. It was constantly being dive bombed by the only Herring gull present which got alarm bells ringing as it had a very snouty head and pale underwings but at the distance I could get no detail and no decent photos. I will try to enhance the photos later and have another look.

    Just 4 Bullfinch this morning along with a single Goldcrest, otherwise empty trees, although I only did the west bank. A Gt Spotted Woodpecker flew from the Lodge House tree whilst just a handful of  Black Headed gull were on the water.

    Showing dry and some sunshine for tomorrow on a moderate SW at 6 degrees.

BS.

    

     

Birding in the dark, Ogden.

 

                                    Overflow at full blast.

                                    1 of 2 Dipper down in the sluice gate

                                    8 Bullfinch in the dark Alders

A horror of a morning at Ogden with a dog walk the only reason I attempted it. It was as black as night with full dark cloud cover and heavy rain throughout on a moderate S>4 at a mild 10 degrees which only added to the problems by keeping the bins steamed up.

    Just a walk along the prom this morning and as far as the west bank Alders with visibility very limited. The Bullfinch flock of 8 had returned but impossible to get anything like in the camera even though I had left the 400mm at home and opted for the Canon 70-200mm with an aperture down to 2.8 

and iso of 16,000, and still not enough light.

   Just 10 Black Headed gulls on the water and 2 Dippers down in the sluice gate whilst the Raven was cronking away up in the plantation. Strangely, winter Mallard numbers are well below average for this time of year.

     Tomorrow looking better with chance of showers but some sunshine on a moderate to strong Sou'westerly. Only 12 days to the shortest day now.

BS

Another dabble at Leeshaw.

 

                                    Plenty gulls in the fields and water.

A bright sunny morning at Leeshaw with a moderate SW>4 at 6 degrees.

   Gulls were the feature of the morning with around 400 small gulls and several Herring but the bulk of them were just out of sight in a field at the west end of the reservoir. All scoped through for Med and Caspian plus we should be due for an Iceland in the next couple of months.

     Still no wildfowl other than a few Mallard and 14 Greylags whilst a single Heron and Dipper were down in the brook. Otherwise Cormorant, Mistle Thrush, Kestrel, Little Owl and Mipits plus the usual species.

   Back to heavy rain in the morning on a strong SSW at 8 degrees, possibly turning dry after midday.

BS

    

Birds at last Leeshaw Reservoir / Dog and Gun field.

 

    LEESHAW             1st bird this morning, Gt Spotted Woodpecker

                                Only the 2nd sighting I,ve had here.

                                    Just a single LBB

                                    East shore

                                    Around 70 Herring gull present

DOG AND GUN FIELD.   Mix of small gulls

                                    Several Herring

                                    Single LBB gull.

Decent weather at Leeshaw with full cloud on a light SE>1 at 6 degrees. Rain and mist moving in by 1000 hrs but knocking off time.

     First bird seen, as I was approaching Leeshaw along Lee Lane, was a Great Spotted Woodpecker up on a telegraph pole, only my second sighting of this species at Leeshaw. Moments later a Sparrowhawk whistled across the road checking out a empty bird feeder at one of the cottages.

    The water and surrounding fields were alive with gulls with around 300 small, c 70 Herring and a single LBB but nothing else on the water other than 2 Cormorant and the usual Mallards.

   Very few geese present with just 4 Greylag and 1 Canada though 26 Greylag were in a field on Long Causeway by TMR including the 2 families of whites which bred at Fly Flatts this year.

   A few Mistle Thrush and Collared Doves were moving around the wires whilst a flock of 48 Meadow Pipits were moving around the manured fields, possibly over-wintering birds. A Little Owl was in its usual area.

   On the way back, a stop off at the Dog and Gun field which held around 50 small gull, 12 Herring and 1 LBB. A good scope through all the small gulls this morning failed to turn up a Med gull.

    Looking dry and bright for tomorrow on a moderate SW at 8 degrees.

BS