Waxwings over Queensbury

  In the bag, Owl pellets for AC. Remember hes a chef so if you go out for a meal this
weekend and see something like this on your plate you know where it came from.

Another icy cold day still with the wind from the east and a few light snow flurries.
Lunch time in Foxhill park was more active today with the surprise of c20 Waxwings over >E and in real moving mode very high and minutes later a single cormorant in the same direction and again high. Had,nt time to take the big camera today so just the pocket camera with me and they were well out of range although having said that the waxwings were moving so fast I dont think I would have got them anyway.
Hopefully this weekend will produce some goodies.
BS

Queensbury Today

                   Tawny Owl hidden from the wind and the camera

                                    Owls residence

                                  Good supply of pellets under the tree

Another icy cold day with a biting ESE>4 and grey skies.
Unlike yesterday things were quiet and at midday only 3 Common gulls were present in the park and the mass of Starlings from yesterday had moved on.
With an empty camera and a blog to edit it was down to the local Tawny Owl site during my lunch break to see if it was about. With the easterly blowing the owl had moved to the opposite side of the tree and tucked itself well into the foliage where it was well sheltered. Below the tree was a mass of pellets showing that the owl was having no problems finding food.
All quiet on the grapevine today so no more reports of Pinkies and Whoopers moving as yet.
BS

Queensbury, back to winter.

               Common coming in to land

                   Safely down

               The strange Foxhill special gull

                                 Common coming out of winter plumage

            Hands up who thought these were Waxwings

    I did walking home at dinner till I got closer,  Starlings.

In contrast to the last few days of spring like weather today was dull and feeling like back to winter in the icy cold E>4.
Only thing of note today were 38 Common gulls and 16 Black Headeds in the park and rugby field at midday and a large influx of Starlings around the gardens.The birds pictured above gave me a jolt when I saw them from a distance walking home at lunch time but after a dash up the road with camera in hand they turned out to be Starlings not Waxwings, but even so, good to see in a flock like that.
A customer report today of Gt Spotted Woodpecker and Treecreeper showing well at Shibden Head.
BS

Queensbury, springs around the corner.

                                 A bright but frosty morning

                                       Blue tits checking out last years abode.

Looking out first light this morning it looked as though it had snowed overnight but it was in fact a heavy frost
leaving everything with a thick white covering. The sun was soon up and remained bright all day with a clear blue sky and spring like feel .
Blue tits were in and out of their last years designer nest box by the garage car park and Dunnock, Robin and Blackbird were up singing.
A report from DJS of first 3 Buzzards on the move over the Swalesmoor area and then 200 Pinkies over Ossett, which seemed to miss this area, gave a taste for sky watching but other than a few Woodpigeons over Foxhill midday all was quiet.
At about 1540 hrs I picked out a Buzzard looking from the garage car park SW from me very high and distant looking as if it was over the Swalesmoor, Ringby area. It soared in large circles before slowly lowering to be lost from my vision below the buildings. Tried for a photo but well out of range for my 18x pocket camera.
Just a nice taste today of things to come.
BS

Lapwings on the move

                                                      In formation

                                                Ideal habitat

                                              Moving Lapwings >SW

                  2 smaller birds on here lower right, Starlings or Goldies

A quick check at the trailer park at lunchtime for any wader type species found 78 Lapwings and c40 Starlings in the field but no sign of Snipe.
Whilst I was watching the field a flock of c65 Lapwings came over very high >SW in moving mode and the Lapwings in the field took off as if to join them but after a circuit below them they returned to the field leaving the movers to carry on their journey.
A real spring like day with blue sky and wall to wall sunshine bringing Blackbird, Robin and Wren out singing.
BS

PM birding. Good company, no birds.

First stop was Mixenden reservoir  where apart from several small gulls there was just 1 male Goosander present so with limited time it was back up on Soil Hill where I had the pleasure of meeting DJS.
Apart from 3 crows the skies were completely empty in the icy cold SSW>4 and the hill itself produced nothing despite a check of the summits.
Down by NK pond a single Heron was in the sun and c 50 Lapwings in the nearby field along with Starlings but a scoping by Dave found yet again no Golden Plover.
A wander about in the south Jack Snipe area got us both wet feet but no Snipe.
BS/DJS.

Star Prize, Fly Flatts

                                   Whoopers at last

                                  Sticking to the far bank

                                  Touching down

Fly Flatts 0700-1030hrs calm then SSW>4 . Water part frozen, plenty snow drifts

All quiet until 0900 hrs with just Red Grouse, Pheasant and a few returning Meadow Pipits.
11 Canadas were back on the water and whilst watching these at 0910hrs what I thought was another group came in out of the sun and as I grabbed the camera 8 Whoopers were in the lens.
They settled on the water but kept across to the far banking making good shots poor but looked settled
A last look through the bins from back up at the car foound a Raven heading above them low over the moor >SW.

8 Whoopers
11 Red Grouse
2 Pheasants
4 Fieldfare
11 Canadas
6 Meadow Pipit
1 Heron................................>W
1 Raven
BS

Around the locals.

                        100mm on the old building

                                                    200mm

                                                400mm

Trailer park area
11 Lapwing
2 Meadow Pipit
Several Starling.

Corporal Hill/ Green Lane
6 Lapwing
15 BH gull
14 Magpie

Raggalds Flood
Deserted

Soil Hill
2 Skylark
3 Meadow Pipit
2 Kestrel

1hr sky watching from Soil Hill produced
2 Herring Gull...............>W
28 LBB Gull................>.NW
1 Fieldfare...................>E
7 Woodpigeons..........>SW
6 Duck sp.  far out to the west beyond Fly Flatts heading >NW, Fast fliers, Wigeon type ??
BS

Redwings on the move

                                    Foxhill BHGs

                                       A single Common present.

A bright thawing day after a frozen early start but the warm sunshine soon cleared most of the remaining snow helped on by a mild W>4.
Foxhill park held just 1 Common gull and 4 BHGs at midday with a single Pied Wagtail over >E.
Looking to the east over Thornton several Redwings were heading >N towards the Aire valley very high and distant, some being over the Shipley Glen area whilst a single Heron went >SE.
Hopefully the weather will be kind this weekend without the usual early morning fog so I can get back up to Fly Flatts after a few weeks absence and see whats cooking. Curlews should be back on the moors shortly with a big build up now around Otley.
Apologies for the boring blog as of late during the quiet time but stick it out, it can only get better.
BS

Queensbury Today

A much better day today with temperatures up and a good thawing W>3. Sunshine and showers shifting most of the snow.
The birds seemed much happier with singing Blackbird and Robin this morning and the skies livelier with small gulls, Starlings and House Sparrows.
The only thing of note was 4 Mistle Thrush over the garage >NE early afternoon.
So far looking good for the weekend.
BS

Beware of feeding Starlings

                        Photos courtesy Howard Creber  Copyright 2013

 Many thanks to Howard Creber for sending me these photos of roosting Starlings.
He warns that this is what happens if you put out too much Warburtons bread for them, his wife Marion was not well pleased when she took her washing in off the line.
The photos were actually taken at Gretna Green.
If anyone would like to count them please forward the number to HC c/o Oxenhope vis mig team.
Cheers Howard, Awesome!
BS

Queensbury today, the final fling.

                    In the pink, the sky briefly this morning

                                           Whiteout

                                Snow and blizzards the rest of the day

A brilliant pink sky this morning but not lasting long enough for me to get any decent shots.
By 0800hrs the snow was falling and continued heavy throughout the day with a strong wind causing blizzards so it was 30 minutes digging tonight just to get the car out. Funny how this snow seems to get heavier as you get older.
By late afternoon rain then drizzle started but froze as soon as it landed, or raining ice as people used to say, leaving everything entombed in a shiny hard coating.
Hopefully the temperatures will rise tomorrow and start to shift the snow ready for the weekend.
Nothing to report today with the heavy snow falling.
BS