Mick Whitelocks Redcar Tarn and the Ogden leg ringed BHG

                                                 The Ogden BHG with leg ring

                                                   Plenty Golden Plover

                       4 photos courtesy Mick Whitelock

Many thanks to Mick Whitelock for sending in these photos from Redcar Tarn, Keighley showing
the Goldies there and when I enlarged the top pic I noticed the ring on the Black Headed gulls left leg, possibly the Ogden bird although on a closer look the right leg silver ring is above the knee joint so possibly a different bird unless the ring can move over the joint ?
BS

Queensbury Today

A dry cool day with a slight NNE > 4 with a scattering of Woodpigeons over >S first light but down to the stragglers now it seems.
Several small gulls are coming into the area now but mainly BHGs with the Foxhill Park Common gulls dwindled down to 6 in a morning and none by lunch time.
The Mountain Starling flock is up to near on 200 now moving round from the masts to fields by the enclosed reservoir.
A call from Firefighter Craig today reporting a reservoir void of birds at Mixenden but he dog walks there daily so hopefully he,ll be calling me with a flock of Whoopers shortly.
Nice to meet Dave Franz at the garage today who,d come to pick up his prize and I,m sure he was overcome with emotion at the handing over ceremony. Well earned Dave.
BS

Looking back at November 2012

                       Twite for Soil Hill   Late Oct early Nov 2012

  Snow Bunting snapped at last light, Soil Hill   3/11/2012

                                    Pink Footed Geese over Ogden 18/11/2012

                                  several Cormorants, Ogden Nov 2012

        Waxwings for Foxhill park Qby (40)   29/11/2012

After torrential overnight rain, sleet and snow the skies brightened mid morning making a bright day until mid afternoon when rain and hail returned with a cold N>5.
A small flock of Fieldfares flew low over Chapel Lane at 0745 hrs on my way to work still in the rain and dropped down into trees on the rugby pitch for shelter.
Lunch time in Foxhill Park found a very mobile flock of Starlings , about 150 strong, moving around from the masts into fields to feed.

Above are a few pics of events in November 2012 when Twite and Snow Bunting made short visits to Soil Hill, several skeins of Pinkies were reported around the area whilst I was lucky to get 3 good skeins over Ogden.
The highlight of Nov 2012 for me was 40 Waxwings appearing in Foxhill Park whilst I was dinner time dog walking, a first for the area, but then of couse after that Waxwings were everwhere including my front garden feeding on cut apples stuck on a Hawthorn bush.
Doesnt sound too promising this year as Waxwings are still feeding on insects before they even start on their ample berry crops so they have nothing to venture over here for as yet.
BS

Owls and awards

                              A glowing start to the morning.

                                   Tawny Owl enjoying the sun

                                        The prestigious award

                                  A smart disguise from Denise

A splendid sunrise leaving clear blue skies all day with a keen white frost remaining where the sun never reached it.
Some of the last Woodpigeons came over early morn with about 150 >S but this move soon fizzled out leaving empty skies most of the day other than small gulls moving around and large numbers of blogging Starlings.
A dinner time visit to the Tawny Owl site found 1 bird in the sun but tucked back out of the cold whilst the other was,nt found although it could have been deeper in the foliage.
Only half a dozen pellets were gathered but I,ll keep looking and save them at the garage for you Andy.

Nice to meet Denise S at the garage this afternoon when she returned the ultimate award which she received last year for her excellent find of the Yellow Browed Warbler at Ogden. She disguised it slightly, see photo, to save embarrassment when it was on her fireplace but I could see she was very emotional about giving it up. I must say its highly polished, its even picked my reflection up with the camera ,she,s obviously kept up to Gordon Denisons ( the founder) directions that they must be rubbed daily.
The award is now to be handed on to David Franz for the amazing find of  a Firecrest at Ogden this month, congratulations on that Dave.
If you,re passing the garage Dave , Queensbury MOT above the traffic lights in Queensbury, call in and pick it up or get in touch with me to arrange a meet.
BS

At last, colder weather and interesting skies.

              Clear skies and good cloud formation

                                          Turkish Airlines   1200mm

                                  Planes in the setting sun

                                        Fieldfares heading >N

             Sun on the Victoria Hall and a bit of advertising.

A nasty grey damp misty morning then by early afternoon the temperature dropped bringing clear blue skies and sunshine although by 1700 hrs the darkness brought along with it, rain.
Several flocks of distant Fieldfares headed >N in the clear weather around 1530hrs, possible heading towards a roost whilst several small gulls headed >W.
The sky and temperature looked good for Pinkies but no sightings over Queensbury  and a quiet grapevine meant none seen around the area.
Snow Buntings are now appearing at Whetstone Gate, Bingley,B.O.G., which is dead in line of flight to Soil Hill so heres hoping for the weekend.

Thanks to DP today for calling at the garage to report a sighting he,d just had of a Brambling in the garden of DS which was rooting through the fallen leaves with Chaffinch. I don,t know if DS was in at the time but if she was they,ll probably be a photo to follow.

A report today from Mixenden Reservoir with the long staying female Scoter still present but the drake bird moved on, see NKs blog.
BS.

Soil Hill, fogged off / Mixenden Reservoir.

                                A murky grey Mixenden Reservoir
      The black dot in the centre, left of the buoy is the m Scoter

              Mist creeping over Hunter Hill in the background

                                  Mist heading through the valley

                                                  Female Scoter 400mm

                                                          Male Scoter  400mm

                                                    Female Goosander

               Male Goosander, top   Male Tufted, lower

                          Goosander, 1m 2f

Didnt get free until 1500hrs so with only 1 hour of daylight remaining, or less, due to the grey day, the plan was to attack Soil Hill with hope of Snow Bunting although these have more chance of coming our way during the week in the promised northerlies.
As I set off the fog quickly came down so a quick diversion to the next venue, Mixenden reservoir to see if any more Scoters had dropped in.
On arrival the reservoir was just below the cloud base but very dim light and heavy drizzle but at least visibility was across the water.
The male and female Common Scoters were some distance apart though still bang centre of the water, the female being very hard to find whilst the male was constantly diving for long periods.
At the far end of the reservoir and slightly closer to the shore were 1m Goosander with 2 females and a single male Tufted plus 4 Mallard
BS

Leeshaw / Raggalds Flood / Shelf Moor.

                                    200+ small gulls on Leeshaw

                                Mallards moving over >W

                                           Up to 40 Pheasant in the fields

                                              Starlings >NW

                                          Good shoreline but nothing exciting

                                   Raggalds Flood holding a few Lapwing

                                             Needing a top up

                                         Shelf Moor Lapwings

A calm ,mild morning but very grey and not breaking light till after 0830hrs , not camera material.
Leeshaw has a good shoreline holding around 200 small gulls, mainly Black Headed, up to 80 Lapwing, 1 Cormorant and 2 distant Golden Plover but the water was disappointing with just 4 Mallard.
Strangely all the Canada geese have disappeared but will no doubt return when the cold sets in.
Up to 300 Starlings headed >NW and 18 Mallard went >W.
The fields were full of male Pheasants whilst a few Redwing and Jays were in the wood.

Raggalds Flood held 6 Lapwing and a Pied Wagtail but the water is receding fast.

Shelf Moor had around 200 mobile Lapwings due to a gulley wagon being steam cleaned on the lay by whilst 4 Snipe were down in the bottom corner but had the dogs in the car so could,nt go down the track to investigate further.
BS.

Five days wait then a bonus. 1pr Common Scoter, Mixenden.

               Best shots I could get in poor light and drizzle

                                       The pair stuck to the middle of the water

   Very mobile being bombed with gulls

                                                  Male

                                          Female

After a 5 day wait to get to see the female Common Scoter I finally got there this p.m. to the bonus of a male which had joined the female, thanks to text from DJS/NK.
Disappointing on the photos as by 1430hrs the light was very poor with drizzle blown on by a strong W>5 and the Scoters remained in the centre of the reservoir though very mobile with the problem of gulls bombing them.
The only other sp. present were c 80 small gulls, 1 male Tufted and 1 Grey Wagtail, plus several flocks of Starling, Redwing and Woodpigs coming in to the plantation to roost.
A great tick for Mixenden Reservoir.
BS