A rain check on Raggalds Flood

                                        The Raggalds Flood still dried out

After a full morning at Leeds and a busy afternoon at work birding had to take a back seat, although after todays torrential rain showers I thought it was worth a quick check on the state of play at the Raggalds Flood after tea.
Surprisingly no water had held on the ground although the area was well muddy so another few good showers should start to make an impression.
Three Pied Wagtail were present along with a Grey Wagtail so we only need the Yellow now for a full flush.
The Raggalds football pitch held the unusual sighting at this time of year of 2 Common gulls.

Only 6 more radiation trips to Leeds now and just in time too, poor Lynda looks like she,s had a month in the sun, she,s as red as a Turkeycock and burn to a crisp.
BS

Queensbury Raptor Watch

            Buzzard doing a backward flip to see off the corvid

                                             Chase continues

                                            Corvids turn to flip

            Unfortunately the sun was between me and the bird

                 Away it goes unscathed

    Sparrowhawk decides to play dodge the corvid

                        The fun begins

                       Not as brave as the buzzard and retreats.

An hour out late afternoon found it to be a good moving day with several Herring gulls >W and LBB gulls heading >NW.
Raptors were out in force with 2 Buzzard, 3 Sparrowhawk and 4 Kestrels, a real entertaining hour.
BS

Ogden in the mist

                          Plenty Willow Warblers about

                  Nuthatches showing well in the mist

With most venues up here fogged off it was back to Ogden in the mist and damp where things were quiet on the water but every tree seemed to hold Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs whilst 2 Nuthatches were dodging around feeding.
BS

Golden Plover Galore

                                      Field full of Golden Plover

A quick check on Leeshaws, Upper Marsh field this pm after a report yesterday from DP & NP of several Golden Plovers showing proved worthwhile with and amazing count of 263 though as usual distant at the top end of the field.
Leeshaw held the usual sp. with no banking at all showing whilst Raggalds Flood was the opposite with no water and just 1 Pied Wagtail.
A check around Littlemoor Park briefly at midday for DSs Brambling proved fruitless.
BS

Ringby Top in a show stopping easterly

                         

                                       Plenty Skylarks up on the top

                                           Meadow Pipits moving to the moors

                                    Skylarks in full song

                                           Swallows skimming the puddles

                                            Big noisy bird overhead

                                          EGP Gt Crested Grebes

                                                  Harp Lane Dunnock

If theres one thing uplands birds hate its a cool Easterly which was no exception late afternoon on Ringby Top where the wind had cleared the sky of birds other than the usual corvids and a couple of Swallows skimming over the muddy puddles.
Plenty Skylarks were present along with a few remaining Meadow Pipits whilst a single Mistle Thrush was on the west slope out of the wind.
Earlier this afternoon on route from  Brighouse to Halifax we stopped by the fishermans lake at Elland Gravel Pits to see if I could get me a Scaup but just ended up with 2 Gt Crested Grebe.
An evening dog walk down Harp Lane, Foxhill  found , 2 Mistle Thrush, 1 distant Wheatear, 4 Wrens , 3 Dunnocks and several Blue and Gt Tits.
BS

Alive with Wheatears

                                Off with a worm

                        Wheatears everywhere

                                 Mixing with the locals

                      On raptor lookout

A quick diversion on the way to work this morning to check out Old Guy Rd cricket field proved a good move to find it over run with Wheatears. there was a count of 11 on the pitch alone but no time to check the surrounding fields.
Also present were several Starlings, 3 Skylark and 1 Meadow Pipit.
Hope you all have an enjoyable Easter full of birds and chocolate eggs.
BS