Fogged off, Rained off and blown away.

An horrendous day up on the tops with near gale force NW> 7, driving rain and drizzle with fog all along the western moors over Fly Flatts.
                                                            A good excuse this morning to catch up to jobs at home other than dog walking then a late afternoon visit to Ogden keeping below the cloud base. With conditions still grim and very dark it was just a matter of checking the water for newcomers which was no easy task looking straight into the wind and rain coming across the water.
                                                           Several big gulls were present on route to the Oxenhope roost with at least 5 Herring gull, 11 Lesser Black Backed along with Commons and Black Headeds.
With nothing suspicious among the Mallards and no strange ducks out on the water it was head for home in hopes of better conditions tomorrow.
                                                            With the weather always black and white at the moment I thought its a shame to waste colour on photos so I,ve just thrown a few together reminding you what prints were like when I first started photography using the old 35mm Fuji films.
You could buy colour film in those early days but they were expensive and even more so to get developed. I always used to have colour slides which worked out dearer still, especially after you,d waited a week for them returning only to find half of them were to throw away. We dont know we,re born now with auto focus digital.

                                                       Stonechat

                        Sunsets were,nt very exciting.

                                                  More Stonechats

                          Not easy using these for i.d. purposes

                                                    Turnstone

                       Whooper Swan, ? I don,t see no yellow bill

                                                  Ringed Plover

    Snipe. Its like looking at the Observers Book of Birds 1963 version
             which I still have, my first birding bible.

                                                Peregrine

                    Waxwing, note the yellow wing markings ???

                                                    Sandwich Tern

                                                            Dunlin

                                                       Long Eared Owl

                                       A happy birder. DJS.

            Ey up, its DCB with Compo.

                          Yellow Browed Warbler twitch   DS and DJS

                      Gruesome Twosome  DJS and DB.on Soil Hill
                   when it was a birding habitat.

                                  The old vis mig team. DCB. HC. BS.

                                     Elland Gravel Pits in its hay day.
                                          A prize every time.

Hopefully by tomorrow the world will have gone back to glorious technicolour.
BS

Double Header, a.m. Fly Flatts, p.m. Here there and everywhere.

                                Buzzard over the Crossroads Inn, Mt Tabor.

     Pick of the crop at Cold Edge Dams, Greylags

                                           plus a few small gulls

                                           and the usual Canadas

                                                    Kestrel on Ned Hill track

Fly Flatts a.m.
                     On arrival at first light the patchy fog was clearing with a half attempted sunrise and some areas of blue sky. By the time I,d walked the west bank and checked the water and boatyard the fog dropped and it was lights out.
                                                    Prior to the fog coming down Red Grouse were the only birds showing with not a bird of any description either on the water or in the air. What a weird month this is so far. On the way home a Buzzard was briefly over the Crossroads Inn below the clouds which just gave me time to anchor on and get a quick half  hearted shot as by this this time my will to live had drained away.
                           Late afternoon and with a massive bank of fog still over Fly Flatts I set off for Mixenden reservoir which on arrival had been taken over by nuggets in the SW corner lobbing things in the water and just being a general nuisance. Back in the car and on to Cold Edge Dams which was misty but bird able although by the time I,d checked the goose field and Leadbeater Dam the fog had once again beaten me leaving it too thick to check the track, Haigh Cote dam and mill dam.
                            A quick return to find Mixenden Reservoir nugget less apart from on the west bank in the trees where they were very noisy and excited passing round the wakky bacca.
                                 A check of the water from the south bank then on again to Ned Hill Track to see what gulls were coming through the Causeway Foot Col on their way to the Oxenhope roost. The large bank of fog was now coming down the west ridge towards Ogden and stretching all the way along into the Calder Valley. Not looking good for morning!!
                               Looking across the valley at Ogden there were cars parked as far as the eye could see in all directions and gridlock on Ogden Lane. Strange how people think they are getting away to the quiet of the countryside surrounded by hundreds of people, they may as well go stand in the middle of Leeds or is it just me turning into Victor Meldrew.

Fly Flatts....

Red Grouse
Mallard
1 Buzzard

Cold Edge Dams...

89 Canada geese
2 Greylag geese
1pr Mallard
Sev BH gulls

Mixenden Reservoir

2 Moorhen
1 Cormorant
1f Goosander
3 Mallard
Sev small gulls, 75% Black Headed,   25% Common
4 Herring gull over >SW

Ned Hill track

2 Kestrel
9 Herring gull
37 Lesser Black Backed gull
Continuous flow of small gulls
1m Goosander
all gull and Goosander movement >N to roost.

This retirement job is not as easy as its made out to be.
BS

Ringby Top, pm visit.

                                            Always plenty gulls to wade through up there.

Giving Fly Flatts an afternoon off and chance to get its act together I took a stroll up Ringby Top on the yearly winter pilgrimage of searching for Larks, Pipits and Buntings, none of which showed themselves today. January is not providing the birds so far but its certainly being kind with the weather with a light cool W>4 and 100 % cloud cover with good visibility .
                                                       Muck spreading has been taking place on the top Wagtail field so this area was alive with small gulls, Corvids, Fieldfare , Mistle Thrushes and Starlings but nothing smaller could be found although the field has a rise in it hiding the further part from view.
                                                      Several Goldfinch were in the quarry in an area that is 200% right for Snow Bunting with short weedy grass, gravel areas and small ponds with reeds growing. This area has got to pick up something over the winter, its the sort of unique area that our old late ,great birder Tony Gough used to say "If this area doesnt provide birds I,ll show my bare backside outside Leeds town hall ", whether or not he ever did we,ll never know but just on the strength of it I,ll get some seed down up there next visit.
                                                    A thorough zig zag search of the Bunting field found nothing and did,nt even flush a Snipe which is unusual though this area also shows plenty potential.
On the way back down the track to Swalesmoor, Queensbury end, another 15 Mistle Thrushes were in the cow field but hard to see in the long grass.
                                                  Just a word of warning if you go up there from the Queensbury end, a large steel gate has been fixed across the public right of way track and bridleway so you have a bit of
SAS type scrambling over the top of it but it is quite legal as they are illegal blocking the way.

c 35 Mistle Thrush
c20 Goldfinch
3 Fieldfare
1 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk
6 Herring gull
Loadsa small gulls, Corvids, Starlings and Woodpigs.
BS

Saturday morn at Fly Flatts

                      Stonechat in its favourite place.

Another pleasant visit to Fly Flatts weather wise with all signs of mist gone and a brisk >>4 at 3 degrees with 100 % cloud cover.
                                        A good count of 87 Mallard as they flew in from Dean Head first light to settle on the east banking disappearing into the long grass.
A single Buzzard flew over high  and >NE only to be mobbed by 3 Raven which sent it off back towards the west.Two Reed Bunting were mobile near the lagoon  whilst a Stonechat was in its favourite area around the boatyard.  The Golden Plover flock left the flat moor at first light heading towards Nolstar but not re located on the way home.
BS

Fly Flatts pm visit

  2 Pink Footed geese >NW distant and high over the wind turbines.

Much more pleasant at Fly Flatts late pm with a cool W>4 blowing away that stagnant, stale feel the area had got stuck in. Cold at 2 degrees with mist trying to creep in over the moor.
                                                              The birds were livelier in the fresh wind with several BH gulls dropping down onto the water before moving off >N whilst around 15 Herring gulls were heading >W. The two grey geese ,above, came over very high and distant above the turbines suspected as being Pink Footed and this was confirmed off the misty photos back at home.
                                                              Up to 3 Stonechats were mobile around the boatyard  with 3 Kestrels in the air above. The conditions this evening gave that look of the area being fogged off in the morning but we,ll just have to wait and see.
BS
                                                               

Another still morning at Fly Flatts

             Single Stonechat in the boatyard

   Very poor light again,  Exp 640  iso 4000  f6.0     960mm

First light at Fly Flatts on another of those dull still mornings with a calm W>2 and visibility down to around 1 mile with haze in the distance.
                                                              The first hour was poor with nothing moving and nothing on the water, we badly need this high pressure to move on. By 1000 hrs things got a bit livelier with a few Herring gulls over >W  as well as Black Headeds. The Robin was still by the round tower and the savior of the day was a single Stonechat which I picked up checking the boatyard as a last resort managing to get a few images as it flitted around in among the boats.
BS

Stonking weather, shame about the birds.

 Reflections, The Nab. Very hard to check the water.
A single BH gull is near the centre of the picture.
The upside down van in the right hand corner is of
course a reflection, although theres nothing unusual
about an upside down van at Fly flatts.

   The sailing clubhouse in the water as well as a field
full of hay bales. Near impossible to split the land
                        from the water.

Another glorious visit to Fly Flatts at 3 degrees with a calm NW>2 and hardly a ripple on the water. It doesnt get better than this mid summer although the birds don,t seem to think so with a close down of any sky movement and just a few Mallard and a lonely Billy no mates Black Headed gull on the water.
         Pheasants and Red grouse were vocal whilst a pair of Stonechat down by the stream boosted the watch somewhat although way too dull at the distance to even attempt any photos.
          With a report of Pinkies moving over Scammonden I set up my stall half way up the track for the last 30 minutes of daylight scanning the western ridge but nothing showing although there was a mist once you got as far as Stoodley Pike.
          A quick sighting of a Short Eared Owl over by the wind turbines concluded the show so it was up stumps and head back to Queensbury.
         Not to be too disillusioned , looking back at last Januarys reports it was very much the same, in fact I left Fly Flatts  occasionally spreading myself around the area trying to come up with something different.
          By February the pressure was off with Dunlin starting to appear as well as Whoopers, Canadas and the usual Barnacle all back on station in the first couple of weeks whilst the first Curlew arrived back on the 18th. By the end of February we were back on Wheatear watch. Talk about wishing your time away!
BS

Fly Flatts first light.

                                             First light at Fly Flatts

                 Rare bird for here, Robin

                                        Showing signs of continental.

Fly Flatts at minus one degrees rising to 0 degrees but feeling much milder with a very calm W>2.
Visibility was hazy with light mist to the north and 90% cloud cover elsewhere.
                                                         Another of those amazingly quiet mornings with empty skies other than a few Woodpigeons out of roost early on as well as a small flock of Fieldfare over the moor. Mallards were out on the water instead of their usual winter spot out on the banking whilst 2 Kestrels were over the Nab.
                                          The highlight of the morning, silly as it sounds, was a single Robin by the overflow showing signs of the continental species, a rare bird for this location and the second sighting in a few weeks of the same, or another bird.
                                         A full check of the west bank, feeding areas and boat compound failed to turn anything else up. Its just a matter of being patient and waiting for it to kick off.
Where is all the winter wildfowl this winter ??
BS

A second dabble at Fly Flatts.

This afternoons check on Fly Flatts proved no better than this mornings session even though conditions were amazing. Visibility was 100 % with a very light NE>2 and 100 % cloud cover. The water was dead calm with reflections of the Nab and wind turbines showing making it hard to see which was water and which was banking. The big gull move was continuing from this morning with several Herring and Lesser Black Backs heading >NE.
                                                           A single Stonechat was near the clubhouse and 2 Reed Buntings near the lagoon. Staying on till last light failed to see any Pinkies on the move.
Thats one good day and one bad day so hopefully tomorrow should be back to good.
                                                             A shopping spree in Halifax this afternoon gave me chance to check the Bull Green area re Vicki s possible Waxwing report but all quiet with most of the berries now gone. A big influx of Redwings around the Halifax area are rapidly reducing the berries at all the hot spot sites.
BS

Fly Flatts a.m. in the snow flurries.

                                       Calm water. first light

                                    Still, below the Nab

                                     Good move of big gulls, mainly Herring  >NE

Arrived at Fly Flatts first light to a quick sunrise which was soon blanked out with cloud.
A pleasant seasonal morning at last with 1 degree temperature and a very light N>2 and occasional
light snow flurries that soon passed over.
                                                         A very quiet morning given the conditions , the water still not inviting any wildfowl in and the skies quiet apart from a good move of big gulls all >NE and very high, 80% being Herrings.  A distant Buzzard over the Nab as well as 2 Kestrels and other than a few Red Grouse that was about it.
Hopefully it will improve by tea time.
BS

2nd visit of the year, Fly Flatts, p.m.

                                                     Raven over the water.

A mid afternoon to last light visit to Fly Flatts in glorious conditions with wall to wall sunshine on a light N>3 breeze. Lots of disturbance today as expected in the weather conditions and being New Years Day all the one day a year walkers were out in force.
                                                           A pair of Teal were by the east banking mixed in with the Mallards whilst a single Raven flew >N over the water.
                                                           For the last 30 minutes I parked half way up the track to scan the moor and horizon which proved a good move. Way over the western ridge there was a continuous flow >N of gulls all heading to a roost whilst 5 Herring gulls headed >W. Further back still and barely visible was a skein of Pinkies heading >NW high up probably over the Widdop/Walshaw area.
                                                           A single Short Eared Owl was quartering the moor but was right in front of the setting sun before moving further out beyond Slade whilst this mornings flock of Golden Plovers came in to roost dropping down on the flat moor.
                                                          A good start to the year with good birding on both visits although I,m not getting excited, I,ve got the bad visits to face next.
Good to see some more birders out at Fly today with DP strolling around the water this morning and Angela and Gary up on the top road this pm as well as another birder on the top road with tripod and scope but don,t know who that was.
BS

Start of a new year. Fly Flatts

                                 1st bird up there, distant Short Eared Owl

                                                     1 of 4

                                         Flock of 37 Golden Plover

 Distant grey goose >N over Nab . Pink Footed

                                       1015 hrs , rain and mist coming across the moor.

A deteriorating morning with a bright start on a NW>4 soon to be taken over with black clouds and loss of light eventually bringing light rain and mist over the moor.
                                                        As with the weather the birds started off well but then quietened off as the watch went on. A Short Eared Owl was the first bird seen before 3 more came into view but at great distance across the moor. Overhead a flock of 37 speeding Golden Plovers flew high over the water doing a circuit then back south where they had appeared from.
                                                     A single grey goose headed north way over the Nab which I suspected as Pink Footed and looking at the iffy photos thats what it was.
Two Mistle Thrush flew over as well as a flock of 120 Lapwing whilst a few Mallard were on the water.
         So not a bad first morning at Fly Flatts and certainly better than yesterdays sham. I was hoping for history to repeat itself with a January 1st Snow Bunting like I found on Jan 1st 2015 but no such luck.
BS