Birding in the fog, Ogden.

 

                                    1 of 2 Nuthatch

                                    Ad Black Headed

                                    1 CY Black Headed gull

                                    Several Goldcrest

Dense fog as promised and even thick at Ogden but clearing slightly before coming in again. Light SSE>2 at 9 degrees

      On arrival I was unable to see the water from the promenade the fog was so thick but partially cleared for a short period giving me time to check the water for wildfowl. 

     The long staying Goosander was present along with around 50 small gulls and 2 LBB but no rare visitors.

   Nothing at all along the west bank alders but at least 12 Blackbird in the waterside trees. The east bank trees held Long Tailed Tits, Chaffinch and several Goldcrest whilst 2 Nuthatch were taking turns at the feeders and a pair of Bullfinch were in the car park trees.

 Annoyingly a Ring Necked Parakeet was calling from the trees down in the sluice gate area but unseen in the fog plus a skein of Pink Footed geese went over >E contact calling but they also were hidden with the fog.

   Good news from an Oxenhope lady who I saw at Ogden where she informed me that the Oxenhope road is now open so Leeshaw is back in the running.

    A light SE in the morning bringing fog. So far, 7 days into November and 7 days of hill fog.

A big thank you to all my blog viewers who have just tipped me over the two million page views.

BS

Ogden, Quiet start / grand finale.

 

                                    A lower count of gulls this morning.

                                                        4 Ring Necked Parakeets

                                            Very rare sight for here

                                            Up in the hazy sky.

Another morning of fog on the tops with Ogden hazy but better than the previous few days. A very light WSW>1 at 10 degrees.

    A  quiet morning birding with just a few straggler Woodpigeons overhead and little in the trees with just Long Tailed Tits, half a dozen Chaffinch, 1 Nuthatch and the usual species.

   Around 100 small gulls on the water along with 2 Herring and 3 LBB.

After a full circuit of the water, and beginning to despair, I thought I'd walk back on the prom for a last check of the gulls. Just as I entered the prom warden C.S. was shouting to me from the info centre reporting 4 Ring Necked Parakeet which he had just had overhead.

   They dropped down in trees by the car park before flying noisily overhead high up in the hazy sky heading >SW but shortly afterwards , when I was back at the car, I heard them calling and had a brief view of them going down into the plantation behind the toilet block.

      A great find for here with my last, and only other sighting for Ogden, was November 2014 by the pond at the bottom of Ogden Kirk. Thanks for the shout Chris, right place, right time and saved the morning.

    After a half hearted clearer day today, except for on the moor, tomorrow is back to a light SSE bringing back the fog till after the weekend when some clearer skies looks promising although too late this year for vis mig which has been a disaster through weather conditions and lack of birds.

BS

    

Plot Neet, Ogden, a.m.

 

                                    Peering through the weeds at the gulls

                                  Up to 20 Chaffinch on the shore weeds.

Fog thicker than ever this morning and staying on the tops throughout the day.

    Ogden was just below the cloud base but a very misty start which lifted slightly to the tree level. A light SE>2 at 8 degrees and light drizzle.

    The only big gulls were 3 LBBs with around 150 small gulls but nothing special among them. The waterside trees on the west bank were quiet with around 12 Long Tailed Tits and 2 Siskin in the darkest part of the alders but otherwise down to the usual common woodland species.

     I thought with the big move of Wigeon over the last few days there would be at least some on the water, but other than Mallards and 2 Canada geese, the water remained empty.

   On the plus side, up to 20 Chaffinch are now using their favourite weeds on the banking so, as long as numbers keep on the increase, and the water level stays down, it could be a Brambling winter.

    A slight change of wind direction in the morning to WSW so a small chance of better visibility though its still giving mist until first light. After tomorrow its back to the SE with a promise of fog Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

     Plot Neet tonight and as Dave Barker always said whilst we were doing vis mig, " What happens to Redwings flying over on Plot Neet."

BS.

More Fog, Back to Ogden.

 

                                Gt Spotted Woodpecker on its usual perch.

                                    Few Chaffinch

                                    Sampling the Blackberries.

LBB and Common                                                                    

And still the fog persists along the tops leaving Ogden very dark and murky on a low cloud base. A light SE>2 at 9 degrees with light drizzle throughout.

     Very few gulls this morning with around 50 small gulls and 4 LBBs, mostly staying out on the water, as per norm in a morning, before several start to move off south.

    Nothing moving skyward other than one group of bounce back Redwing low over the plantation top heading >NE whilst just the usual female Goosander and Mallards were on the water.

   Nothing on the west bank worth a mention but plenty activity along the east bank with Long Tailed Tits, 2 Goldcrest and 3 Treecreepers. Just 6 Chaffinch near 'passerine alley' but not venturing onto the shore for the weeds as yet, but instead seem to be enjoying the Blackberries. The Gt Spotted Woodpecker was again on watch at the top of its favourite pine tree.

      More bounce back Redwings over Foxhill this p.m. with 4 groups of around 20 birds all >NE.

I'll not upset anybody with tomorrows forecast, only to say, " If  tha's spent thi brass on sky rockets 

fo't plot neet  tha munt leet em cos thas not ba'an to see em in't sky."

     Long gone are the days when we used to have penny bangers, catherine wheels, roman candles and jumping jacks.

BS

     

     

No surprises at Ogden.

 

                                        Several small gulls

                                    Very vocal Herrings

The foggy mornings continue with dense on the tops and Ogden reasonable visibility though dark and murky. A light SE>2 at 10 degrees and low cloud base over the top of the plantation.

     No sign of yesterdays Shoveler or Med gull with around 200 small gulls, 9 Herring and 5 LBB. As normal in a morning here the gulls were mainly out on the water making checking through them difficult. Afternoon is the best time for gulls at this site as the pre roost gulls settle here before moving off mid afternoon, some to a roost to the >SW whilst others head for TMR or Fly Flatts.

    By 0900 hrs the gulls were filtering away to the south leaving just a few small gulls behind.

The waterside trees were very active but very dark viewing made the job difficult with a group of around 15 Long Tailed Tits, 9 Chaffinch and 6 Siskin plus the usual woodland stuff.

     By 0930 hrs the public floodgates had opened so time to get out of there.

Back at Queensbury the fog had lifted to mist and Fieldfares were piling over Foxhill >S coming out of the Aire Valley though these birds could have been new arrivals or coming out of the annual massive roost down in Queensbury Station.

  Foggy mornings on the tops for the rest of the week with SE and E light winds. Wednesday looks like the only chance of visibility so far.

At least Nov 2nd is one to remember with Med Gull, DB, Common Scoter x6, NK, and Shoveler, BS.

BS

    

Bad day turned good. Ogden early p.m.

 

                               Drake Shoveler in eclipse

                                    Sticking out in the middle of the water

                                Checking this for YL Herring.

                                Paler Mantle, yellow legs but heavily streaked head and neck

                                        LBB

                                    Good count of small gulls

                                1 hour later there was an ad Med gull here.  

                                        Found by Dan Branch.

                                    Typical Ogden weekend.

With no chance this morning due to dense fog coming and going throughout the morning I plucked up courage to risk Ogden early afternoon, which is not a good move on a weekend afternoon but given the poor conditions I thought it would be less busy.

     It turned out to be a good move, finding a drake Shoveler duck out in the middle of the water looking well settled with its partial eclipse plumage.

   A good count of gulls which is usually the case in the afternoon at this site , with a count of around 200 small gulls and pre roost birds piling in from the south. Just 4 LBB gull and a contester for a Yellow Legged Herring which stood out from the LBBs with a much paler mantle and duller yellow legs though the dark streaked neck and head puts it question.

       A quick look at the west bank alders provided nothing, but hardly surprising with the army of people walking round.

   A light SE in the morning with another good chance of fog.

BS

Another dabble at Ogden

 

                                    The resident Goosander

 A good count of  Lt Tit                                                               

                                Goldcrest with very prominent eye ring and bright legs.

Odd weather conditions this morning with fog on the tops then heavy cloud all around the horizon, east and west. Ogden was part cloud with some blue sky and the sun showing through. A cold WNW>4 at 10 degrees but feeling much colder with the wind chill factor.

     Very little in the sky with just a handful of Redwing and Fieldfare going in no specified direction which is normal now this time of year making it difficult to tell the 'new in' birds from earlier arrivals moving around the area. Because of this we always used to finish our vis mig count by the first weekend in November.

     The waterside trees were very active with 2 good flocks of Long Tailed Tits, one on the east bank and one on the west bank but no sign of Redpoll or Siskin.

    Chaffinch numbers are slowly building and their favourite weed is still well above water level so hopefully the flock will grow and be joined by Brambling. The last time the water was down for winter exposing the weeds was February 2017 which produce a flock of  around 70 Chaffinch and 30 Brambling. My last Brambling at this site was November 2022 when a few of the weeds were exposed and a small group of Chaffinch but only the one Brambling.

     Several Goldcrests were around passerine alley along with the usual Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens and Dunnocks along with 2 Treecreepers.

    All quiet on the water with around 50 small gulls, 2 Herring and a single LBB plus the long staying female Goosander which I'm wondering is a non flier as its unusual for them to linger at one site for so long.

A light wind for morning back to the dreaded SE with full cloud , and most likely, fog on the tops.

Probably the same conditions until Friday next week.

BS