Leeshaw Reservoir

 

                                    Several Herring and LBB gulls

                                    Flock of 25 Lapwing.

A dark, cloudy morning at Leeshaw with a light NW>2 at 6 degrees and full cloud.

     A good morning for gulls on and around the water with 28 Herring, 37 LBB and around 200 small gulls. A flock of 25 Lapwing were mobile, briefly landing on the shore before moving to the fields, whilst 8 Redwing and 15 Fieldfare were in the Hawthorns. A single Dipper was down in the beck along with a Heron but otherwise quiet apart from the usual species. 

       Showing a sunny morning tomorrow on a light north westerly and temp down to 5 degrees early doors.

BS

Back to a fog-less but bird-less Fly Flatts.

 

                                    Early sunrise, Queensbury

                                    Early morn, Fly Flatts.

Bright and clear at Fly Flatts with 80% cloud and odd sun patches on a cool NW3 at 6 degrees.

   After waiting 10 days for the fog to clear to get back to Fly Flatts the morning was a real disappointment with a total absence of bird life.

    A skein of 72 Pink Footed geese headed >SE but well to the south of me and only just in scope range.

After that it went rapidly downhill with 5 LBB gulls >NE, and a few Starlings >NW whilst 1 single Pied Wagtail and 2 Meadow Pipits were present. 

   This site has only produced about 5 specials since the end of August so time to put this site on hold for a while.

    Cloudy for morning on a slightly stronger WNW at 4 degrees so hopefully no fog with the drop in temperature.

BS 

Leeshaw/Leeming reservoirs.

 

LEESHAW                    Very distant drake Wigeon

                                        White forewing stripe showing male.

                                    Gulls arriving

LEEMING                    Mix of Herring and LBB on the water.

                                            The Gantry.

Thick fog again on the tops with Leeshaw just below the cloud base but very muggy with drizzle and light mist. A light but cool SW>3 at 6 degrees. Leeming was brighter and dry but still the dark clouds.

     The only thing of note at Leeshaw was a single drake Wigeon but keeping way over on the north bank in poor visibility whilst around 200 small gulls along with 18 LBB and 5 Herring were on the same distant shore so all scoping work today at this site.

      Leeming had a good supply of Herring and LBB as well as the usual small gulls but nothing that jumped out at me as being special. No wildfowl other than 26 Mallard on the water whilst 3 Mistle Thrush were in a Rowen tree.  Several Fieldfare and Redwing in the Paul Clough trees across the valley.

     Looking like a better week ahead with a NW for morning with clear skies and some sunshine and showing a clear week till the weekend with a chance of some snow. All I need now is some birds.

BS

Bit more wildfowl for Ogden.

 

                                    Usual gulls

                                        1 of 4 Bullfinch

                                                Single Wigeon

With the 9th morning of hill fog this month it was back to Ogden which was slightly less hazy than previous mornings but dark and muggy with light drizzle with a near calm SE>1 at 7 degrees.

    With a bit of scanning over the water I managed to pick out a single Wigeon in the centre of the reservoir which luckily drifted closer in as the morning went on.

      Just the usual gulls with around 100 small as well as 2 LBB and 4 Herring which were using the east shore though the big gulls kept out in the middle of the water. 

    Nothing along the west bank at all but plenty activity around passerine alley with 4 Bullfinch, 5 Siskin and around 12 Chaffinch.

    A very light sou'westerly for tomorrow with early mist and then fog throughout the day. By the end of tomorrow the wind shifts to a northerly direction so hopefully the skies will be clear?

BS

Gulls and more gulls, Leeshaw/Leeming/Ogden.

 

LEESHAW                    Gulls on the far shore

LEEMING                Gulls on the gantry.

                                            Herring

                                1st winter Grey Wagtail

                                    2cy Herring

OGDEN                        East shore

                                            Commons

                                        2 CY  Herring

                                            LBBs

                                    Seeing off the Crow

                                        LBBs

                                        Herring and Commons

More thick fog on the tops whilst Leeshaw and Leeming were below the cloud base but very dark and misty on a light SE>2 at 9 degrees. Ogden early pm was dull and hazy.

     A skip around the local reservoirs today looking for wildfowl produced nothing on the water at all 3 sites other than the usual Mallards and Canada geese.

    Leeshaw was the first port of call but disappointing with poor visibility in the dark and hazy conditions plus all the gulls were sticking to the far north shore so all scope work and nothing untoward. Just 12 Herring gull, 4 LBB and around 250 small gulls plus the usual species. A few post roost Fieldfare and Redwing were around the distant Hawthorn bushes.

    On then to Leeming which again only had Mallard on the water which seemed strange as this water usually has a high count of geese and Tufted duck. A Grey Wagtail was in the overflow but otherwise no other small passerines with just 6 Herring,10 LBB and around 50 small gulls.

   With Lynda not wanting to go out this afternoon I combined the afternoon dog walk with a quick check on the water at Ogden, which again produced nothing, where has all the wildfowl gone from local waters? 

    Again it was just down to gulls with 4 Herring, 6 LBB and around 100 small gulls whilst c 25 Chaffinch were on and around the east shore and trees along with a pair of Bullfinch.

   A light ESE continues in the morning bringing more you know what to the tops and then SW on Sunday with what looks like a full day of fog. Next week looks like we may be in the clear.

BS