Ogden/ Mixenden/ Raggalds Flood. early a.m.

                    A wintery scene at Ogden .

                             Kingfisher braving the cold water.

                                 Raggalds Flood frozen over

                                     

A foggy start in Queensbury at first light with more overnight snow but slightly milder with some drizzle.
Ogden was below the cloud base but a mixture of rain and drizzle on a light NNE >4 with dark skies.
No sign of PTs Whoopers which I thought may have come down overnight but 1 f Teal, 1 f Goldeneye and the Little Grebe was a bonus along with the Kingfisher in its usual spot down in the sluice gates and catching well.
                                              On then to Mixenden with 1f Goosander, 1pr Goldeneye and a few small gulls whilst 4 Herring gulls went overhead >SW.
Raggalds Flood was frozen over solid with about 50 Lapwings in the field and a couple on the shoreline.
An interesting report from Gordon, BOG, at Skipton whos getting Tree Sparrows on his feeders over there for the first time ever.  Better keep an eye out on those Lee Mount feeders Dave.
BS

Queensbury still snowed under.

       

 Once again a very short lived sunrise

                   

                            Shortly followed by this

More overnight snow and a day of heavy snow showers with once again bad road conditions and temperatures never rising above 3 deg.
A late start off to town shopping due to more snow shoveling and dog duties but amazed to find no sign of snow in Halifax, and Queensbury with a good 8". A check of the Rowans in Sainsburys car park failed to turn up any Waxwings, just a few Blackbirds and a Mistle Thrush.
Not home until 1515 hrs when the light was rapidly fading and conditions bad ,still with heavy snow showers so had to give the usual late afternoon birding trip a miss.
                                                           A text at 1545 hrs from my watchman Peter Turner at Horton Bank Top reported 4 Whooper Swans heading towards Queensbury but despite dashing out in the garden, camera in hand, they avoided me possible veering more west with a chance of coming down on one of the local reservoirs which will be checked out in the morning.
                                               Thanks for the text Peter.
BS
                                                 

Just to refresh your memory

Soil hill Snow Buntings of previous years.
Snow Buntings have been seen on Soil Hill every winter between November and March , sometimes just a single and sometimes up to 9 staying 1 day or up to over 3 month as in 2011 when 4 birds remained from 2/11/11 to 21/2 12.
Other than the common Scandinavian race "nivalis" we have also had 1 Iceland  race  "insulae", see bottom photo of the much darker bird.

                Nivalis  Scandinavian Snow Buntings.

                               Insulae,  Iceland Snow Bunting

BS

Deep and Crisp and Even

                A good coating of snow early a.m. then heavy
                  snow throughout the day

Overnight snow left a good covering by first light then heavy snow throughout the day brought Queensbury to a standstill with several side roads blocked and main roads gridlocked.
Walked down to help daughter Rachel rescue the Grand daughters from school just after lunch whilst the other daughter Belinda was amazed when I sent her some snow photos to her phone as she lives in Kebroyd, Sowerby Bridge where there was nothing.
The rest of the afternoon I was grounded with the weather, stuck in like a caged bear. Lynda said I was doing her head in pacing up and down to the window and even the dogs were fed up with me getting them out in the garden. I,m definitely not an indoor man.
At least Ogden was checked this morning thanks to DJS with no new wildfowl visitors, and a good report from blog watcher Roy reporting at least 4 Woodcock and 9 Snipe down the daily fields.
Roy also reported several Woodcock on the track from Shelf to Coley.
BS

Ogden late p.m.

    A short lived sunrise " back ot mill"

       Unusual to get 4 Jays together here

                                            Soggy conditions

   Water cascading into the reservoir

                                       A bit brighter sky

               A good area for Wigeon or geese

                                   Mallard numbers mounting

                                                   Kingfisher patiently waiting

Ogden  1430-1530 hrs
A much better afternoon session than yesterdays failure with conditions poor but workable in a NW> 5 with heavy rain showers easing part way through the visit. The area had already been checked by DJS and later JL , both sending  messages of doom and gloom, so it was a low expectancy visit which turned out quite pleasant mainly due to the lack of public.
                                                                              A full circuit round carefully checking all the Mallards around the edges for strangers gave me a count of 124 with the Pintail pair definitely moved on. The Little Grebe was present along with 1 of DJSs female Teal out in the centre of the water but having left big bertha at home due to the conditions it was out of range for the small camera.
The Chaffinch flock of around 40 were working the NW shoreline but no Brambling amongst then.
                                                            A grey Wagtail was by the water below the prom whilst the Kingfisher and Dipper were in their usual place down by the sluice gate ponds. 4 Jays were working their way along the east side.
The usual small gulls were present along with 4 LBB gulls and what looked pale enough for a first year Herring gull but no chance of a definite i.d. at the distance and in the conditions.
BS