Ogden a.m. / Fly Flatts p.m.

     OGDEN                                       Enjoying a Beech nut

                                     An abundance of Coal Tits

                                               Great Tit

                                                             Coal

                       The long staying Goosanders.

 Fly Flatts                         A snowy NW corner

                                       SE corner from the West bank

                                               No 1 feeding station.

                     1 pair of lonely Canadas on the island.

              Water level still rising despite diversion and
                                   drain valve open.

                                        Looking across to the clubhouse.

With overnight snow and poor road conditions early morning I had another dabble at Ogden where I could take the dogs half way round with snow and ice on the track. A bright sunny morning with sunshine and clear blue skies on a cold NW>4 at 2 degrees.
                                                       Not much chance to check through the tit flock with plenty disturbance due to the sun bringing the public out as well as a school trip and Christmas tree moving going on along the west bank but mainly tits today, the majority being Coals.
                                                     At least 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were drumming very near by but no way could I spot them whilst 2 Mistle Thrush were on the south banking.
                                                      Unusual to find 9 Canadas on the water along with the long staying Goosander pair, 8 Common gull, 11 Black Headed and a single Herring. A couple of noisy Raven flew over towards Fly Flatts mobbed by Crows.
                                                      A dog less visit to Fly Flatts late afternoon in cracking conditions despite the cold WNW>5 still at 2 degrees with a few light snow showers but blue skies and sunshine in between. The plan today was to do a full check of the banking and conduits for Buntings and Pipits, neither of which turned up but a pleasant walk along a very muddy South bank and an even muddier West bank which I checked end to end right on to the NW corner to check the inlet and conduit in that area with no disturbance today as work seems to be on hold due to the high water level.
        The water held a few mallard and the single Canada goose pair which look ready for mating.
A pair of Stonechat were down near the feeding station but very flighty in and out of the heather, soon I,ll be getting Wheatear in that area.
                                                                Overhead , the sky held 2 Kestrel and 3 Raven whilst 4 Golden Plover made a quick, low flight across the Flat Moor. Gull wise, 6 Herring went >SW and 8 LBBs headed >E , again towards the Eccup roost. The weather has delayed any returning moorland birds with still no sign of Lapwing, Curlew and Oystercatcher which are usually back at this site by now.

Ogden
9 Canada
1pr Goosander
3 Gt Spotted Wdpeckers drumming
Tit flock
2 Mistle Thrush
11 BH gull
8 Common gull
1 Herring
+ usual sp.

Fly Flatts
1pr Canada
few Mallard
2 Kestrel
1pr Stonechat
4 Golden Plover
3 Raven
6 Herring gull.....>SW
8 LBB gull.........>E
BS

Snowed off a.m. / Ogden again p.m.

                                   2 of 14 Lesser Black Backs seen.

              Note size difference, female left hand bird.

                        The pair were preening each other.

                                          2 Common gull.

Once again Queensbury ground to a halt early morning with roads impassable even though it had been forecast. Roll on summer so the grit wagons can come out!
                                    With heavy, serious looking snow showers late p.m. I thought it best to stick close to home as the problem with Queensbury is that whichever direction you head off in theres a steep hill to climb to get back home. Hence back to Ogden.
                                      A mix of sunshine and snow showers with the wind dropped made the watch pleasant enough but more or less the same birds as yesterday though a better gull day.
The tit flock was in the same area but only 2 Treecreepers present and a slightly lower number of birds.
A second female Goosander had joined the pair on the water whilst a single Moorhen was near the info centre, probably one of the resident pair.
                                      Gull wise, 5 Commons and 12 BHGs were on the water along with 5 LBBs
which eventually left east along with another 9 LBBs >E heading over Soil Hill probably to the Eccup gull roost which I am told is roosting around 15,000 gulls at present.
A welcome message today from Queensbury birder Mark Murray reporting Brambling in with the Chaffinch on his garden feeders. Mark is one of the few birders that can boast a Firecrest in his garden plus photos a few years ago.

Ogden
5 LBBs present then >E along with another 9.
5 Common gull
12 BH gull
1m 2f Goosander
usual tit flock
2 Treecreeper
1 Moorhen
BS

Match abandoned a.m./ Ogden p.m.

      Queensbury this morning .  Foxhill park, blizzard and mist.

                                                   New Park Road

                                  Chapel Lane top

                                                     Fleet Lane

                                            Fleet Kennels

                                           Fleet Lane

                                 Footpath through to Old Guy Rd

                                                                 Foxhill

                                                   Foxhill.

                                 Ogden, flooded bridge, p.m.

                      Dipper Dyke flooded over the bridge

      Thank goodness for rigger boots. Good job I did,nt
                                      bring the dogs.

        Coming over the bridge instead of  under it.

                                   At least 8 Treecreepers present.

                    Note the tail being used as a prop.

                                       A single Jay in the deep dark wood.

                                       Pair of Goosanders still on the water.

With the roads in and out of Queensbury at a standstill early morning as well as fog on the tops it was match abandoned and just a soggy, sloppy dog walk as the snow was by now turning to rain.
                                 Late afternoon and shopping done it was off to Ogden where,by now, the wind had increased to W>5 with a mix of horizontal drizzle and some heavy rain showers. With the temp up to 9 degrees I was sweating cobs in full rain gear as I walked the perimeter of the water.
                                  Just 1 pair of Goosander on the water and the usual Mallards with no gulls present. A check on the Alders failed to find any Siskin or Redpoll which had probably moved into the plantation for shelter.
                                  The tit flock was in the usual area and absolutely alive with the 3 tit species, the majority being Coal, whilst several Goldcrests were flitting around very mobile.
At least 8 Treecreepers were in the same area looking like mice dashing up the tree trunks along with 2 Nuthatch.
                 An exhilarating hours watch despite the rain throughout and the Big Bertha lens cover I made out of a dog coat not only did the job well but saved me £80 if I,d have bought one.
Tight ! who me ?

Ogden
1pr Goosander
8 Treecreepers
c 10 Goldcrest
2 Nuthatch
1 Jay
c 70 tit flock, Blue, Great and 70% Coal. Still no Long Tailed ?
+ usual sp.
BS

More gale walking, Leeshaw, Fly Flatts.

       A record 46 Mallard at Leeshaw all in bright
                                 breeding plumage.

                                    White Horses on Fly Flatts

          The island is almost covered again despite efforts to
                                                     keep the water down.

Poor conditions this morning at Leeshaw with very heavy drizzle throughout along with low cloud and a strong WSW>6 at 5 degrees.
                                                     Much quieter than yesterday but another 12 Curlew went through >W but slightly higher than yesterday at the far side of the water with the fields as a backdrop so no good for photos. Gulls were back in the area today with several small gulls, some moving through whilst others stayed on the water. No Herrings but 5 LBBs and a single GBB headed high and >W up in the murky clouds.
                                A Mistle Thrush was in the top field along with 11 Oystercatchers and about 30 Fieldfare. A nice arrival of Mallards with a good count of 46.
                              By late afternoon the mist had cleared so I thought I,d better get up to Fly Flatts to see if anything new had come in.
The weather was fine and bright with just a few low scud clouds but the wind was the feature coming across the water from the west at gale force W>8. I walked to the SW corner but dare,nt risk the west bank as the wind was nearly taking my legs from under me. I took a reading from the corner and the
anemometer was reading 43 m.p.h. , a record for me up there.
                             The rest of the watch was from behind the tailgate of the car but very little to see with only 4 Herring gulls >SW, 2 Raven, and a Peregrine going through with the wind like a missile.
                             On the way back 3 Golden Plover lifted off from the Nolstar field and headed towards the Flat Moor.

Leeshaw reservoir
12 Curlew........................>W     + 2 present
11 Oystercatcher
1 Mistle Thrush
c 30 Fieldfare
46 Mallard
1 pr Goosander
2 Cormorant
27 Canada
4 Greylag
+ usual sp.

Fly Flatts
2 Raven
1 Peregrine
4 Herring gull.............>SW
3 Golden Plover...........Nolstar field.
BS

The magic of reservoir watching, Leeshaw.

                                       12 Oystercatchers present now

                                                     as well as 2 Curlew.

                                         Sheltering from the wind

                     Lapwing numbers building in the fields

                                    Greylags battling the waves.

                                                 Bath night.

                                                   all done.

                                            The start of the Curlew

                                 Piling through >W

                                    Lapwings also moving >W

                                    A constant flow of Oyks also >W

Leeshaw reservoir early morn with bright skies and sunshine at 3 degrees on a W>6. Very blowy but a decent dry morning.
                                  Nothing other than the usual species this morning with 9 Oystercatchers now present plus the 2 Curlew. Two pair of Goosanders were on the water whilst a Grey and a Pied Wagtail were by the overflow.
                                 An interesting forecast for the afternoon with a heavy low heading towards us from the west bringing rain by late afternoon and gale force winds, reservoir watching tackle.
Whilst shopping in Brighouse after dinner I was watching the sky cloud over and darken with the wind increasing, even low down in Brighouse, so once home it was a dash to Leeshaw again to wait for the show to begin. A dog less visit late afternoon so I could position the car and get set up behind the tailgate with the wind already blowing at near gale W>7 as I arrived with grey skies but dry.
                               The wind was increasing all the time getting to gale force W>8 at 43 m.p.h and gusting to strong gale W>9 at 48 m.p.h. for short periods during which time it blew the tailgate down twotting me on the head twice, thats the first time I,ve ever had that happen.
                            Despite this, the birding was excellent and the best session I,ve had for a long time
with birds to watch and count for the full hour I was there.
                            Part of the Greylag group had come in with 87 on the water along with 38 Canadas and several Mallard. The Oystercatchers were up to 12 but still just the 2 Curlew, with no sign of yesterdays Golden Plovers which will probably have moved up to their favourite field at Upper Marsh where the flock reaches near on 400 by mid March.
                          Suddenly a move started with firstly Curlews, then Lapwings with groups piling through low over the water directly >W. Oystercatchers then joined in the procession coming through in twos and threes along with several mixed flocks of Curlew and Lapwing. An amazing sight to watch as they flew into the wind with very little effort.

Leeshaw
59 Oystercatchers.............>W  + 12 present.
248 Lapwing....................>W  + several present
68 Curlew........................>W  + 2 present.
38 Canadas
87 Greylag
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Grey Wagtail
2 pr Goosander
c 100 Fieldfare
c 50 Redwing
c 200 Starling.
The amazing thing today was in all this movement only 1 gull was seen all day. This was a single
Black Headed out on the high waves making me get the scope out in hopes of Kittiwake.
BS