Ogden Water Delivers Big Time

After a mind numbing trek over Soil Hell I was totally amazed by what transpired at Ogden 🤪.

A Little Egret was working the W shoreline, it the flew to the E but returned a short time later. 

3 Oystercatchers were both noisy and mobile. One was sporting a metaI ring on the right leg. Almost by accident I caught sight of a large distant wader with an almost glowing orange neck/head. A Black-tailed Godwit!

6 Grey Heron 1 Cormorant ditto Tufted Duck plus the many LBBG added to a spectacular day at a local spot.

Pity I can’t take decent distant photos ain’t it.

Cold Edge Dams To Ogden

Rather Windy but quite a few bird sightings made. Got my first large flock of Linnet flying around the track leading up to Withens. Over 70 birds estimated ☺️.

A few Goldfinch seen. 5 Swallow 1 Pied Wagtail a dozen Meadow Pipit.

A Common Sandpiper flew across Leadbeater Dam where a Grey Heron was stood. 

Also 2 Reed Bunting 1 WW ditto Greenfinch.

I got some reet verbals from a Curlew and I’m certain after running Translater app on the mobile bone it wasn’t exactly inviting me to Tea and Crumpets 😅.

Ogden Water held a much smaller count of large gulls than previous. All were LBBG apart from one puzzling job that appeared somewhat YLG ish. After viewing the below par photos I now think Herring.

2 Grey Heron were on the W shore as was an Oystercatcher that flew over to the NW end.

Soil Hill To Mixenden via Ogden

A bit like yomping around a rotisserie - rather 🔥.

Soil Hell across the tops only. Rather quiet so I’m glad I got the Garden Warbler in song again.

4 Pied Wagtail 2 adult and 2 juvenile some distance apart.

1 Whitethroat 2 WW ditto Skylark 1 Curlew.

Ogden Water was heaving with large gulls again perhaps c280 the majority being LBBG. Herring mebbe numbered 9 and BHG at 11. 1 each Grey Heron and the eclipse stage m Tufted Duck.

Carrs Beck came up trumps once more with a female Redstart flitting from fence to field and vice versa 👍.

Lo and behold Mixenden Res coughed up an Oystercatcher 😁.

Blackstone Edge And Whiteholme

Pushed my luck too far today in a strong W wind it was dire.

Blackstone Edge 1 Ringed Plover ditto Pied Wagtail & several Canada. 1 Skylark.

Whiteholme 1 Ringed Plover 2  Common Sandpiper. A pr Greylag Geese had 2 goslings in tow. 1 Swift and 3 LBBG flew into the wind.

13 Meadow Pipit seen throughout.

Horton Bank Country Park

Only lasted 32 minutes this am as it was the dullest session I’ve ever encountered. Thank goodness I got some respite from a migrant towards the end however.

Pr Mute Swan 10/11 Canada 1 Coot 4 Moorhen. Not a single gull other than a large sp. overhead briefly 🤨.

I went down to the back bushes and had a testing time. A warbler kicked off singing but then a thrush joined in simultaneously. Ever tried deciphering Garden Warbler mixed with Song Thrush? I persevered and concluded I’d got Sylvia who was far from borin 😅.

Also 1 Chiffchaff ditto WW & Blackbird plus a few Woodpiglets.

Something To Crow About

I found this fledgling Carrion Crow en route from Ogden to Mixenden. I picked it up carefully and couldn’t find any signs of obvious injuries so followed the golden rule of putting it back in the hope its parents would find and feed it 🤞.

Ogden Water was quiet. 2 Grey Heron 4 BHG & 7/8 LBBG. Apart from the manic Blackcap not much noise from the woods.

A walk across the middle of the golf course coughed up a f Stonechat 2 Reed Bunting ditto WW. 1 Curlew heard.

A Drama Disruption At Ogden

A speedy return to an almost winters morning saw me start walking without enthusiasm round the E Ogden path. 

After 7/8 minutes all hell broke lose to coin a phrase.

Blackbird alarm calls started up like a fire engine had set off. A female Blackbird flew speedily out of the trees low down across the path about 2 yards in front of me.

Some 6 inches above it was a male Sparrowhawk and maybe 15 inches behind it was the male Blackbird.

Pause for breath…

The f blackbird flew straight into the E bank hedge and the Sparrowhawk had to break and fly over the top then veered left over the water. M blackbird reversed back into the trees still belting out calls loudly.

This scenario seemed to be a full minutes duration while in fact it was probably closer to 20 seconds.

2 BHG c25 LBBG & a couple Herring on the drink plus a drake Tufted Duck.

Mixenden Res sported 4/5 Swallow & 3/4 House Martin.