Two Days Of Bad Birding

Based on the non events of Friday and today Saturday I have no right to call myself a birdwatcher. How can I when there were virtually none to be seen?

Friday: a nightmare on Soil Hill followed by utter boredom at Ogden Water. So bad I couldn’t face Mixenden and went home.

Today playing the nutcase I went to Cold Edge again. This time it was mild and calm and even less birds than the previous visit! I suppose one Lapwing is worth a mention?

Ogden was rammed with the usual gulls and Cormorants were upto 5 birds.

Carrs Beck held a dozen or so Goldfinch. I noticed a bird flitting around the top of the fence. Eventually it showed itself to be a Chiffchaff.

Cold Edge Dams Abandoned

What a downer this was. Apart from Canadas and 3 Tufted Duck on the two dams what can barely be described as avian activity took place around the farm buildings below Leadbeater ☹️.

1 WW 2 Pied Wagtail 9/10 Meadow Pipit similar Swallow & Goldfinch 1 Greenfinch. 

Nothing doing on the track above Haigh Cote dam so I about turned and let the flood of boredom tears carry me back to Wainstalls (sounds like there could be a song 🎵 in the making).

Soil Hill To Mixenden

Had a crack at the Hill from Hades this morning and I wish I hadn’t. It was appalling thanks to the present layout on the top. Oh wait! I got a Meadow Pipit and a Crow.

The gull numbers are down at Ogden but still a fair few there. 4 Swallow and c15 Goldfinch. 1 Grey Heron & 4 Cormorant.

Numerous Swallows at Hunter Hill bottom lets say c55.

2 Common Gull in with a dozen BHG on Mixenden Res.

The latest vandal created huge hole in the wall is being repaired by builders but not to worry folks as about 150  yards away the locals have started with another project.

Low Moor Birds

After a horrific trip on Friday from Mixenden (2 Nuthatch) to Ogden where I abandoned the session I needed a different venue today.

Harold Park Lake: 7 Mute Swan 3 Tufted Duck lots of Coots & Moorhens 3 LBBG numerous BHG.

Park Dam was busier and it provided me with another annual believe it or not a Sand Martin! What a crapshoot year for hirundines.

Good for GC Grebe here with 7 being seen. 9 Tufted Duck 1 Grey Heron. Several LBBG & a couple Herring besides the BHGs 1 Blackbird more Moorhens & Coots.

An Unexpected Visitor To Horton Bank

My spirits sank on arrival at the park lake as it looked devoid of anything worth while pursuing until i turned a corner.

A Black Swan was preening itself not far from the resident pr Mute Swan and calmly swam nearer towards a small group of people.

It maybe a tame escapee but I don't care; its a striking looking bird and made the otherwise depressing trip worthwhile.

1 Coot 2 Moorhen c14 BHG were the only others present.

Cold? Edge More Like Equatorial

Pushed myself too hard in today’s heat so if I want to reach my 45th birthday I must slow down and decrease the distances walked.

The birding was rank until I got to the final 15 minutes when I got the Stonechat again at Carrs Beck followed by a f plumage Redstart at the top of the fence 👍.

The dams produced just a Pied Wagtail c8 Meadow Pipit 1 WW & 5/6 Swallows. A pr Kestrel near Withens where I had a good natter with DJS 😁.

The water level at Ogden is now the lowest I’ve ever known it. This didn’t deter the gull’s however it was crawling with em. The bunch that had visited Mixenden had returned.

Also 2 Cormorants present.

After processing the below par photos I now have an inkling I may have had a YLG Dammit 😕

Chapel Lane Surprise Visitors

Today was a non birding day and in the afternoon I was sat out with my lady friend guzzling wine and gobbling grub in the very pleasant sunshine.

The day was made even more magical when a pair of Common Gull chose to perch atop a nearby chimney and stay rooted for a good 20 minutes! Thankfully I was sober enough to capture this photo of a scarce visitor with my mobile bone 😁.