Horton Bank Country Park

A warm sunny afternoon where once again I was overlayered. On the other hand I wasn’t overwhelmed with birds e.g not a single hirundine present (there were no Swallows or Sand/House Martins seen either 🤓).

A Mute Swan pair have built their nest in a very vulnerable spot I can’t see it lasting long given the scumsuckers that gravitate there in the later hours 😏.

Singles Moorhen & Coot. 11 Canadas not a single Gull seen nor heard.

1 Whitethroat, 3 WW, 2 Chiffchaff. 

Couple Blackbird ditto Chaffinch & Robin. 

Ogden Wat…Look Away Now!

I praise myself for picking the wrong day again. The brisk wind chill blew my toupee off 3/4 times and ensured birds were minimal 😓.

A Buzzard called 5/6 times which broke the monotony. 2 LBBG were on the drink. Usual common warblers in small numbers. Same applies to expected residents.

Golf course to MixenDeadEnd; 😵‍💫💦 👎.

Rather Warm Cold Edge Dams

Picked the wrong layers of clothing today. Just had enough stamina to do the walk from Wainstalls up to the ruined building and back.

Pr Lapwing ditto 🦪 catcher. Kestrel. 1each Pied Wagtail Reed Bunting & Stonechat. 5 Curlew, 6 Swallow.

5/6 WW ditto Chaffinch. 4 Blackbird. 5 Tufted Duck and the assortment of Geese.

Local Long Route Trek

A warm dry sunny session. Good to have a natter with BS en route.

2 Curlew, 6 Lapwing. 1 Greenfinch ditto Whitethroat.

5/6 Swallow few Chaffinch & Goldfinch. 1 Grey Partridge in flight,1 Skylark.

1 Grey Heron, 4 Greylag Geese pr Tufted Duck. 3 LBBG.

Singing Blackcap besides a couple Chiffchaff & WW.

1 Mistle Thrush. Green Woodpecker & 2 LBBG at last venue.

Ogden Water To Mixenden Res

A dry sunny but very breezy morning which brought some interesting spells at Ogden in particular.

3 Pink-footed Geese were present and looked settled 👍.

Also a pr of Tufted Duck which joined them briefly at one stage.

Quite a few WW, couple Blackcap & Chiffchaff.

It went downhill after that with just a Skylark by the golf course and a few Goldfinch plus a couple WW by the sheds.

I can’t even begin to think about Mixe…🥴.

Cold Edge Dams Trek

A morning that started off very much Spring like then after an hour deteriorated into cold windy misery - again!

7 Tufted Duck on Leadbeater Dam. In the field opposite were 3 Lapwing & a pair of Oystercatcher. 

6 WW 2 Skylark 3 Meadow Pipit & a few of the expected Geese. 4 Curlew heard.

A break in the boredom as I walked up to Cold Edge Road was provided by a noisy pair of Raven in flight and displaying 👍.

Ogden held 14 LBBG & a couple of Herring. 6/7 WW but nothing else. 

Nothing else on Mixenden Res is a phrase that does it too much justice 😢.

A Kestrel hovered over Windy Bank as I returned home.

Very Cold Dams Dammit

After a disastrous outing to Ogden and MixenDeadEnd yesterday I braved yet another Wintry day and traipsed around the dams area.

A bit livelier than Thursday I’m relieved to say 😏.

Pr Stonechat ditto Reed Bunting. A Red Grouse heard.

1 🦪 Oystercatcher. Usual Geese in small numbers.

Singing WW & 2 Chaffinch. A dozen Meadow Pipit & 1 Pied Wagtail. A Buzzard flying over the moor at distance.

I found another pr of amorous Toad. These didn’t make it across the track courtesy of a large set of vehicle wheels.