Mixenden Res Whooper Swans

Thanks to Messrs Little, Sumner and Sutcliffe for sending me notification of some very welcome visitors to Mixenden this morning. I cancelled the triple heart bypass operation for my pet slug and got down there before 2pm.

Fortunately for me all 13 Whooper Swans were still settled on the reservoir at the far end.

Even better they began to swim closer to me.

Several gulls also present.

Cold Edge Dams

A blustery SW'ly wind wasn’t cold enough to ruin my morning and surprise surprise I got me some birds also 😊.

5 Lapwing, pr Oystercatcher, 1 Cormorant. c20 Common Gull. Several Canadas.

About 7/8 Curlew called throughout. 1 each Kestrel & Sparrowhawk. Pr Stock Dove. 3 Red Grouse calling.

Stonechats gave me the runaround on the track leading to the ruined farmhouse but I definitely got 4, possibly 5.

Ogden To Mixenden Fairly Busy

Birding started very early for me today with a Tawny Owl 🦉hooting from the trees 🌳 behind my back yard.

A mostly dry session with rain not falling until the last few minutes on the usual walking route. At one stage I even got 10 minutes of pleasant sunshine.

Common woodland species in song at Ogden with just a few gulls on the water. A Raven did fly over. A Green Woodpecker called briefly.

4 Curlew near Carrs Beck did an about turn and took off heading NE > Soil Hill. I got my first Jay for quite a while further up the track. A Buzzard called from the top end  of the golf course.

A Red-legged Partridge was at the bottom of Hunter Hill and an Oystercatcher called from the fields near Stod Fold.

A Quiet Trip Ogden To Mixenden

Windy and wet most of the time. Not much on the water at Ogden but a Curlew did fly over on my arrival 😊. A Buzzard flew over > SE 25 minutes later. Only other bird worth a mention was a Nuthatch calling on departure.

I won’t mention Mixe…oh go on then, the Green Woodpecker laffed at me again. 😞

PS Put this down to old age. I forgot about the Dipper showing clearly in Hebble Brook at Stod Fold.

Soil Hell To Mixenden Res

Had a look at the former Raggalds Flood on the way to SH there was more water on the roads.

4 Greenfinch at bottom of Perseverance Rd and a singing Chaffinch. 5 singing Skylark on the hill summit.

A good sighting near the plantation on Back Lane 18 calling Curlew that flew a short distance then dropped down. A pr Grey Partridge flew into the woodland edge.

Ogden water was a disappointment. A Kestrel and a Raven were over the golf course.

The pr Oystercatcher reported by DJS flew across the water at Mixenden but then seemed to move on after a dog showed interest.

Horton Bank CP To Queensbury Sth

Quiet at Horton Bank apart from many noisy gulls. Can’t recall getting Greylag Goose here so this singleton was welcome.

 Pr Mute Swan a dozen or so Canadas couple Coot & Moorhen.

Bridge Lane was quiet too until I reached the last 200 yards or so. I count myself lucky to find 7 Fieldfare & a single Redwing in the Hawthorns. 4 Rook seen in the vicinity.

Several BHG & Common Gulls were all together in one farmer’s field. 

The excavations at Cross Lane have expanded another 500 yards are so. 6 Mallard 🦆 present but nothing else as the large digger was busy.

Ogden Water To Mixenden

Another below par session 😞. 5 Tufted Duck still on Ogden. Low numbers of expected Gulls. A singing Mistle Thrush ditto Chaffinch and a few Blue/Great Tits.

A pr Blackbird 🐦‍⬛ at Stod Fold were calling loudly and shrill at Stod Fold for an unknown reason.

A Mistle Thrush was also singing at Mixenden. A Green Woodpecker was really belting out no doubt laffing at my attempts to see if there was anything interesting about - no there wasn’t.