Soil Hell to Mixenden

1045 -1245 hrs. The hill is finished for Autumn & Winter birds owing to the spread of Rye grass which has crowded out the majority of any other seed producing plants. The one remaining bare patch really doesn't qualify to be called as such due to downsizing caused by encroachment.

I managed a Crow, 1 Dunnock & a Meadow Pipit for my troubles.

Ogden Res was unexciting; 3 Lapwing over > E, numerous small gulls, GSW. A Kingfisher flew from the promenade up to the top end.

A Green Woodpecker called from Hunter Hill. C57 Canada & a Mistle Thrush were in a field at the bottom. Mixenden Res had  a load of gulls including a Herring. 3 Goldeneye still there and a Moorhen.

Election Fever In The Sticks

The fields and woods were buzzing with the latest topic, namely who to vote for? All present were unified in their opinion that whatever the colour, the party hopefuls were lying through their back teeth in promising their version of the earth.

"I should stand for election and steal lots of votes" joked the Thieving Magpie.

"I'm not against immigration, I have a brood to feed" said the Sparrowhawk as she chased a passing Yellow Wagtail.

The Wise Old Owl awoke from his snooze and when begged for his opinion on whether to vote or not  replied in the affirmative. "One should vote for the party colour that best represents your personal interests. In my humble opinion this narrows it down to the Reds & Blues"

"Reds! gotta be Reds" the Robin interjected. "You must be joking" was the retort of the Green Woodpecker, laughing continuously. "I am of the Blue persuasion" uttered the Kingfisher from his brookside perch.

A murder of Crows restored order and asked the Owl to continue. "Not to vote is irresponsible" was the due response. "However, I urge you to disregard the pie in the sky offers about planting millions of acorns, or importing hundreds of thousands of rodents, or sewing tons of nyjer and barley. Vote for the colour that you think will CAUSE THE LEAST HARM to all us avians!"

The crowd, now maxed out, chorused "Hear!, Hear!"

The final line came from the vicar, a Ring Ouzel, resplendent in his white collar, solemnly declaring "and may the lord help us all"

A Poem To Match The Weather

A bird was sitting in the road and I thought Oh what a waste, 

should a passing lorry shed a heavy load and turn it into paste.

But my thoughts I quashed, it wasn't squashed; it flew off to get mated

before it hit a Combined Harvester and just disintegrated 😬

Bet Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes never wrote stuff as sweet as this eh?

Horton Bank Country Park

1010-1105 hrs started off foggy but cleared up a bit. Nothing exceptional but it made a change to give it a try.

1 Grey Wagtail ditto Jay, 6 Moorhen, c15 Coot. 3 each Canada and Mute Swan. Several small gull sp. & a single 1cy large 'does your head in' type gull.

Judy Hogg & Co turned up which is why the waterfowl were getting stuck in. She told me the Swans were residents not movers and produced just one cygnet this year.

Lots of tree varieties in this location but to no avail; only a few woodland types present. 2 Blackbird, 1 Goldcrest, 2/3 LTT, Blue & Gt Tit.

A loudly calling GSW was out back on arrival home, the first I've had here in quite some time.

Ogden to Mixenden

1045-1225 hrs cold fairly bright with no wind.

Only noteworthy bird at Ogden Res was a Green Woodpecker, otherwise a single LBBG and the smaller gulls.

The walk across to Mixenden was birdless but my ears were entertained by a couple of shotgun blasts one of which flushed a Woodcock. The bird flew rapidly away from Hunter Hill bottom toward the reservoir.

Mixenden Res had 3 Goldeneye, 2 m & 1 f. Also 1 each Cormorant, Mistle Thrush & Grey Heron plus 2 Moorhen. C47 Canada were in a nearby field plus the horde of gulls which included a single LBBG.

Sunny Queensbury South

Also cold 0905-1105 hrs. In the main for exercise value only as yet again (yawn) birds were at a premium.
7 Chaffinch, 1 each Jay, Fieldfare & Blackbird. Dunnocks seemed to be active and the usual park/woodland critters. c12 Meadow Pipit, 2 Snipe but the Lapwing still in absentia.

4 Common & 7 BH Gull with 1 sub-adult phase LBBG over > NE>. 12 Jackdaw and luckily for me as I neared home a last gasp Sparrowhawk being monitored by a Crow.

Recommended Insight To Nature's Past

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000b8p4/unlocking-natures-secrets-the-serengeti-rules

Ogden to Mixenden

Ogden Res 1045-1140 hrs. A few small gulls incl. a Common & 1 LBBG.

The Dipper showed well in brief flight a Jay less so.

Also a noisy Nuthatch perhaps a pr of them, a GSW called briefly.

The stretch across to Mixenden Res was subject to scouring from a stiff E'ly blow.

41 Canada and a Stonechat at Hunter Hill bottom.

The reservoir had 1 each Grey Wagtail, Moorhen, Herring Gull & LBBG with plenty of small gulls alongside.

There was also a birder who was overjoyed he hadn't visited Soil Hell.

West Vale Circular

 Courtesy of DW along with DM. The walk included Blackley and Elland. A pleasant session but yet again birds were hard come by.

Kestrel, 6 Redwing, Blackbirds throughout, c10 LTT. Briefly seen in poor light a flyimg Kestrel/Sparrowhawk.

1 Dipper, 5 Goosander ditto Canada. 1 Grey Heron ditto Pied Wagtail.

Queensbury South

0925-1125 hrs, the quiet was immense. Perhaps the birds had attended the remembrance parade as mostly they were in absentia.

Nuthatch, 4 Blackbird similar Chaffinch, Blue & Gt Tits. 2 Common & 5 BH Gull plus the large 1/2cy type below which I'm working on.

2 Common Snipe ditto Kestrel. 3 Meadow Pipit & 2 Pied Wagtail, 3 Dunnock ditto Robin.
This is the first Autumn that I've never had Fieldfare around these parts in almost 20 years, Eee bye gum.

Low Moor Dams

1035-1205 hrs. Harold Park was the busier venue as it afforded protection from the cold N'ly wind whereas Park Dam was exposed to the rigours.

HPL: 1 each GSW & Mistle Thrush. 3 Mute Swan, 5 Herring Gull, 4 Tufted Duck, 1 GCG.
12 Goosander was a good count but subject to checking I believe this is not a record count for me here.

1 each Grey & Pied Wagtail, Moorhens, Coots and House Sparrows.Scores of BHG & a few Common gulls.

Park Dam: 1 GCG, 2 Little Grebe, 3 Cormorant, 4 Tufted, 1 Mistle Thrush ditto Gt Tit & Chaffinch. 7/8 Coot, Moorhen, 50 Canada incl one with a wrecked set of primaries on left wing. More House Sparrows, 5 BH & 1 Common gull.

West Vale Circular Walk

Courtesy of DW along with DM. A long walk along the canal and river ending up by the moors, keeping dry until the last 35 minutes or so.

Patchy birding yet again and an obvious absence of migrants.

7 Jay, 1 Kestrel, 3 Mistle Thrush, c18 Meadow Pipit, 7 Pied Wagtail, Kingfisher (DM) c40 Canada,

1 Grey Heron ditto Moorhen & Grey Wagtail. Also Few LTT & pr Bullfinch.
Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner...

Aaawww Oink

Ogden To Mixenden Res

1045-1220 hrs. Ogden Res: 1 each Reed Bunting, Green Woodpecker & Blackbird, 2 Goldcrest, few LTT. 1 Cormorant & usual dulls.

Mixenden Res: more LTT & several dulls & a LBBG which I don't find so dull.

2 f Goldeneye which gave a couple of crap photos owing to the conditions and the inadequate photographer  (I'll give him a kicking when I find him).

Also 28 Canada, 2 Moorhen, 1 Grey Wagtail.