Groundhog Day

Ogden and Mixenden Res was almost a replay of the previous visit minus the Mistle Thrush and a couple of Blackbird.

2 each GSW & Nuthatch, Goldeneye etc.

Also Barn Owl, Singular.

As for 2020 it was CRAP

Covid 19

Restrictions

Anger

Pandemonium

2021 Should be better; the Government say around Easter which I translate as maybe mid June. 

I won't wish anybody Good Birding as I feel it would be the death knell.

Ogden Res to Mixenden

Ogden Res 1055 hrs. Cold and covered with white filth but it was dry and bright. Nothing exciting but there were some decent patches of avian activity.

2 Nuthatch ditto Jay & GSW. 3 Robin, 6 Blackbird including one very confiding male. Pr Mistle Thrush, Coal & the Blue/Gt Tits.

Several small gulls with 1 each adult LBB & Herring. 

Mixenden Res: 1 each Cormorant & female Goldeneye. 14 Canada & the Gulls.

Elsewhere: Barn Owl, plural.

Queensbury to Horton Bank CP

All I can say about the stretch from home is that House Sparrows are doing well and I got a few Rook at Shelf Moor.

The Country Park wasn't exactly throbbing but was dealer free and the birds posed reasonably well.

I was hoping this was a leucistic Nene Goose (River Nene that is) but I'll just have to log it as Anser Somequestions.

Two Tufted Duck, Mute Swan pair Y695 & Y200.

Several BH with a few Herring & LBB Gulls alongside. I completely forgot to check for Common. I'll put this down to the icy wind, rain and old age.

Coots, Moorhens, Blackbird, Robin, Blue Tit wraps it up.

Busy Queensbury South

1015-1155 hrs on a cold bright day with a surprising amount of activity.

Littlemoor Park and the adjacent fields produced:

16 Blackbird similar Redwing, 4 Mistle Thrush, c20 Fieldfare and my first Song Thrush in aons.

2 Pied Wagtail, c20 Meadow Pipit, 1 Common & a dozen BH Gulls.

Handfuls Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Blue & Gt Tits, 1 Coal Tit ditto Nuthatch & 2 Robin.

Low Moor Dams

Nothing on the way down apart from 3 Crows having a right Carrion divesting a roadkill Hedgehog of it's entrails.

A handful of Rook were attending nests near Shelf Park.

Harold Park Lake was busy with people and I'm happy to say birds. 

7 Tufted Duck, 3 Goosander, many Coot & several Moorhen.

4 Mute Swan including a juvenile bearing leg ring Yellow 446.

c20 Herring Gull, numerous BHG & a fair number of Common.

Park Dam was being scoured by the cold N'ly blow and birds were at a premium.

2 Cormorant, 3 Little Grebe diitto Moorhen similar Coot. 1 Common & 5 BHG. 

A dozen Goldfinch, 4 Blackbird, 1 Mistle Thrush & a pr Collared Dove.

Soil Hill to Mixenden

A few Lapwing and gulls on the Raggalds sports field, I didn't check the flood.

Had a chat with AC up Soil Hill which produced 9 Meadow Pipit, 3 Blackbird, 1 each Grey Heron & Kestrel while c60 Lapwing were present along with gulls on the bottom fields.

Ogden Res produced many people and a few birds including 2 GSW, 1 Nuthatch ditto Moorhen, 3 Blackbird, few Tit sp. Chaffinch and many Gulls. Once again a few Herring were present and I presume a couple of LBBG among the 1/2CY critters.

Mixenden Res: 1 each Cormorant & f Goldeneye and the Gulls again including Herring. A distant Green Woodpecker was heard.

Elsewhere: 2 BarnOwl.

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Raggalds to Mixenden Res

Another downer. Nothing doing anywhere in vicinity of Raggalds. Soil Hill was passage only.

Ogden Res had at least 9 Herring Gull present along with the barking dogs that made them fly away from their watery perching platform.

Also in twos or threes or less: GSW, Dunnock, Robin, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Goldfinch & Blue/Gt Tit.

Mixenden Res: 1 Cormorant and the Gulls. 

A word to the southern newly tiered 3 citizens who have been crying about their lot. Try birding in this area then you'll know what real tears are like 😭.

Ogden to Mixenden Res

It gets quieter as time goes by notwithstanding Homo Sapiens at Ogden.

1 each GSW, Greenfinch & Grey Wagtail. 2 Blackbird, 5/6 Goldfinch, Robin and Gullage on the Ullage.

Mixenden Res: 2 Cormorant & a pr Goldeneye which flew off at approx 1245 hrs. Plenty of gulls including larger versions. 1 LTT the only woody type.

Elsewhere: 1 Barn Owl. 

Shelf Moor and Horton Bank CP

Nothing doing down in the southern fields until I got halfway down boggy Bridge Lane where c33 Fieldfare were flying from field to trees and back again.

Horton Bank Country Park made for an interesting session with aquatic avians.

Pr Mute Swan, 3 female Tufted Duck, 1 each Grey Heron, female Goosander & a GC Grebe.

Gulls in good numbers mainly BHG but also few Common, LBBG & Herring.

Also 5/6 Canada, similar Coot, 3 Moorhen. 

A plague of Magpie but minimal smaller arboreal types.