Ogden Delivereth and More

Today the birds reappeared in style for two thirds of the trek from Soil Hill to Mixenden where it failed no doubt out of loyalty.

Soil Hill: 3 Raven on the Radio Mast. 4 Pheasant, 1 Skylark, couple Meadow Pipit similar Swallow. 3 Greylag Geese looking like the domestic version. 4 WW one of which sang frequently also 3/4 LBBG & c12 BHG helping with haymaking.

Ogden Res: at 1149 hrs a couple of Common Tern flew in from the south calling loudly. They did  over half a lap on the W shore then veered off over the trees in the direction of Cold Edge. One looked to be a juvenile bird, the other was an adult.

Also 1 Oystercatcher in flight as was a Common Gull. 2 LBBG, several BHG & 2 Cormorant seen but no trace of the GC Grebes. 2 WW, 1 Chiffchaff & 3 GSW.

The golf course rough came up trumps with a juvenile or possible female Yellowhammer in among a small cluster of Meadow Pipit. A male Reed Bunting & 3/4 Stonechat were also active here.

Then it completely shut down.

Ogden to Mixenden Res

Wet Windy and not great.

Ogden Res:

3 Cormorant,  3 LBBG & 1 Herring Gull, 7 BHG. 2 GCG, 4 Blackbird, 1 WW ditto  Swallow. 

Just 2 Meadow Pipit from the promenade across to Mixenden Res which once again was rubbish. 1 Swallow and the ornament female Tufted Duck.

Wainstalls Circular To Mixenden

Time to get out into the wider wilder horizon I thought this am. The bird list looked rather promising and then rather unfortunately I left the house.

So what did I see once the visit got underway? Well, relatively...

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More Soil Hill to Mixenden Res

A walk of two halves for sure and I know which the best one was - the stretch to Ogden Water. Now 2 GC Grebe & 3/4 Cormorant (one may have flown off).

c21 BH & 10 LBB Gulls. Several Goldfinch, couple Linnet. Male Blackcap seen, 1 Chiffchaff & WW heard. GSW, very few Swallows ditto Meadow Pipit, 1 Greenfinch.

Matters zoomed downhill when I left the promenade heading for Mixenden. A NW breeze eradicated birds both from the landscape and my memory. Probably the same Tufted from 20 July is present but I still ain't got a bleedin clue what that moth is.

Soil Hill to Mixenden Res

Finally, some birds turned up! Managed a pr Swift over Soil Hell, along with a few Swallow also 1 WW & 4/5 LBBG upstairs.

Ogden Water: 1 each Grey Wagtail & Cormorant and the now what I class as fixtures and fittings GC Grebe. 25 BH & c15 LBB Gulls. 2 Chiffchaff, 1 WW, 2 Reed Bunting, 3 Stonechat, several Meadow Pipit, c28 Linnet, several Goldfinch. 1 juvenile Whitethroat, couple House Martin, few Swallow.

Mixenden Res: 1 GSW, more Swallows incl juveniles. 1 Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipits. The population of waterbirds increased twofold with a Moorhen & a female Tufted present.

I really screwed up my camera settings today but lucky me my mobile bone camera works fine. I don't know what this example of lepidoptera is but I do know it's a lifer for me. It was on the footpatch by the reservoir wall. I've tried to find out on the 'net but I can't even get close.

Finished off on the way home with a Windhover hovering over Windhover Windy Bank.

Tales of Woe

Read no further if you don't want to hear unadulterated shear misery.

Friday 17th July. A trip to Horton Bank CP via Shelf Moor. 6 Lapwing were at Bridge Lane plus a Linnet or three; that was it.

Horton Bank CP: 1 Mute Swan ditto LBB & BH Gull. Moorhens & Coots. There were no redeeming feature birds and I aborted the trip and cried myself home.

Sunday 19 July. A muscle debilitating yomp to Soil Hill and back. Nothing on the top apart from a Meadow Pipit or two and 2 Blackbird.

The bottom was tear jerking; 1 Reed Bunting & a few Linnet only (ok there was a Dullard too). I was so bored I tried to assess what the recent works have achieved and concluded the infamous red metal Portakabin is no more.

There was a late singing Whitethroat near the Farm Shop along with a Pied Wagtail.

Usual Route minus Birds

A total contrast to the previous outing with long patches of nothingness. To break the mould I did get my first Bullfinches in a while; 2 juveniles at Ogden. 1 Chiffchaff & a Song Thrush heard.

The water had 1 Cormorant, 9 adult LBBG, c19 BHG & the GCG.

Prior to this I just managed a few Swallow & a WW on the Ned Hill sludge flow.

The golf course to Mixenden leg produced 2 juvenile Stonechat, a few Linnet ditto Meadow Pipit & Swallows. 

A solitary LBBG swam on the reservoir.

Another Down and Up Slog

0825-1125 hrs. A chronic bore for much of the way, making me appreciate yesterday's back yard Sparrowhawk in flight threefold.

I recommend a Kayak for the Ned Hill track which coughed up a Blackbird and 2 WW. I was wrong about the probable migration statement made in a previous post. Both WW were rather frantic in their calls and actions; I am now certain they have bred.

The GC Grebe is still glued to the surface of Ogden Water but the Cormorants weren't about. 13 BH & 3 LBB gulls present plus a couple of Chiffchaff, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush & a few Swallow.

Things changed dramatically from the Mixenden Stile along Hunter Hill bottom. It was dirty filthy stinking rotten with birds. 5/6 Stonechat, several Linnet & Meadow Pipit, a multiplicity of Goldfinch & a severe storm of Swallows.

Several House Martin were overhead at Mixenden which also had Jackdaws, Nuthatch & a Chiffchaff, however the water was virtually barren.

Don't go too close dearie, I'm not quite sure this guy is right in his head

Soil Hill

0940-1130 hrs. I was fortunate enough to meet Daniel at the N slope bottom who promptly pointed out a Whinchat to me. This is much appreciated, it being my first of the year.

I hung around this area for a while and picked up the Grasshopper Warbler belting out a couple of lines. 

This part of the hill is now out of bounds indefinitely owing the commencement of excavation etc.  However birders are still allowed access to the grassy areas where no work is in progress.

Other birds: 1 RLP, 2 Reed Bunting, Stock Dove, 4 Whitethroat. Few Linnet, Goldfinch, Meadow Pipit. 3 Swallow similar Skylark & 1 LBBG. A pr Swift over Roper Lane on the way back home.

A Birders Theme Tune

A Quiet Session

Sporadic activity with long quiet spells so it's back to the norm. Probable evidence of local migration e.g a WW seen clearly flitting between bushes and calling with no juveniles nearby. Also a single Sand Martin flying over a farm field. Talking about juveniles this Moorhen really threw me as it was by the side of a minor road.

24 BH & 1 LBB Gulls, 1 Cormorant ditto GC Grebe. An active agitated female Blackcap seen, 2 Chiffchaff. 1 gate that needs oiling as it's still squeaking.

Pr Dunnock, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Swallow ditto Song Thrush. Pr Linnet similar Goldfinch. 1 Oystercatcher overhead.

Finished off with Pr GSW, 1 Green Woodpecker & Chiffchaff. 1 Pied & a Grey Wagtail family of 6 individuals.

A Welcome Sea Duck

Common Scoter - been a long time since I've had one of these locally, here are some appalling photos...

Also: 2 Squeaking Gates, c20 BH & 1 LBB Gulls, 2 Cormorant, GC Grebe.

1 Tufted Duck, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Reed Bunting ditto Skylark, several Meadow Pipit, 1 Goldcrest, few Goldfinch, several Swallow, few House Martin, 2 Song Thrush. Got my first pr Swift in quite a while. 

Peaks and Troughs

Never thought I'd manage the Three Peaks at my age but it did come to pass during the inevitable low spells.

1st peak: 3 LEO seen or heard from a public bridleway.

This was followed in the space of 10 minutes by the 2nd peak. 10 Crossbill first heard then seen as they flew overhead.

Birds seen in the troughs: 1 each BH & LBB Gull. 2 Cormorant, 1 GC Grebe ditto Kestrel. 2 each Chiffchaff & WW, 1 each Blackcap Whitethroat & Song Thrush. 

Few Swallow knocking about as were Meadow Pipit also 1 Moorhen.

3rd peak and a very late first of the year: 1 Common Sandpiper. 2 Pied Wagtail, 9 House Martin, 1 Chiffchaff & 6 Canada, few Goldfinch, couple Linnet.

A Garden Visitor

Something was lurking on my kitchen window ledge on Thursday night; a better view revealed a recently fledged Woodpigeon.

I went outside very quietly and took a photograph with the bird appearing to be unruffled. When I went back into said kitchen some time later it shuffled about more actively and decided to move to a fence in the garden corner.

While this was taking place, I could hear constant calls from the birds parents, the very same pair that have been hanging about the back for the past two years.

Ogden & Mixenden

Ogden Water 1050-1220 hrs. Finally I think it's safe to say the Gulls are back: 1 4CY Herring, c16 LBBG & 8 BHG.

2 Cormorant, 1 GCG, 4 WW, 1 each Reed Bunting, Skylark, Blackcap & Chiffchaff.

3 Stonechat. The parents were agitated and noisy throughout the time I spent annoying them 👺. Also a couple of Blackbird & Linnet, 1 each Swallow & Song Thrush, 2/3 Meadow Pipit.

Mixenden Res was, surprise surprise quiet. 8 Canada, 1 House Martin, 2 Sand Martin & a Chiffchaff.