Autumn 🍂 Beckons

Not in a good way this morning in a NE'ly wind, cold at times. Only a Kestrel and a flock of  Goldfinch on Soil Hill, with another few at the end of Coal Lane.

Ogden Water was the pits. Minimal gulls present; singles of Common & Herring included. A Raven flew over N grunting n groaning (I know what you mean 😢 mate).

Now lemme 🤔 think, what did I get after leaving Ogden promenade? Ah yes, more Goldfinch & a couple Swallow around Brookhouse with a Kestrel further up the track.

Mixenden Res? 🤣😆 Oh Boy! You so do likes a larf don’t you?

Cold Edge Dams and Ogden Water

A long slog this, with prolonged spells of avian paucity. 🎶 Chiffchaff, WW, Little Grebe at the dams. Also stacks of Goldfinch & Meadow Pipits. Several BHG, Swallows, 3 Pied Wagtail.

About a third of the way down towards Ogden Water from the Withens were 3 Stonechat. The woods were really quiet.

Plenty of gulls on the E shore. 3 Cormorant, 1 GC Grebe & Tufted Duck.

The only wader today was a Curlew showing reasonably well on the E shore. Also a Grey Wagtail present.

A Jay & a Kestrel at Hunter Hill bottom with a couple House Martin heard.

Mixenden To Cold Edge

Just 2 BHG on Mixenden Res. A wonderful heart pumping  walk up Hunter Hill produced a pr Raven a few Swallows & Meadow Pipits.

Down around the dams were numerous Goldfinch. I managed to get 5 Stonechat in a tight bunch, the first in some six visits since June. 3 Pied Wagtail, pr Reed Bunting, 1 WW.

3 Tufted Duck on Haigh Cote. C20 Lapwing & similar BHG plus 1 LBBG on Leadbeater. Linnet nearby.

Cromwell Bottom

I thought I'd put my skills to the test this morning and see if I could avoid the Marsh Tit at Cromwell Bottom. It was a piece of cake! I've still got what it takes.

3 Cormorant, 1 each Goosander, Dipper & Kingfisher. Mute Swan family.

1 Buzzard, couple House Martin, 2 Chiffchaff similar WW, 1 Bullfinch ditto Grey Wagtail. 3 GSW & 3 Jay.

Soil Hell To Mixenden

Hard graft this one but it had its moments. No.1 took place along the quarry edge track atop the hill from hades. A Kestrel went over E then a minute or so later a brown bird took off from a wall. Another minute and brown bird was seen chasing one of a Meadow Pipit party. It was a small raptor and perfectly fits F/Juv Merlin. Been a few years since I’ve had one here.

Rest of SH was disappointing: 2 WW. 1 Whitethroat. Several Swallow and a few Goldfinch in Coal Lane.

Ogden Water was painful; gulls again in reduced numbers, mainly BHG. 2 Cormorant & 1 Grey Heron.

Moment No.2 came as I descended down the E slope of the golf course. I almost trod on 5/6 Grey Partridge taking refuge in the ferns. Off they flew complaining loudly before dropping down to hide once more.

Carrs Beck provided the third rise in blood 🩸 pressure. It was busy around the top fence with pipits linnets and I’m really pleased to say a pr of  Spotted Flycatcher.

I should erase Mixenden from the headline with the same vigour I’m erasing it from my 📝 memory.

Ogden Water Wet

Got caught a few times in the rain this am so I just concentrated my attention on the Green Sandpiper.

Gull numbers well down and I only managed 1 Common. 5 Cormorant, 2 Tufted Duck, GC Grebe, 1 Pied Wagtail.

A few Phylloscopus Warblers moving including a juvenile Chiffchaff.

Cold Edge Dams to Carrs Beck

Thought I’d go Whinchattin today; amazing how I’m prone to fantasies innit.

A pr Common Sandpiper (makes a change), 1 Little Grebe, 3 Tufted Duck & 8 Lapwing on the dams.

The track up to Withens was rotten with Goldfinch backed up by a crowd of Meadow Pipit. Also 1 Kestrel. I found this Lapwing under a set of wires near the former Withens pub.

9 Mistle Thrush, 4 Linnet, 1 Wheatear ditto Skylark & Swallow were seen down the road to the Nolstar area.

Then nothing until I got a Weasel at Hunter Hill bottom.

Carrs Beck had another bunch of Goldfinch and that was it, no other birds seen so I called it a day.

Ogden Visitor Still Present

1 Green Sandpiper still  on N shoreline. 3 Tufted Duck, 1 GC Grebe, 3/4 Cormorant.

Gull numbers well down this morning. 1 dead LBBG and another young large gull appeared to be dying. Couldn’t determine species under circumstances.

Swallows at  Brookhouse then nothing and even more nothing at Mixenden 😁.

Ogden Water Doth Deliver

After a struggle up Soil Hill, I found reserves of strength and time on my hands to check Ogden.

Once again a wader was working the N shore but this time it’s bill and legs didn’t look right for Greenshank.

To cut a long story short, I finally decided Green Sandpiper after finding a second bird and managing some below par photos.

Also present: 2 Curlew, 1 each Tufted Duck & GC Grebe. Couple Cormorant and the usual Gulls. Buzzard heard on departure.

Good to chat with BS & DJS who both got the Greens.

Soil Hill: 1 Common Snipe, 5 Skylark, several Meadow Pipit. 1 Reed Bunting ditto Moorhen. 3 WW ditto Whitethroat. Several Goldfinch and Swallows, 1 Blackbird.

Usual Route Inaction

Not fully accurate, after a mundane Ogden Water I did get some movement; a Curlew around Hunter Hill and a drifting flock of distant hirundines never to be seen again.

4 Common Gull seen at Ogden plus the myriad LBBs,  BHs & 4/5 Herring. 6  Cormorant & 1 Tufted plus 5/6 Canada. A Buzzard called twice.

Mixenden Res had 15 LBB & 2 Herring Gull along with 6/7 Canada. A distant Buzzard called frequently.

Had a conversation with a boating 🛶 cum council official. You really don’t want to know about the incidents pertaining to this stretch of YWA.

All Change At Ogden

Back to reality this am at Ogden, even the Curlews had gone. A Buzzard was calling loudly and may be the same bird I got near Mixenden Res later.

1 Grey Heron, 4 Cormorant, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Pied Wagtail & gulls by the cartload.

A pr Wheatear at bottom Hunter Hill plus the a/m Buzzard & Kestrel tussling with a Crow.

2 BHG on Mixenden Res plus 10/11 Swimmers 🏊‍♂️ in the water while a dog patrol guard and dog sunbathed watching them.

A Relatively Glorious Twelfth

Not a good day for Grouse in our area I’m sure but mine was a good one ☝️. Kicked off at Ogden Water with an adult YLG in with the LBBs. Pity they all took flight before I could wield the camera and I didn’t find it on any shore line after that 😏.

A Wader was working the N shore moving from E to W where the Skirden Clough bridge is. This time the camera earned its keep as I managed a few below average but critical shots of a feeding Greenshank 😁.

It’s been 6 years since I had this species here.

6 Cormorant, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 GC Grebe, 2 Curlew and a few truckloads of gulls including Herring & a couple of Common.

The top fence at Carrs Beck coughed up another Redstart and just along the track towards a birdless Mixenden 5 Wheatear. A couple of these appeared to be juveniles.

Ogden Water to Mixenden

Really should be Ogden Less a lot of Water. Not a lot doing especially in the blue skies. Usual suspects:

6 Cormorant, 1 Tufted Duck & GC Grebe, LBB & BH Gulls.

2 Curlew only on the W shore.

I managed a cursing Whitethroat on the golf course and that was all.

Something drastically wrong occurred at Mixenden Res. There were birds present! 1 Grey Heron, 2 Pied Wagtail, 16 LBB & 2 Herring Gull. I took a fleeting glimpse of a long bird in the trees as RNP but won’t be logging it.

Some things never change however, Don Scuzzeroni and the Scumsuckerati have demolished another section of wall on the W bank.

Soil Hill To Scuzzersville

Quite a rewarding session all told; Ogden providing the most satisfaction. 2 juvenile RLP on Soil Hill top with a Sparrowhawk flying over Perspiration Rd. 3/4 Meadow Pipit  1 each Pheasant & Pied Wagtail, Swallows.

Ogden Water: 5 Curlew on the deck, 1 upstairs. 1 Oystercatcher ditto GC Grebe & Tufted Duck. 6 Cormorant.

1 Common & 2/3 Herring in with the LBB gulls. Judging by the screeching 2 Buzzards were about above the trees.

Approx 100 yards up the track from the promenade there was a fair bit of flitting from and over the woodland fence, Redstart being the star performer. Also 3 WW, 2 Blackbird, Blue Tit & Wren.

A Reed Bunting at Carrs Beck was the only bird seen. Further along the track I managed a very flighty Wheatear. 

A RLP adult with a well grown chick. I heard 4 distinct bursts of song I’ve not heard before in 99 and one half years of birding - not going there!

A fire was well lit in the Scuzzersville woods with 3/4 Scuzzers Brothers in attendance. Puleeze dont ask me where the Insecurity Guard was.

Chapter DCXV Ogden Route

Something slightly different at Ogden Water this am about 1010 hrs. A Buzzard first circled then flew the length of the water causing the whole shooting match of gulls to take flight but only for a minute or so.

4 Cormorant, GC Grebe & the Tufted Ducks. A single Grey Wagtail.

Quite a commotion at the Ogden Clough bridge. A sizeable moving passerine flock included LTT, 2 Nuthatch and a few WW.

A txt from DJS had me stumbling up to the Carrs Beck fence for my first UK Spotted Flycatcher of the year.

Both Redstarts from yesterday were still present along with 2 Jay and a few Linnet. Good to have a chat with Dave and Peter Smith.

Many Swallows and c15 Goldfinch at Hunter Hill bottom with a GSW. I’d like to thank the Black Bull I met on the track for scuttling past me after I’d graciously stepped to one side 😇.

A Kestrel in the Mixenden woods the only thing worth a mention.