Quiet Queensbury South

Littlemoor Park: 1 each Greenfinch Nuthatch Mistle Thrush. A couple Blue Tit then nothing other than Caaawvids.

The fields were appalling just a few BHG and a Kestrel.

Gonna console myself and listen to Crow Me A River by Joe 🐓 Cockerel.

More From A Volcanic Cranium

My mind can’t accept I’m a birdwatching failure after yet another dismal day yesterday Friday at Ogden. 2 Bullfinch and the gullage on the ullage 😞.

So I thought about the hit records produced by avians down the years and feel so fortunate to have heard them.

Here are a few. Crossbill Haley - Rook Around The Clock.

Elvis - Jailhouse Rook. Jerry Lee Lewis - Great Balls Of Firecrest. Tony Christie - Tie A Yellowhammer Round The Old Oak Tree. Eddie Cochran - Cut Across Shorty Eared Owl.

Although the Supremes had many a hit and their lead singer was a Ross’s, my stand out choice is a soul classic:

RESPECT sung by Aretha FRANKLIN’S GULL 😂🤓.

What?

Monday and Wednesday Walks

Monday 22 Jan

Gave the peg a trial in Littlemoor Park Monday lunchtime and managed to stay upright despite Storm Isha’s best efforts.

As expected not much doing: 1 Greenfinch 5 Chaffinch 1 Blackbird couple Woodpigeon & the Caaawvids.

Wednesday 24 Jan

Despite hearing Storm Jocelyn or was it Howlin Wolf? for most of the night I thought it’s time to give Ogden a try.

The gales gusted throughout the stagger and no Passerines were in evidence at all. A few small gulls, most appeared to be Common, roughed it on the water. 

Oh silly me I did pick up this lifer 😅

After more slogging and no sightings other than the odd overhead BHG, I decided to bypass Mixenden and head home. 

More Wader Fantasies

I’m hoping to be out tramping about by Tuesday as recovery from my recent cartwheel in the snow picks up a pace.

Two Peregrine Falcons were perched on a rocky ledge close to a wader roost. The parent mother was teaching the young un how to procure food. Mum can I go now and grab a Curlew for lunch? said the eager male offspring. No! you can Knot replied Mum try one of the many smaller ones nearby.

So off went young Perry but he did Knot catch anything 😞. Don’t fret Son said Mum. I’m not going to Snipe at you nor will your Dad, Jack 😅. Mum then flew off returning 4 minutes later with a Redshank which they shared.

Well it’s getting near dark said the matriarch we’d better return home. I hope you have learned something from today’s (wait for it good people) Little Stint. 😂

Good Godwits one of my two readers exclaimed 🤮

A Walk In The Snow Fall

Birding had to take a backseat today. Myself and another walker hit an Ice Patch on one of the Ogden tracks. No broken bones for me but a couple of cuts on the patella and a sore thigh muscle.

I met a guy in a tent with a Wader species on top of it. He said it’s great having a Ruff over your head 😂.

A Carpenter was shaving a table leg. A Wader was on the end of it and another one was perched on a shelf. He said it’s Ruff here and needs smoothing. Pass me that Wood Sandpiper please  🤣. 

Horton Bank Country Park

 A short lunchtime visit found the lake about 75% frozen over. No visitors to report and the long staying drake Goesunder has left or gone under for a very long time 😁.

Mute Swan, 5 Coot, similar Moorhen. Plenty of BHG and 3/4 large gulls including an adult LBBG and what I suspect to be a 2CY Herring that didn't shy away when I intruded with the camera.

Catch Up On Nothing Doing

Went out Monday 15th to Ogden Water and Mixenden. It was so bad I couldn’t be bothered posting.

Today was almost as bad but at least the walk was enjoyable 😏.

Two Canada were on Ogden Water plus several small gull sp.

Numerous gulls were on Mixenden Res including a couple of adult LBB & Herrings.

At least today the Barn Owl was showing well, lit up by the bright sunshine.

Queensbury South Migrants

Early afternoon session in Littlemoor Park and the outlying fields. A Greenfinch sang for a couple of minutes with another bird nearby. Common woodland birds were more obvious than the previous visits. 3/4 Great Tit, couple Blue Tit ditto Chaffinch, 4 Blackbird.

Also a Roe Deer.

The fields were quiet apart from Caaawvids and a fair number of small gull sp. However a couple of hundred yards down Bridge Lane I copped for a zig zagging flock of c60 Redwing 😁. They didn't hang around and were gone in a few minutes.

A Tedious Trek Brings Little Reward

Plenty of gulls on the sports field at Raggalds but nothing on the Flood.

My mind is definitely fragmented; I did the whole of Soil Hill.

Nothing at all on the bottom. A pr Grey Partridge on top plus the remains of a Carrion Crow which suggests a possible Peregrine hit to me.

Ogden was poor (I am aware I don’t visit at the optimum

 times). Grey Wagtail, Coal Tit, 5 Goldfinch, Robins.

I managed the Dipper flying down Hebble Brook.

A very large number of mainly small gull species on Mixenden Res.

It sure is getting harder to maintain my status as a second rate birder 😏. Who said don’t flatter yourself?

Welcome To The 🐑 Rescue Service

After another non event at Ogden Water fate intervened at Mixenden and I found my forte 😌.

A Sheep 🐑 had the wisdom to stick its head through a one way only wire fence hole. I had a few attempts at releasing the critter but realised wire cutters were necessary.

So off to the nearest farm about half a mile away where I was furnished with a sturdy set of blades.

I got back to the beast and inside a minute freed it from its prison. Said 🐑 trotted off with a single Baaa which could have been out of contempt rather than gratitude 😏.

I returned the cutters to the farm and had a  👀 at the reservoir - sod all 🥸.

Raggalds To Mixenden Res

A real failure this 😢. A few gulls on the still flooded Raggalds.

Soil Hell was of exercise value only. c60 Canadas down at the bottom.

I congratulate myself however on skilfully avoiding any Passerines at Ogden. I did get the f Goesunder again though.

Also Barn Owl and a laffing Yaffle further afield. No point in mentioning Mixe - oops I nearly did 🙂

Cold Edge Ogden Mixenden Res

A long trek in the cold but dry air and bright sunshine. A good start and finish for birds but a dreadful middle period 🙂.

On Leadbeater Dam at the far end from the track was a drake Goldeneye 👍😃. A most welcome ducky as I failed to get one in 2023.

Just 13 Canadas seen besides this and nothing on the drag down to Ogden Water which we shall not discuss 😏.

The only mentionable thing about Mixenden Res is a very good count of Common Gull present besides the other gulls and a pr Blackbird.

The Elsewhere location produced a pr of  Barn Owl one of them in flight looking superb as the sunlight enhanced its features 😛.

Ogden Water To Mixenden Res

A reasonable day at last. The female Goosander showed again on Ogden Water which also sported a few mixed small gulls. 4 Blackbird & a Green Woodpecker were not in the water 🤓.

Mixenden Res was full of gulls but only a handful were large species. The 🌲s and bushes at the Hays Lane end produced a pr Treecreeper a female Bullfinch & 7 Blackbird. A singing Mistle Thrush heard.

A lady 🐕 walker I know reports a Red Kite over Wheatley back in December.

Birding In The Liquid Nightmare

I stayed in yesterday the first of 2024 so I practically screamed my way out of the hovel this am and headed for Ogden Water. Just exactly how stupid am I? 

No need for the binoculars to leave the rucksack 🎒 such was the amount of mist. 4 🐦‍⬛ bird 1 Robin and a very few small gull sp. plus a Herring.

I fared a little better at Stod Fold with 5 LTT & a Grey Heron parked on a wall. Suppose I should mention Caaawvids and a Starling 😏.

Trek abandoned at the thought of finding more disappointment at Mixenden.