Soil Hill Ogden Water and Mixenden

Half of this slog was spent watching empty air and ground space especially on Soil Hill. The trek from Ogden promenade to Mixenden was similar. 😏.

A Buzzard was perched on a telegraph pole at the top of the Ogden Plantation.

Ogden Water held the Goosander and a small number of gulls. The Kingfisher flew a short distance from a W bank bush.

Woodpeckers have been very busy in the woodlands.

🌳. Along with a couple of Blackbird seen was a single Redwing.  

Mixenden Res had 2 Cormorant on it and c120 gulls, mainly small sp. but a handful of big uns thrown in.

Elsewhere a Barn Owl 🦉 4 Roe Deer.

Busy Low Moor Dams

A bright day despite the gloom that was forecast. Harold Park lake is still really shallow and crowded with the usual crew. One BHG needed a replacement right foot.

The Great White Egret put on a stellar performance as it strolled around in search of morsels 😛.

Singles of Goosander & Tufted Duck also noted.

Park Dam was also busy. A Pochard remained close at hand so much so I thought it might peer down the camera lens 😁. 

I searched high and low for the recent Goldeneye but failed to clock it. 7 Goosander, 2 GCG, 4 Cormorant, 9 Mute Swan. c10 Tufted Duck, 2 Greylag, c80 Canada & a Jay.

On the way back to HX I got a Buzzard circling around Stump Cross. All told a very pleasing session 👍.

Cold Wet Ogden To Mixenden

I was in a hurry to get walking after the white filth had gone. How I wish I hadn’t after been rained on before being caught in a severe hail storm 😳.

Ogden was at rock bottom with just a couple of Herring Gull & c15 BHG on the water. The only sound from the woodland was a Wren.

Things picked up a bit around Brookhouse and Stod Fold with a dozen or so LTT, Blue & Great Tits in singles or doubles. 10 Blackbird & a Mistle Thrush.

Mixenden Res held a Cormorant & several gulls mainly small but with a handful of big uns thrown in.

I was surprised to see a Barn Owl facing the bracing wind.

Horton Bank Country Park

A freezing morning with bright sunshine. The lake was half frozen over with plenty of gulls and a Grey Heron standing on the ice.

Pr Greylag Geese ditto Mute Swan. Usual Coots & Moorhens.

Very interesting to chat to a local birder who mentioned the Great White Egret from Harold Park sometimes shows here. He also mentioned that a Water Rail has been here for about 3 years but wasn’t heard this morning.

Another interesting visitor who I had a natter with was a lady who had moved to the area from Ohio USA 🤠.

Another Poor Day At Ogden

Not much to say really. My third visit to Ogden in a week and there were even less birds than before. Minimal gulls, the f Goosander wasn’t seen and the woods just produced 2 Blackbird & a Robin. A Raven did call loudly 3/4 times.

I was surprised to see a pr Dullard doing a dance and then the male trying to mate with his partner. Don’t they know it’s very cold with gusty winds and ice n snow all around?

At home this am a Tawny Owl 🦉 called from the trees 🌳 out back. This is my first here in a couple of years. They used to be regular.

Harol Park and Park Dam

After 2 more trips to Orrible Ogden last week I just couldn’t face it today so I went to see if the Great White Egret was still in residence at Harold Park Lake.

Oh Boy was it! 😁. Unlike my first sighting it was much more active and on one occasion gave itself up for a couple of better photos.

Also 3 Wigeon still present. 4 Goosander, 1 Little Grebe and the many Coots & Moorhens. Plenty of expected gulls & 1 Cormorant. 5 Mute Swan.

Park Dam: Pr GCG, 5 Goosander, 3 Cormorant ditto Mute Swan, 8 Tufted Duck, Coots, Moorhens, gulls & 3 Cormorant. 6 Canadas in flight.

A Great Morning At Low Moor

The water at Harold Park has receded even more and all the wildfowl and Swans were indulging themselves around and in the mud. 3 Wigeon were busy feeding in the shallows just a few yards away.

I looked towards the island and hey presto the Great White Egret was almost like a statue 😍👏🏼. It hardly moved while I was there. A Grey Heron was stood about 35 yards away.

Plenty of gulls present including Herring.

As I exited to visit Park Dam my luck grew even more; a flock of  upto100 Pink-footed Geese flew over > SW 👍.

Park Dam held a Cormorant, 2 GCG, 3 Tufted Duck, a Kingfisher, 3 Mute Swan and a modicum of gulls. c30 Canada & a pr Greylag were in an adjacent field. A Jay screeched 😳.

Have A Twitch

Crowds flock to quiet street to spot rare bird https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg571eygj97o

Cromwell Bottom

Very Hard work. I managed to see distant views of a couple of Aytha ducks but cannot confirm Scaup.

2 Grey Heron, 6 Cormorant, 1 each Little Grebe & Kingfisher.

1 Dipper (besides me) pr Goosander, several gulls. Mute Swan & Moorhen.

The feeders held only a handful of tits thanks to the presence of 4/5 Grey Filth invaders with another two marching along the tracks.

Rare Visitor To Harold Park

My friend who is not specifically a birder but has an interest in wildlife went for a walk around Harold Park Lake this morning.

It’s only a Great White Egret Barry! What a find.

Ogden Water To Mixenden

Fog and condensation reduced viewing but I got some activity today unlike last Thursday which did not warrant a post. Usual gulls present in good numbers and the f  Goosander on the drink.

A Raven heard a couple of times. 3 Bullfinch, a Treecreeper, small party of tits including LTT. 2/3 Blackbird.

Brookhouse was very busy with Chaffinch, Goldfinch, 2/3 Greenfinch & LTTs plus Blue & Greats. A Moorhen was in the brook.

Just a Cormorant and a few gulls including 1 LBBG on Mixenden.

A Long Slog With Minimal Birds

A case of crashing back down to earth; Queensbury Soil Hill Ogden and Mixenden ☹️.

Gulls on the football pitch near Raggalds.

A dozen Goldfinch Perspiration Rd.

A Sparrowhawk at Ogden Water and the usual gulls only.

Carrs Beck still plays host to the very large Thrush flock.

A Barn Owl seen at distance.

Mixenden Res finally held good numbers of gulls both small and large but nothing else.

Cold Edge Nightmare Mixenden Dream

My worst ever visit to Cold Edge Dams so much so nothing is worth mentioning 😟.

I walked the boring slog from Withens down to the W side of Ogden not paying much attention. I now know from BS & DJS had I persevered I could have got a couple of goodies.

My spirits were raised yet again at Carrs Beck 😁. The sky was filthy dirty rotten with hundreds of migrant thrushes. Redwing were all over the joint with many Fieldfare in support. Several Mistle Thrush and a fair few Blackbird also noted.

On arrival at dreaded Mixenden Reservoir I noticed some dark blobs on the drink. The remaining teeth in my mouth nearly shot out into the trees 😳. The blobs turned out to be 6 yes six Common Scoter! I managed a few under par photos at distance for record purposes.