A Short Annual Review Moan

No point in going into detail about missing Tree Pipit or Wood Warbler this year. To put 2024 truly into perspective my records confirm what I suspected…

I couldn’t even tick Goldcrest nor Golden Plover! 😢.

Low Moor Cold Windy Birding

Visibility good on a dry morning. Harold Park was packed with loads of gulls with a fair few larger ones among the BHG swathes. Nothing else besides the Moorhens and Coots so I offed it over to Park Dam.

The wind didn’t seem to bother the birds here and it was quite busy. A dead large gull was belly up but I could just about make it out as a sub adult phase Herring that had only met its demise recently. Overhead power cables seemed the likely cause 🤔.

The Great White Egret was busy fishing in the dense foliage corner where it likes to perch no pun intended. A Grey Heron was on the bank near the houses.

6 Goosander, 5 Tufted Duck, 9 Mute Swan & a Cormorant.

Soil Hill To Mixenden

I had Low Moor in mind this am but decided to try more local instead.  I will be considering a visit to a Psychiatrist in the new year 😫. It was appalling; a beautiful day but hardly any birds.

A few gulls and caawvids around Soil Hell. Ogden was dire: a distinct lack of arboreal avians stood out. Plenty of small gulls on the water plus the f Goosander.

I fared better on the stretch to Mixenden Res 🙂. A Barn Owl was showing well as it absorbed the suns rays. A Raven was noisy for a short spell.

Mixenden had Uggins of gulls including good numbers of the larger species.

Along with a Cormorant was a Great Crested Grebe 😊.

Low Moor Dams

Harold Park lake wasn’t up to much - 1 Tufted, the usual residents and a good number of gulls including Herring & LBBG.

So I left after a short session and headed across to Park Dam.

The joint was 🎸 rocking in comparison 🤠. The Great White Egret was initially perched in a distant tree but in true Xmas spirit it decided to fly across the water and pose for me.

2 Grey Heron, 5 each Cormorant & Goosander, 1 GCG & the 9 Mute Swan.

Tufted Duck have now increased to 13 birds. 

I didn’t have time to count the Canadas & Greylags in the Royds Hall field.

Saturday Walking In Wind

I couldn’t face getting any good birds today so I braved the wind and traipsed round Ogden Water. Proud to say this was a master stroke as apart from a slip up when I saw a dozen gulls on the water there was plenty of nothing to see whatsoever 😏.

Low Moor Dams

A very cold bright sunny morning. The GWE was absent from Harold Park lake which was underperforming compared to previous visits.

4 Greylag & 3 Tufted Duck were seen along with a good count of mixed gulls. A Coal Tit was singing and 4 Blackbird were feeding in close proximity.

Not to worry about the Great White Egret it was perched in a tree on Park Dam 👍. 

7 Goosander, 5 Tufted Duck & 1 GCG were afloat. A Grey Heron & a pr Cormorant also seen along with the Kingfisher & a Grey Wagtail.

Peregrine Plans

Clocktower nest box plan for peregrine falcons https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c07gp7d9jllo

Horton Bank CP

Just a 40 minute session this am. Nothing out of the ordinary but it was enjoyable.

Pr Mute Swan, 12 Canadas usual Moorhens & Coots.

1 Grey Heron and a good count of gulls including BHGs a few Common LBBG & an Herring or three.

A distinct shortage of Passerines.

Friday and Saturday Outings

On Friday I didn’t want to see any birds so I visited Ogden & Mixenden. I had my bins and camera with me which came in handy as small weights to enhance my fitness training 😏.

Definitely the most boring session ever in these aquatic deserts (is that an OxyMoorhen? 🤓).

Today at Low Moor the wind was blowing and it sure kept  the Goosanders at bay; just 3 seen.

The Great White Egret was seen in flight prior to it landing in a bush where it stayed put.

A couple of Cormorant seen but not the Pochard. 1 GCG. 8 Greylag & a few Tufted. A Grey Heron & plenty of mixed Gull sp.

Low Moor Dams

Cold and Breezy with Grey Skies. Harold Park lake was very busy (when isn’t it these days?). A LBBG was missing its right leg but looked in good shape otherwise. A Herring Gull was nearby.

The GWE was on the island as was a Grey Heron.

A Cormorant and a Goosander were out in the lake middle and a couple of Tufted Duck were near the play area.

Most of the action on Park Dam was by the channel end. A Grey Heron & 9 Mute Swan were there. The Pochard was approachable and unphased by my presence. 12 Goosander hung around the middle while 11/12 Tufted Duck spread themselves out.

Two Cormorant landed on the Pylon wires.

The pr GC Grebe were near the spot where the previously reported tangled Common Gull now floats dead still entangled.

The bottom field at Royds Hall produced a Greylag and c80 Canadas.

Ogden Water To Mixenden

Mostly exercise value this am especially the stretch from

Ogden to Mixenden.

A Jay, pr Bullfinch, coupleTit species and a Buzzard in the trees at Ogden.

A very wary Cormorant flew off towards Mixenden. Only a few BHG present but as I departed 1 Herring & c11 Common Gull flew overhead.

Plenty of small gulls with a good count of Common on Mixenden & the Cormorant.

1 Barn Owl seen.

Low Moor Dams Good And Bad

Thankfully the mist cleared and out came the Sun as I arrived at Harold Park. The GWE was at distance on the island with a couple of Grey Heron for competition. A Cormorant was swimming about but as the sun was low and dazzling I found it difficult to see what else was around. I decided to venture onto nearby Park Dam.

I was met with a sickening spectacle 😢. A Common Gull was close to the bank moving around in circles and ducking its head and flapping its wings. It was badly tangled up presumably with discarded fishing line 🤬.

A lot of birds were at the far channel including the Kingfisher. A male Goosander, Mute Swans, Tufteds & a Greylag. A field turned up another 6 Greylag and c75 Canadas.

I decided to return to Harold Park to view it from a different angle.

This paid dividends and it also showed why the Egret likes the place. In about 8 minutes I watched it cash 3 fish 👍.

5 Goosander seen and the usual crew.