Bradshaw - Ogden Water - Bradshaw

The last day of metrological summer bowed out on a bright and quite mild note.

I decided to walk to Ogden and  back, along the fields, and along the farm track and around  Ogden "Water" and back again.

It's that time of year when something good could just pop up (or not).

Today was an (or not) day alas.

It's just a matter of time, before the biggie, so I'll just keep plugging away, when I have the opportunity to get out birding.

Birds:-

Wren.

Kestrel (Maybe 2).

3 Chiffchaff

1 Willow warbler.

50 Canada Geese.

2 Cormorant.

Grey Wagtail.

Usual Gull species (mostly asleep).

Bullfinch.

Nuthatch.

Goldcrest.

Blackstone Edge Res. Ringstone Res. Hallas Bridge

I had a free morning so I took a long drive over to Blackstone Edge reservoir.

Windy but dry and mild-ish.

Nice to bump in NK , on his way to Whiteholme , as I went along the 'promenade' .

He managed to get a very nice photo of a Wheatear there - see his blog link "Birdbrain"

Blackstone Edge was 'disappointing'  with nothing on the large exposed coastline and just a few Mallard on the water.

A lady and her dog were walking along the complete far side of the reservoir from West to east.

After a poor do here, I drove to Ringstone where the wind had increased but it was ok.

The farmer was ploughing the large north fields (going south to north - up and down).

It was too far away for me to get any decent views of the 'tons' of Gulls enjoying the opportunity of a free Ploughman's Lunch - ho ho.

Later quite a lot of the Gulls joined the large contingent of Canada Geese on the water - quite a sight with all these birds together on the water.

Not a lot seen really - perhaps the ploughing had flushed the Lapwing and Golden Plover?

On my way to Halifax I called at Hallas Bridge (through Sowerby Bridge).

I did not stay long but a few birds were seen.

Birds:-

Blackstone Reservoir.

Linnet.

Meadow Pipit.

Pied Wagtail.

Mallard.

2 Swallows West.

Ringstone:

Black Headed Gull.

Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Herring Gull.

(Lots of Gull photos to look through - so I might get something special).

2 Grey Wagtail.

2 Pied Wagrtail.

2 Swallow.

Kestrel.

Tufted Duck.

Cormorant.

Great Crested Grebe.

Hallas Bridge:

Buzzard.

Dipper.

Heron.

Mallard.

Gulls enjoying a ploughman's!

Bradshaw Fields

Late afternoon today I had a walk along the Bradshaw Fields, through the farms to Ned Hill Road bottom and back again.

On the way back my camera battery felt really tired showing a small teardrop on my monitor.

"Ah! I thought, this is where I see a Mega just after the battery exhausts itself."

I need not have worried though, the battery limped home and the mega stayed incognito.

Not much on offer here this afternoon.

Top of the "Bill" were 15 very flighty, Mistle Thrush flitting about from the horse field to the wall tops then off.

Birds:-

15 Mistle Thrush.

2 Rook.

20 Goldfinch.

1 Greenfinch.

Starling.

2 Stock Dove.

2 Pheasant.

Meadow Pipit.

Just a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls over.

Sitting in the garden

Not much birding of late.

Earlier this  morning and a bit later this morning, as well,  I had a sit in the garden hoping to catch something of interest flying by.

Three Buzzard were up together with one calling which my have been a juv.

Three Raven flew fast, high, east - one of these was also calling and trying to catch the leader.

A couple of Swallow also in the air.

Some good light yesterday teatime allowed for some very distant photos towards Norland-ish from Bradshaw.

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Ogden Water

Ray and Tina called this afternoon - the ladies talked - the men left!

Ogden was bright and dry and deads-ville.

Just the 'usual 'Gulls  mostly resting, 5 Cormorant and a few Mallard.

The drink is getting very, very low - maybe tomorrow some more juice will arrive.

Plenty of contact calls from high in the trees but little seen really.

Good to get some fresh air though.

A few pretty White Butterflies passed through the garden this a.m.

Birds:-

C400 Gulls - 70% Lesser Black-backed Gull. 30% Black Headed Gull.

6 Herring Gull.

5 Cormorant.

Mallards.

Bradshaw - Soil Hill etc

Helen, Sue's friend called late morning and while the ladies sat in the sun chatting, I had a short birding walk.

I went along the fields, up Ned Hill Road, along Ned Hill Track and up to Soil Hill. I skirted around to my right avoiding the ploughed up top bit.

Home was via Percy Road and Taylor Lane.

A very hot walk, especially going up 'the grunt' - Ned Hill Road but soil hill had a pleasant breeze.

Birds were hard to come by .

2 Kestrels were up together deftly avoiding Jackdaw mobs.

A third Kestrel was over Ned Hill Track.

Just a low flying Swallow seen on Soil Hill but a nice surprise awaited me in a field near the mast - a distant Wheatear.

A longish sky watch this aft (in among reading) did not reveal a lot  - all birds were miles off to the south of me and mostly black dots!!

Birds:-

Sparrowhawk over the house.

Wheatear.

3 Kestrel. 3 Chiffchaff. Willow Warbler.

Starling. 2 Stock Dove.

1 Meadow Pipit.

Rooks.

Pheasant.

Lesser Black-backed Gulls over.

Plus a few other species.