Soil Hill - Ogden (Brambling Hunt Part 2)

SH 11:00.

A very dull misty murky morning but surprisingly any major rain stayed away ‘till 14:00 ish.

Visibility on top of the hill was down to 50 mtrs or so.

A Pied Wagtail was kind enough to land on the track near the mast, also up there Wren, F. Pheasant and a rare surprise for me a Reed Bunting. I don’t often see these from the contour footpath.

A bird flushed from behind the gorse like bushes (with black seed pods) , at the top of  west contour path  just as it starts its descent towards Ned Hill track - A Partridge most probably.

Coal Lane – Plantation.

Just a couple of Common Gull in the fields next to Coal Lane.

A good number of small birds in the conifers on the left of the field approaching the plantation track. At least 6 Goldcrest, 2 Coal tit and others feeding.

A Moorhen called as I approached the plantation.

I had a good nosy about in the dark plantation area but nothing of note came to see me.

Ogden 12:00

Lots of active small birds on the Res. west side path just before the first corner.

Coal Tit in good number, Wren, Long Tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Robin.

Treecreeper, 4 M. Bullfinch, Dunnock, about a dozen Chaffinch.

A Dipper was flying to- and-fro over the intake stream at the bridge nearest the shop on the East path.

Also hereabouts a flock of C30 Chaffinch, in the trees and feeding on the rocks near the waters edge.

I spent a good while checking them out hoping for Brambling or Redpoll but nothing doing alas.

A Green Woodpecker was calling and also a GSW was calling.

Two  Little Grebe on the water, each had a BHG in tow trying to pinch some grub.

12 Woodpigeon, 2 Jay with the usual gull species.

We must be due some exciting wildfowl on Ogden Water soon.

Coming through Bradshaw

30 BHG feeding in the fields.

 C300 Starling in the trees behind Bradshaw church.

House Sparrow, Collard Dove.

Given the poor weather not a bad do!

Sue has just over 5 days to go before her foot has a long awaited reconciliation with her shoe. 

 I guess my prolific birding days are numbered.

Some pretty murky shots:-

A grim Soil Hill with a Camouflaged Pied Wag.

A murky Ogden.

A Magpie examining the remains of a Woodpigeon?

Today's lunch stop

Today's post - awaiting signage

Dipper a long way off

A bit nearer

Nearer still

3 Chaffinch in here somewhere!

Some of C300 Starlings nr. Bradshaw Church