Bradshaw - Taylor Lane - Soil Hill Top etc

The usual walk t'other way round this afternoon.

Just the usual Common Gulls seen along Taylor Lane.

It was very cold and windy again on Soil Hill Top and a complete circuit of the top revealed ..... nowt.

The mud on the bottom of me boots did increase my height by 10%.

Mixenden reservoir was like a black mirror with the sun shining on it.

The 5 Whooper Swan reported by NK earlier were still present in silhouette.

A Heron flew over towards Ogden Water.

A Buzzard was being mobbed by a Common Gull - seen for Ned Hill Track.

A field full of Canada Geese, a Herring Gull and 5 Stock Dove and a few others species were seen as I went through the farms and fields on my way home.

Bradshaw - Soil Hill - Bradshaw

Another local outing and another cold morning on Soil Hill Top with a strong WNW wind up there.

Good to get out and about before the rain arrived.

It will be dark early evening now for 5 months ugh.

Birds:-

Usual gang along the local fields.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker called from trees beyond Crabtree Hall Farm.

A Sparrowhawk, flying quite high, was being mobbed by Crows as I set off up Ned Hill Road.

Ned Hill Track and Soil Hill top were cold and windy and all I could come up with were a Chaffinch, 2 Wren and a Common Gull.

A Kestrel was on a pole as I neared Taylor Lane bottom.

Bradshaw - Ogden Water - Ned Hill - Soil Hill Top - Taylor Lane

After a flu jab this morning (Chemist working Saturdays wow) I had my usual birding walk from home around Ogden Water and back over Soil Hill Top.

Pretty cold away from Ogden Water and the very strong wind on Soil Hill Top kiboshed the birding and seems to have kiboshed the delicate skin on my face - soft sod what I am.

A coffee, choc choc and a good natter with the Ogden Water visitors centre volunteers while I noshed my butties was very pleasant.

Some pretty autumn colours appearing in the leaves.

Birds:-

(A single Whooper Swan was way off on Mixenden as I had a look from the top road on my way back from my jab).

Bradshaw Fields:

C30 Small Gulls - mostly Common Gulls.

1 Herring Gull.

Mistle Thrush (heard).

36 Canada Geese.

12 Stock Dove.

2 Pheasants.

The large Jackdaw family.

Goldfinch.

Wren.

Ogden Area and Ogden Water:

Kestrel.

A few Common Gulls in the fields.

A mega distant Duck asleep on the water in the NW corner, viewed from the promenade, looked interesting at the time but I think it was a Teal.

c30 Gulls.

7 Teal.

Goosander (looks like 1st year bird?).

3 Tufted Duck.

Many Goldcrest.

1 Wigeon asleep

Many Long Tailed Tit.

Bullfinch.

Many, Many Mallard.

A small Chaffinch flock were feeding on the NW corner were only viewable from the NE footpath making it difficult to see 'em.

Ned Hill - Soil Hill Top:

1 Buzzard, 1 Crow, 1 Woodpigeon!!

Not a lot seen after leaving Soil Hill.

Distant Duck Asleep - Teal most prob.

Cromwell Bottom Area and Bradshaw Fields

I had a run down to Brighouse this cold morning (6 degrees) , parking near the fishing ponds to check out the canal and river.

After leaving the fishing ponds going along the canal  c40 Siskin were feeding in the trees.

It helped to estimate the numbers when they flushed and then returned.

A bit further along I had a look at the Ski Lake but the viewing here is difficult with the metal fencing and most trees still in full-ish leaf and I did not see a great deal.

On my return a second scan of the ski lake was a lot more productive.

I enjoyed a rest, a cake with cheese and  coffee in the visitors centre cafe.

It was good to chat with Mike H. there, who mention that a few Redpoll had been seen recently in the meadow trees.

I gave the meadow a good looking at but it was very, very quiet.

Nuthatch were visiting a seed laden bird table to nick peanuts and fly off with them.

This good spread of bird food was completely gone as I passed it later!

Mid-afternoon I had a walk along the local paths to Ned Hill Road bottom.

Birds:-

Cromwell Bottom.

C40 Siskin.

Bullfinch.

Kingfisher.

c5 Nuthatch.

Jay.

4 Tufted Duck.

2 Heron.

Mute Swan.

Coot.

2 Wigeon.

Long Tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch.

Bradshaw Fields:

Red Legged Partridge (heard).

Pheasant.

Stock Dove.

Heron.

Little Owl.

36 Canada Geese.

A few Lesser Black-backed Gull and a few more Common and Black Headed gull.

Also 2 fast flying birds with very fast wingbeats over Bradshaw Lane that

I could not decide if they were Starling or Redwing, looked a tad smaller that Starling but who knows!

Cold out there tonight.

Cromwell Bottom:

Bradshaw Fields:

Ogden Water - Wet

 A late morning, early afternoon outing to Ogden for me today, was pretty wet at times.

I did two slow circuits of the water stopping both times for a coffee at the visitors centre for a natter with Pat and Cheryl and also to replace huge amount of calories I had used up on my way around.

The Chaffinch flock near the N W waterside trees has risen to about 40.

A Brambling called, popped up on to the top of a bush and flew off - rotten swine.

Teal were difficult to locate - the first circuit revealed a few but I did a lot better second time around.

Water is fair gushing in from the north intake stream, hopefully it won't fill the place too soon.

I took an older camera with me today with the rain a potentially financial  problem for my newer one if it gets too wet.

Last evening became very Christmas like , sitting about trying to read by candle light, when the power went off at 6p.m. and did not return till after midnight - it probably went out clubbing,

Birds:-

12 Teal.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Nuthatch.

c40 Chaffinch.

1 Brambling.

4 separate Raven calls.

Goosander.

2 Tufted Duck.

4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 22 Black Headed Gull, 2 Common Gull at one point.

Plenty of Goldcrest calls and also plenty of Long Tailed Tits.

Photos difficult in the wet and with the very dark tree canopy.

Day of the Kestrel

Just a short walk for me today, along the local fields and farm track to Ned Hill Road and back.

Another cool, dull day with negligible wind.

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Joke: (To brighten up even your darkest night - or maybe not!).

Teacher: Johnny, can you please use the words Fascinate and Forum in 2 sentences. 

Johnny: er, um, er, um , oh yes I've got it.

Johnny: Me and our Jim needed new Donkey Jackets for winter so we went to Peacocks forum.

Johnny: My Donkey Jacket had 6 buttons while our Jim's had 9 button, but he could only fascinate.

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Birds:-

Garden:

A Little Owl called and immediately afterwards a Kestrel flew past - hence the Little Owl call.

Another , or the same, Kestrel seen again later.

Long Tailed Tit.

Walk:

3 Kestrel.

1 Buzzard.

2 Raven.

10 Long Tailed tit.

Little Owl.

Lesser Black-backed gull, Common Gull, Black Headed Gull.

5 Canada Geese.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

2 Pied Wagtail.

(Photos in Blogger Order).

Great Spotted Woodpecker.