Bradshaw & Ogden

A late morning / early afternoon jaunt to Ogden Water, a laugh in the visitors centre with Pat & Steve and a jaunt back the way I came, was my birding day today.

Before that I had mist and drizzle for company on my "last minute" Christmas shop to Morrisons.

Nice to bump into Roy H on Syke Lane, delivering a Turkey - he'd make a good District Nurse our Roy would.

Very dull out and about but it stayed mostly dry on the walk with more-or-less the same birds as usual, except 6 Tufted Duck were here today.

An unusual sight was of three Treecreeper all climbing the same tree at the same time - Top, Middle & Bottom - reminded me of darts in The Royal Oak at Ambler Thorn, Queensbury when I was minus 20 years old.

Birds:-

Bradshaw - Ogden Lane.

3 Red Legged Partridge.

Little Owl.

6 Stock Dove.

5 Canada Geese.

Herring Gull / Common Gull / Black Headed Gull.

Pheasant.

Kestrel. 

Mistle Thrush - singing.

3 Greenfinch.

Chaffinch.

Ogden:

(Two Laps).

2 Nuthatch.

Raven.

4 Treecreeper.

Goosander.

5 Goldcrest.

(Lots of Goldcrest calls - I wonder how many Goldcrest are here!!).

Long Tailed Tit.

6 Tufted Duck.

A Kingfisher that flushed from the east side trees flew north along the water.

Herring Gull / Common Gull / Black Headed Gull.

Happy Memories of ......... click...original post....

1998

Bradshaw - Soil Hill - Ogden - Bradshaw - Saturday.

As winter arrives - Sunset 12 minutes to 4 today and also tomorrow and after that "let there be light".

A dry coldish day with watery sunshine and a repeat performance of yesterday's birding walk.

Unfortunately the Ogden visitors centre was closed today so I had to manage on crisps and water from my tucker bag.

It was nice to chat to Queensbury's IB who stopped in his van on Ned Hill Road.

Also nice to chat with Queensbury's NK at Ogden.

It was hard work finding owt at Ogden, two laps and a long stand along the east side did bring a bit a reward.

Bradshaw area seems very popular with Gulls with c60 seen just after Ned Hill Road bottom and c100 in fields nearer home.

Nothing again on Soil Hill summit but. ....you just wait.

Another enjoyable day out as we head towards Christmas.

Birds:-

c12 Magpie, 2 Kestrel, Pied Wagtail.

2 Kingfisher, Bullfinch, 5 Wren.

2 Nuthatch, c20 Long Tailed Tit.

2 Coal Tit, Dunnock.

C100 Gulls Ogden. c160 Gulls elsewhere.

Buzzard.

And a few other species.

Bradshaw:

Ogden:

Bradshaw - Soil Hill - Ogden Water - Bradshaw

Quite a long birding walk for me today - 5 hours out and about in total.

Pretty windy as I left Bradshaw and on Soil Hill Gail was throwing bits of light rain into my face... That Gail ... She is a big bully,... She is.

Ogden Water was quite calm in comparison to the hill tops.

Two circuits of Ogden Water interspersed with trips to the visitors centre (where, not having brought any lunch and staying longer than planned - I had to survive on chocolate and flapjack ) was very enjoyable.

I also bumped into Pete G. and we enjoyed a good laugh at each others expense.

Ogden water was quiet but the circuit had a few birds which were lower down in the trees, given the earlier rain and wind.

No finches at all which was unusual.

The best of the home run was 2 Buzzard up together as I walked along the track to Crabtree Hall Farm.

A very enjoyable way to pass the day - beats Christmas Shopping!!

Birds:-

c50 Small Gulls at one point (PG had seen some 'Larger' Gulls earlier).

2 Kestrel.

4 Fieldfare > NNW.

3 Buzzard.

At least 5 Goldcrest seen - loads more calling.

2 Treecreeper.

Loads of Long Tailed Tit.

Sparrowhawk mobbed by 2 Gulls and a Crow.

Kingfisher.

Just one Wren!

C10 Robin.

1 Chaffinch (farm track).

Nuthatch.

Little Owl.

No. 1

No. 2

No. 3

Luddenden Foot Hebden Bridge Circular Walk

I parked the car near The Brandy Wine Inn at Luddenden Foot and walked along the railway path to eventually pass through the Stonemasons Yard near Hebden Bridge railway station.

Here I picked up the canal tow path and walked back along it to Luddenden Foot (and beyond).

Today was more of a walk than a birding outing with quite a few miles to cover and not too much dawdling.

An enjoyable outing - the cold weather early on kept me moving! 

I did come across a few birds along the way though.

Birds:-

2 Dipper.

Barnacle Goose.

2 Cormorant.

Bullfinch.

Singing Song Thrush.

Heron.

and a few other species.

More of the same Saturday

Today I enjoyed a  mid-morning birding walk along the fields, up Ned Hill, over Soil Hill and down Taylor Lane to home.

A big chunk of dark grey cloud hovered about for a lot of the walk with the odd bits of sunshine peeping through, dry & breezy.

Nothing again on Soil Hill summit - I'm looking forward to DJB's return, so he can guide around the swamp and move my meagre yearly list along by one, with a Jack Snipe!

Like 'em or loath 'em,  Magpies are a success story - they were everywhere today.Me, I don't like em at all - don't mind the "pie" bit, but you can stick the "mag" bit where the sun don't shine.

Talking of Pies - Have you seen the number of calories in a Mince Pie? I divided the calories in a Rich Tea biscuit  into the calories in a Mince Pie and it worked out at FIVE - exactly! - no remainder - not even a crumb - how spooky is that.  Wow !!! I can eat Five Rich Tea biscuits to a mince pie. Anyway have you tried a Rich Tea biscuit -  exactly - who's counting calories ?).

Birds:-

Little Owl.

c25 Magpie.

Usual Jackdaws ands Crows by the farm.

c70 (50,20) Small Gulls in the fields with few Herring Gull.

Herring Gull calling loudly over Ned Hill Track.

2 Buzzard.

1 Kestrel.

35 Starlings.

Mistle Thrush.