Sunday - Another beautiful crisp sunny day

This very cold crisp sunny weather continued today and I had yet another walk over to a partially frozen Ogden Water, and back, via the fields and farms.

Lots of cars delivering Christmas Trees and plenty of families out walking and feeding the Mallards.

The Mallards are in for a shock diet, come Monday, when the kids go back to school.

It was a pity to see the vandalism caused by some "people" in one or two of the fairly new refurbished toilets.

I did my usual 2 circuits of the water but the birding gods were not as kind to me as they were yesterday.

Some snow? approaching from the west tonight, might just miss us I hope.

Birds:-

2 Kingfisher.

Green Woodpecker.

7 Tufted Duck.

House Sparrow.

Little Owl.

Pheasant.

Goldcrest.

Pied Wagtail.

4 Stock Dove.

1 Lapwing.

Usual Gull species.

Another Fantastic Winters Day

Minus 3 degrees as I de-iced the car for my shopping trip to Queensbury Tesco this morning.

After parting with loads-a dosh at Tesco I donned my boots and headed out.

10:15 - 15:15.

This crisp sunny weather is brilliant for walking and I headed over to Ogden yet again.

Ogden was very, very busy with Christmas tree drop offs and families taking advantage of the sunshine.

I did two circuits of the water, the best bit of the 1st circuit was the coffee and Twix beforehand ,but my second circuit was a big, big improvement.

A long loiter scanning the east side trees, that were bathed in late afternoon sunshine, brought me some reward with Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Siskin all seen within 5 minutes in the same area.

An anti-social Sparrowhawk also landed here but was gone in a breath.

The water, however, continues to disappoint.

Today the usual Gull species and Mallard were joined by Seven Tufted Duck.

Unless I have a Y.L.Gull of course.

Birds:-

2 Buzzard.

4 Stock Dove.

7 Tufted Duck.

2 Goldcrest.

3 Lapwing.

Mallard.

2 Nuthatch.

Rook.

4 Siskin.

Sparrowhawk.

3 Treecreeper.

Song Thrush.

Grey Wagtail.

Usual Gulls.

A Longer Trek

It was a cracking day for a walk today, cold but with plenty of winter sunshine. The exception being Soil Hill summit where the wind was a bit on the evil side.

9:30 - 15:00.

I went to Ogden via the high route, around Ogden Water and then across to pass by Ogden Golf Course club house.

On again to pass through Stod Fold and Lane Head, along Rocks Road and back up to Ogden Lane before heading home via the farm tracks.

My left hip was unhappy with my plan so I walked it into submission.

I'll ask it if it feels any happier tomorrow morning!

A fair bit of bird gawping but not a great deal to show for it - well it is January.

There is a lot of freezing weather in northern Europe at the moment, I wonder if this will bring some winter thrushes our way, or have they all gone further south now?

Birds:-

Blackbird.

Buzzard.

Chaffinch.

4 Stock Dove.

4 Dunnock.

5 Tufted Duck.

Goldfinch.

Canada Goose.

C40 Small Gulls.

6 Herring Gulls (2 Ogden).

C60 Jackdaw.

Kestrel.

Kingfisher.

Little Owl.

Feral Pigeon.

c10 Long Tailed Tit flock.

C10 Great Tit flock.

Coal Tit.

Blue Tit.

6 Robin.

2 Treecreeper.

7 Wren.

Usual Crows and Maggies.

Ogden - There and Back - Low Route

My usual walk today took me to Ogden, twice around the water and home again.

There was a very cold wind in places today, but Ogden was sheltered for most of the walk.

The Halifax Harriers were having their annual run around the place.

Going by the numbers of runners thundering along the circuit , It would seem they had a good turn out.

What with runners, walkers, prams, dogs, scooters and kids - how is a top class birder suppose to cope. 

Fortunately the melee did not affect my birding , the words "top class ", together with "birding", seldom relate to me.

The waterside trees were very, very quiet and likewise the water did not cough up anything much.

The walk, however, did make room for me to scoff some more calories at tea time.

Birds:-

Blackbird.

Buzzard.

Chaffinch.

Carrion Crow.

Stock Dove.

Dunnock.

Black Headed Gull.

Common Gull.

Herring Gull.

Jackdaw.

Kestrel.

Kingfisher.

Magpie.

Mallard.

Nuthatch.

Little Owl.

Robin.

Blue Tit.

Great Tit.

Treecreeper.

Woodpigeon.

Wren.

A Calderdale 1st For Me Today

 My twitching apathy finally left me this morning and I drove over towards Todmorden to twitch the  'long staying' Shag there -  originally found by Anne H.

Some pretty good distructions from DJB over a pint last night paid dividends making this my easiest twitch of all time.

I parked up, walked 200 yds to the canal, 20 yds along it and "Yellow" (that's French for ) there it was.

The Shag was diving constantly but it failed to catch owt while I was there.

I then walked along the canal for 2 hours or so and a few other birds were present.

The Shag was nowhere to be seen when I returned to my car later.

A cold day, frost on the car and 1 degrees at home, slightly warmer along the canal.

Snow forecast for the day after tomorrow apparently - I don't like snow!!

Not a bad way to see out 2025 was it?

Wishing you a Happy and peaceful  New Year.

Birds:-

SHAG.

Cormorant.

Canada Geese. Mallards. 1 Muscovy Duck.

1 Drake Mandarin Duck.

Great Spotted Woodpecker (h).

Green Woodpecker (h).

Male Goosander.

Kestrel - I think.

Jay.

Nuthatch (h).

and a few others.

My Calderdale Yearly sighting were a mere 119.

(not the best year for me - in more ways than one).

My Calderdale Life List has reached 155.

Bradshaw - Soil Hill (Summit) - Ogden Water

On the day that Adam says to Eve:-

"Eve, It's New Year's Eve, Eve, Eve".

My usual birding outing again today, 5 hours or so out and about.

Great to get out and about in this long staying dry spell.

I found it particularly colder today even given the lack of wind.

I went to Ogden via the high route over Soil Hill Summit.

(I leave the north slope morass to DJB where the Good Birds Are!!) .

It was good to chat with Geoff H. walking his dog along Ned Hill Track.

I also enjoyed a nice rest and a coffee with Steve and Pat in the visitors centre.

My second visit to the visitors centre was marred by an interloper in the form of 7 rucksacks Pete - but my razor sharp wit left him bamboozled. 

I bought him a coffee , that I intended to lace with 5 spoons of Horlicks, to send him to sleep (yawn!), but I soon realised that I'd left my Horlicks Jar and tablespoon resting on my commode at home. 

When you are nearing fifty,, like me,  I think maths is the first to suffer.

Ogden water was very busy with peeps again - this is obviously why my birding list is so short.

Birding was the same as usual for this time of year but some snow is possible later on this week so who knows a scarce Duck species or dare I say a Shrike may appear.

Birds:-

c10 Wren.

Black Headed Gull. Common Gull. Herring Gull.

2 Pheasant.

Chaffinch.

2 Singing Mistle Thrush.

Kingfisher.

Red Head Goosander.

Raven.

2 Nuthatch.

Long Tailed Tits.

Goldcrests.

3 Treecreeper.

16 Magpie.

Little Owl.

and a few other species.

Cromwell Bottom N.R.

I had a mid-morning / early afternoon outing with my niece today.

A walk along the canal , a cafe visit and a look  in a charity shop ... we know how to live... we do.

In among I had a quickish scan of the Ski-lake and a few birds were about.

Not really a birding outing but an enjoyable way to spend some time.

Birds:-

Herring Gull.

Common Gull.

Black Headed Gull.

2 Heron.

6 Goldeneye Duck (2 Drakes).

Long Tailed Tits.

Coal Tit.

2 Cormorant.

3 Red Head Goosander.

3 Moorhen.

Dipper.

Mute Swan.

Canada Geese.

Mallard.

2 Coot.

And a few other species.

There seems to be a lack of winter Thrushes?