Bradshaw - Soil Hill - Bradshaw

12:30 -`14:45

After vaccing about yesterday morning, this morning I fed the big white whirling thing in the kitchen corner with my unmentionables and some other stuff.

A very, very windy clothes line got 'em dry ,free of charge before lunch , and after dashing away with my smoothing iron (remember that song?) .

SONG

I had me caviar and drip sandwich for lunch - what a life I lead - bet you are well jealous.

After me grub I headed off up Bradshaw Lane to Soil Hill where the cold wind was a dog making birding difficult.

A 50 yds walk down the north slope gave me some respite from the wind so I stood here eating me apple being serenaded and then scolded by Whitethroat.

Home was via the farm track and fields.

Birds:-

Bradshaw - Soil Hill - Ned Hill Track.

3 Swallow. 2 Skylark. 2 Stock Dove, 

Canada Goose. 2 Mallard. Moorhen.

3 Whitethroat (very mobile).

3 Willow Warbler. 1 Pheasant. Dunnock.

3 Meadow Pipit. 2 Linnet. 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Farm Tack & Bradshaw Fields.

1 Willow Warbler. Skylark. Chiffchaff.

2 Linnet. 7 Rook. 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

A potential Raven with the Rook but I don't normally see Raven in these fields?

and a few other species.

Potential Raven?

Bill looks right.

Bradshaw and Ogden

13:30 - 16:30

After a morning vaccing about I had a walk across the fields and through the farms to Ogden water.

There was a very cold sharp NNE wind blowing this morning so I wrapped up well before I left home.

Half and hour later the sun came out and at a very sheltered Ogden I fed one of my big jumpers to my backpack.

The rest of the walk was a bit perspire - eeeee.

Ogden Lane is closed for cars but several cars were still coming along it, and turning around at Back Lane bottom,  as I stood talking to Geoff the Farmer there.

Perhaps the 2 signs at the beginning of the lane "Road Closed" and "Access Only" were contradictory and confusing.

Before arriving at Ogden It was good to see a Whitethroat near Crabtree Hall Farm - can't remember seeing one here before.

At Ogden I did most of the circuit before heading off through the woods to have a look at Back Lane.

I came home on the low route giving Soil Hill a miss with this cold strong wind.

Birds:-

Whitethroat.

3 Linnet. 5 Chiffchaff. 30 Starling. Pied Wagtail. 4 Willow Warbler.

Heron. Mallard.

Treecreeper. 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker. Siskin.

4 Stock Dove. Lesser Black-backed Gull.

4 Swallow. 2 Curlew. Song Thrush, Goldcrest.

and a few others.

Bradshaw - Soil Hill etc

13:00 - 15:45

This morning, before it got too hot, I enjoyed a non-birding walk along the local lanes for an hour or so.

After lunch I 'enjoyed' a very hot walk up Bradshaw and Taylor Lane to Soil Hill.

The east side did have a nice breeze but elsewhere was very hot.

I sat on a banking at the top of the north slope , in the hot sun , eating an apple and gave the walk down to the bottom and the slog back up, two second thought before dismissing the idea.

Home was via the farms and Bradshaw fields.

Not many days like this on Soil Hill.

Birds:-

A Kestrel was soaring very high above Bradshaw Lane and a second Kestrel was hunting on Soil Hill.

Mallard. Canada Goose.
5 Meadow Pipit. 4 Skylark. 3 Linnet. 2 Pheasant.

2 Swallow. 3 Lapwing. 

2 Moorhen. 1 NK Pond. 1 Moorhen with 1 chick visible - very distant on the small west side 'stables' pond.

4 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Chiffchaff. 6 Willow Warbler.

3 Whitethroat (2 Top North Slope. 1 West side brambles).

1 Swallow past the garden earlier. Plus usual - and a Blackbird that has been singing  mostly from my roof ariel from 6am all day!

Kestrel over Bradshaw Lane above.

Kestrel - Soil Hill Top Above.

Ringstone Reservoir BarkIsland

I had a look at Ringstone Reservoir this afternoon.

A hot day with little breeze and swarms of flies along the reservoir wall!

I think Withens Road (unsuitable for motor vehicles) where I park next to the reservoir,  must be on a rat run - lots ****heads roaring past.

Birds:-

2 Great Crested Grebe. 2 Tufted Duck. 2 Oystercatcher.

1 Heron. 6 Linnet. 2 Swallow. 3 Willow Warbler.

Moorhen. Wren. 2 Pied Wagtail. Rook.

and a few others.

Swallow over the garden late pm.

Bradshaw - Soil Hill

 12:45 - 16:00

Another lovely day for a walk and after lunch I set off up Bradshaw Lane to check out Soil Hill.

I went to the 'bottom'  of the north slope - well as far at the east - west tree line - where I sat on a big rock in the warm sun, ate an apple and contemplated my navel.

I took my time climbing back up the slope - I could have run up it, but I did not want to flush any megas that might be lurking.

Arriving on the summit I was met by a very pleasant cool breeze from the east-ish.

Home was via Ned Hill Road and the farms and field tracks.

Birds:-

ah ..... birds.

2 Swallow over the garden.

Red Legged Partridge calling from the bottom of the Bonnet.

Pied Wagtail.

Plenty of Greenfinch calling today,

4 Linnet. Goldfinch.

4 Skylark. 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull over.

6 Meadow Pipit.

3 Curlew.

6 Willow Warbler.

Moorhen. 3 Mallard, Canada Goose.

2 Pheasant.

2 Grey Partridge.

2 Whitethroat (North Slope brambles).

(Very elusive - I've plenty of brambles -  less whitethroat photos).

plus a few others...

 

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Bradshaw - Ogden Water - Soil Hill (Summit) - Bradshaw

12:45 - 16:15

It was a sunny day today and in the sun, out of the wind, quite pleasant.

Soil Hill Summit was a different kettle of fish with a gale up there.

I was hoping for a rare Wader but the climb up there was a waste of time really.

You can probably see Russian from up here so there isn't a lot in the way to stop the wind in its tracks. 

At Ogden, I did some of the circuit then left the water to go up through the east side woods and along Back Lane hoping to hear a "Rare Singer" nearest I got was me singing "take it easy" by The Eagles.

Anyway it was good to have a laugh and a moan with Pat and Janice in the Ogden Visitors Centre 'cafe'.

Ogden lane is closed for a 'month' from 27th April to 22 May according to signage so I'll have to take me own coffee and biscuit then!

Birds:-

5 Swallow -  2 together on Syke Lane - others singles here and there.

11 Large Gulls on Ogden Water at one point.

Great Spotted Woodpecker called.

2 Linnet - Ned Hill Track.

3 Skylark,

10 Meadow Pipit.

Pied Wagtail - Percy Road.

Fly Flatts (North End Only)

13:45 - 15:30

It was a calm dry morning so I decided to wash me smalls and also wash me not so smalls so I could dry them courtesy of Mr. Weather.

I then had some bureaucracy to deal with which I never look forward to, but both my phone calls were answered by two very helpful ladies and everything went well.

After lunch I decided to drive over to Fly Flatts and I took the north side footpath down to the water's edge.

It was back to a my winter "coit" and gloves here (soft sod what I am) with a cold easterly breeze,  but it was quite sunny at times - the weather seemed to have reddened my cheeks anyway.

There was a bit more water in the reservoir than I was hoping for but a bit of perseverance did produce a good Wader to add to my yearly bird list.

With limited shoreline the birds here were all quite distant.

On my way home along the Fly Flatts road, 2 motorbikes, both with pillions, came towards me.

I slowed right down and pulled into the edge but somehow the second clown still nearly caught my wing mirror.

Perhaps they were trying to frighten an old geezer - as if  - they didn't scare me.

I might need to do another 'smalls' wash tomorrow though.

Birds:

1 (maybe be 2) Redshank.

1 Common Sandpiper

4 Lapwing. 'Many' Meadow Pipit. 4 Curlew.

At least 8 Wheatear.

6 Canada Geese. 1 Greylag Goose. 9 Mallard.

Pied Wagtail. Red Grouse. Herring Gull.

an enjoyable outing.