Mixenden - Redshank

Another very windy day with frequent showers.

It took a long time today for me to shift my fat rrrrrrrr's and find a small piece of birding enthusiasm.

After lunch I decided I would try Mixenden Reservoir ......  later......

Anyhow a  Calderdale Birders WhatsApp message came  through from DJS - NK had found a Redshank on Mixenden Reservoir - no more procrastination, so off I set in my car.

As I got to the top gate, the rain arrived at the top gate as well, and a man was walking a dog along the reservoir banking - just B great!

I was hoping to scan from the top gate so as not to scale the wall.

For one - I've only size one legs - and for two -  I was wearing my big numb wellies -  and for three - I had forgotten my new Amazon , Paper mâché lightweight foldable step ladder. 

After looking longingly through the top gate in the rain and and not seeing anything "red" - scale the wall was the only option -  luckily no one was watching my efforts.

Coming soon to Mixi.

It was very windy with squally showers.

I walked the 'west coast' then the 'north coast' then the 'east coast' then the 'south coast'.

When I got back to where I started a bobbing Wader was on the stones by the water's edge - nice - a redshank that made it all worthwhile. 

Cheers Nigel.

It 'flushed' when it saw me - making it more 'red' ? ho ho and flew to the far NE corner.

It was flushed a little later by 2 new dog walkers but landed again on the east side rocks.

Birds:-

1 Redshank.

c30 Gulls at one point included 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common and Herring Gulls.

5 Mallard.

Small flock of Long Tailed Tit.

A few very, very flighty Goldcrest flitting about in the west side conifers.

Mistle Thrush singing,

Chaffinch. Robin.

 

Bradshaw Fields and Farm Track

15:00 - 16:30

I had a mid-afternoon very windy birding walk along the local fields and farm tracks to Ned Hill Road bottom and back.

Not a lot happening in the strong wind.

Top of the shop was a flock of  c70 very flighty Meadow Pipits that were in the fields as I neared home.

Birds:-

Greenfinch, 2 Herring Gull.

4 Curlew. 3 Pheasant. c50 Jackdaw.

Goldfinch. Magpie. Crow.

5 Stock Dove. 4 Canada Geese. Buzzard.

Blackbird. Starling. Dunnock.

c70 Meadow Pipit.

Little Owl.

Cromwell Bottom NR

It was a bright 'cool' morning and I had a run down to Brighouse to check to see if the Shovelers, seen yesterday, were still here.

I was in luck with the 2 Drakes feeding on the lagoon.

Also the my first Chiffchaff of the year with several heard and a few seen as I had a short meander around, ending up in the excellent visitors centre 'cafe'.

After a coffee , wodge of Fruit Cake and cheese I had a further walk about before heading back to Bradshaw.

The Ski-lake had many Gulls but I did not see a 'special' - but that does not mean that there was not one (or two)  there!

Siskin were calling but I could not locate them.

I took a short video of another similar call - my Merlin-app suggests Redpoll... giving it a red circle - see what you think.

(Some) Birds:-

2 Greylag Geese.

2 Drake Shoveler.

2 Grey Wagtail.

Nuthatch.

Siskin.

2 Teal.

Male Goosander.

2 Buzzard.

4 Goldeneye (2 Drakes).

c6 Chiffchaff (Unless one was following me around).

3 Mute Swan.

4 Coot.

Eight Heron by the water's edge.

7 Black Headed Gull, 2 Common Gull, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull,  c30 Herring Gull at one point.

Bradshaw - Ogden Water (Monday)

 10:00 - 14:0

A misty murky day today with the mist clearing and reforming as the day progressed never getting very bright.

I enjoyed a stroll across the fields to Ogden Water, a coffee and a Twix , then a circuit of the water.

I made a second visit to the visitors centre for a cuppa.

Terry M. arrived here just as I was about to leave, so we had a quick natter.

I was going to return home via Soil Hill but when I got to Syke Lane end, Soil Hill was shrouded in thick mist , so I returned the way I came.

I had an interesting chat with the farmer  and his missus, from Soil Hill End farm who I met near Syke Lane.

He was saying that in 1956 or thereabouts his father had received a frightening letter from The National Coal Board.

They were going to compulsory purchase his farm and fields.

They told him that there was a large seam of good coal that ran from Syke Lane , north-ish, through his farm and beyond.

They said that the coal would be removed by open cast mining.

However - no further correspondence was received on the matter - strange that - and nothing materialised!

40  species today.

Birds:-

Starling, House Sparrow, Goldfinch.

3 Pheasant, Blue Tit, 4 Curlew.

Pied Wagtail, Little Owl, Woodpigeon.

Crow, Magpie, Jackdaw,

Wren, Dunnock, Blackbird,

Robin, 4 Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush.

Meadow Pipit, Bullfinch, 2 Buzzard.

4 Black Headed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 4 Stock dove.

3 Common Gull, Mallard,2 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Chaffinch.

Great Tit, 2 Canada Geese, Great Spotted Woodpecker - drumming.

Tawny Owl Called, Long Tailed Tit, Reed Bunting.

Heron, Rook, Greenfinch. Feral Pigeon.

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

On A very dull quite cool afternoon I did my usual birding walk to Ogden Water and back.

Not a lot happening but I did manage to clock up 42 Species, which for me is pretty good.

(Some) Birds:

c45 Lapwing - Shay Fields.

Pr. Tufted Duck.

Buzzard.

Moorhen.

2 Heron.

Kestrel.

4 Curlew

2 Meadow Pipit.

Little  Owl - heard from Ned Hill Track.

3 Song Thrush.

Mistle Thrush.

Siskin.

Big Carrion Crow.

Bradshaw - Ogden Water - Soil Hill - Bradshaw

13:45 - 17:10

Loads of tedious bureaucratic nonsense to deal with today - took all morning and a bit of the afternoon to sort out.

I finally got free to go a-birding after a late-ish lunch.

I found it quite cold this afternoon but after clogging up Ned Hill to Soil Hill the cold was not an issue any more.

It was good to bump into Terry M. at Ogden and we did half a circuit of Ogden Water together before Terry headed up towards the moors and I continued along my usual route.

No great shakes again on Ogden alas.

Birds:

2 Little Owl ( 1 Wards Garden, 1 Taylor Lane).

Tawny Owl called NE side of Ogden,

4 Curlew (1 Bradshaw - 3 Soil Hill Area).

2 Pied Wagtail.

2 Greenfinch.

2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (1 Ogden, 1 Bradshaw Lane).

1 Meadow Pipit!!

2 Grey Partridge (flushed from Soil Hill).

2 Song Thrush.

1 Mistle Thrush

and some of the usuals.

Ringstone Reservoir Barkisland

After most of the morning and some of the afternoon spent at Sowerby Bridge it was good to squeeze some birding in, with a visit to Ringstone mid-afternoon.

As I was walking along the west side wall,  a WhatsApp came through from Adele, on the east side, of a Great Crested Grebe here.

I could not see the Grebe for the mist but I did pick out a Drake Goldeneye and 5 Oystercatcher, which I Whatsapped,  these would have been out of sight for Adele.

Anyway all birds became visible when the mist lifted soon after.

It was good to put a name to a face when Adele came along the west side later.

Birds:-

7 Oystercatcher.

1 Drake Goldeneye.

1 Drake Tufted Duck.

1 Great Crested Grebe.

2 Pied Wagtail.

2 Skylark.

2 Herring Gull.

1 Chaffinch.

5 Lapwing.

2 Mallard.

UM?