Blackstone Edge and Ringstone Reservoirs

I had a visit to make to Helen's at Ludd. Foot late morning and,  after tea, sausage rolls and a big bun I decided to check out Blackstone Edge reservoir.

This did not prove to be a success, so, on I went to check out Ringstone Reservoir.

This did not prove to be a success either.

You could say I was having 'one' of those days but this seemed to be 'two' of those days in one day!

The weather was very dull but dry, better than the misty, drizzly stuff I met when I got home!

Birds:-

Blackstone Edge.

5 Mallard. Meadow Pipit. 2 Canada Geese. 2 Crows.

Ringstone Reservoir.

14:00 - 15:15.

80 Canada Geese. 5 Starling. 2 Moorhen. Meadow Pipit.

Crows. 

3 Cormorant. 2 Mallard. 

c110 Gulls.

8 Pied Wagtail.

c40 Lapwing. 

Heron. 

Bullfinch.

As I was leaving by the gate, the gentleman who lives nearby, had seen a Kingfisher -(  which had just left as I reached him).

Ogden Water

12:30 -14:00

A very poor morning weather wise with mist and rain.I waited until after lunch and then drove over to Ogden Water.

It was raining on my arrival but soon brightened up with a breeze, sun and white fluffy clouds.

A disappointing stroll around Ogden Water followed with nothing new seen.

Birds:-

2 Nuthatch.

2 Cormorant.

1 Tufted Duck.

1 Little Grebe.

Pied Wagtail.

Usual Gulls as far as I could make out!

Bradshaw - Soil Hill Top - Ogden Water - Bradshaw Farm Track

9:45 - 13:45

A cool sunny morning warmed up but clouded up a bit as I enjoyed a 4 hour birding walk today.

Pretty quiet on Soil Hill Top but Meadow Pipit were popping up all around and 3 Skylark were up there.

I enjoyed my Yorkie Bar and a coffee when I got to Ogden Water and I did one circuit of the water.

I fared a bit better today with a few birds 'saying hello.

The water remains stubbornly low but there is rain in this week's forecast.

Lots of Pinkies reported going west but I did not see any in my bit of sky - in fact the sky was very quiet.

Birds:-

Soil Hill Area:

Wren. Robin. c30 Meadow Pipit.

3 Pheasant. 3 Skylark.

Ogden Area:

Kestrel. Buzzard. 

F. Goosander.

c170 Gulls.

3 Nuthatch.

1 Tufted Duck.

1 Cormorant. 

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

2 Grey Wagtail. 

1 Pied Wagtail.

Chaffinch. Goldfinch. 2 Bullfinch.

1 Little Grebe,

1 Teal.

After Ogden - Just 11 Canada Geese worth mentioning on the way home.

An hour, before dusk,  up the local fields brought nothing worth a mention alas.

Little & Large.

Large Gull High Over the House This Aft.

 

Local Fields - This Evening

I picked Abby up from school on Friday and she stayed overnight 

It was good to have her company on Saturday and we had a short park visit where we lobbed a tennis ball at a baseball bat and tried to whack it as far as we could.

Later, on her way back to Wakefield,  we met up with her dad at Hipperholme.

There were very many pony and trap types coming up the road and I wondered if they were going to the Appleby horse fair - but checking the web-thing the fair happens in June.

This evening after a late tea I had a wander up the local fields where it was bright and sunny.

There were 20 or so bullocks in the fields further along, so I did not cross them.

Birds:-

Pheasant.

2 Little Owl.

Kestrel.

12 Canada Geese.

c20 Small birds way way off, on a telegraph line that I thought were Goldfinch - not sure now - the photo is rubbish.

Pied Wagtail.

Green Woodpecker called.

A Heron - way, way off on the Bradshaw Pond.

3 Starlings.

Goldfinch - or maybe not!!

Bradshaw - Soil Hill Top - Ogden Water - Bradshaw Farm Track Again (Wed)

11:00 - 15:15

After a very poor wet morning things brightened up leaving a warm sunny day.

I did my usual walk over Soil Hill etc.

It was very pleasant going around Ogden Water and I called at the 'cafe' on arrival and again on departure.

Birds:-

Home to Soil Hill Top.

Common Gull. 4 Pheasant. Kestrel. Pied Wagtail.

7 Skylark. c20 Meadow Pipit. c30 Goldfinch.

Ogden Water - Farm Tracks - Home.

4 Teal.

Pied Wagtail.

1 Tufted Duck. 

Coal Tit,

4 Cormorant.

3 Nuthatch. 

2 Buzzard.

Little Grebe.

Merlin reported a calling Yellow Legged Gull.

I've had a look through the many photographs that I have taken today , but the distance to the 'peninsular' and the bright sunlight plays havoc with the colours - so no Y.L.G. yet this year!!

2 Kestrel. 

An enjoyable outing.

Teal - North End saying ttfn.

Teal - above - Bread lobbers Area.

Teal - Below - North End.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Kestrel Bradshaw Fields.

Bradshaw - Soil Hill Top - Ogden Water - Bradshaw Farms

8:45 - 13:00

A coolish, silent start to the day - got quite HOT by lunchtime.

I had a very enjoyable stroll up to and over Soil Hill Top around Ogden Water and home via Crabtree Hall Farm track.

Hardly a breeze on Soil Hill and it was quiet as a mouse with lovely scenery.

I enjoyed my obligatory coffee and Yorkie Bar ( No Twix on offer again!) with volunteers  Pat and Steve.

I did one circuit of the water eyeballing B.S's Widgeon pair , that he reported were here this a.m.

I'm either a rubbish birder or the earlier 8 Teal had left - probably the first option and I just didn't see 'em. 

I May have got one Teal , very distant on the west side - seen from the prom. but the photo is poor - see what you think.

Got home, made mesen a chicken salad, mowed the lawn then did a quick rendition of Danny Farrell as I made my coffee.

Sat roasting in the garden for a while.

I'm a bit late posting this .... someone forced me to go for a beer in The Fleece in Bradshaw this evening -  as  if.

Birds:-

Taylor Lane to Ogden Water.

c30 Common Gull and 1 Black Headed Gull on Percy Road.

Kestrel.

A few Meadow Pipit and Linnet.

8 Goldfinch and 6 Skylark on Soil Hill Top,

Chaffinch and Long Tailed Tit.

Ogden Water to Home.

c80 Small and c60 Large Gulls.

4 Cormorant, Raven, 2 Nuthatch, Buzzard,

Little Grebe,

3 Chiffchaff. Siskin.

Pr. Wigeon.

A Kestrel was being plagued by a pair of Jackdaw nearer home.

 

Skylark.

Maybe a Teal - Maybe a Mallard??

Bradshaw Fields

18:00 - 19:00

I enjoyed a late evening walk along the Bradshaw Fields (but not far).

The rain had packed in and the low bright sun shone in me face.

Later it became cloudy and gloomy and I followed suit with not much happening.

Birds:-

c20 Meadow Pipit.

2 Little Owl.

5 Herring Gull.

1 Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Not a lot else.