Soil Hill with DJB

Another morning with really poor visibility but DJB was kind enough to accompany me up to Soil Hill to try and find Jack Snipe.

We did manage to see a few of the usual bird species on the way up but the mist/fog soon rolled in making thinks and things awkward.

DJB had brough his iPhone heat seeking gizmo to help.

I was more a cameraman than a birder today as we 'wallowed in the mud', clay and large slippy brown puddles.

 

2 Jack Snipe did flush - away in a breath but after we lumbered through some slippy mud, clay and reeds perseverance brought a eureka moment with DJB coming up trumps finding a bird in the reeds.

The bird was quite content to sit still, knowing that its fantastic camouflage plumage  will keep it safe.

Even knowing where the bird was I still had difficulty seeing it with my ancient eyes and then getting it in the camera viewfinder and then  in focus.

Anyway I got a few photos which I think are not bad.

What a fantastic bird - I don't know how it manages to survive in all that gunge up there.

A really memorable day for me today.

Birds:-

3 Jack Snipe.

Fieldfare.

Song Thrush.

Starling.

Rook.

and a few others.

Jack Snipe up in the air in the fog.

One on the deck.

I did not realise how long the bill is.

Cromwell Bottom Nature Reserve

It was another grotty morning in Bradshaw with a perishing cold Easterly wind which seemed to me to have some north in it. Zero degrees on the car.

I left the grot behind and drove down to Brighouse.

My usual parking place by Avocet was full to the brim so I parked in the Nature Reserve area.

It was not a day to hang about with the cold making my little fingers tingle, soft sod what I am.

I did a quick circuit of the area before standing to gawp through the ski-lake railings at the 'imprisoned' wildlife there.

At first it was difficult to see much new through the railings, but a few Goldeneye were kind enough to make an appearance.

More Lesser Black-backed Gulls here than I've seen lately.

At one point ALL the Gulls left the water "en-masse" and headed for the sky.

I had a look up to see what was causing the commotion and a Large Raptor flew south perused by a Crow Type.

Because of the birds flight, at the time I did not think it was a Buzzard but I could be wrong.

I did not think a Buzzard would have this affect on the Gulls either?

I called at the Visitors Centre cafe for a coffee, fruit cake and lump of cheese - very very nice indeed.

Snow warning issued for late  afternoon - great.

Birds:

A good selection of Gulls.

Pair Bullfinch.

Coot.

Moorhen.

Cormorant.

1 Male Goosander on the lake and 1 Red Head Goosander on the river.

6 Goldeneye (3m 3f).

Mallard.

Mute Swan (grunting).

Nothing seen on the lagoon.

It was good to see a class of young school kids being shown the (Phala)ropes down here today. 

Ho Ho ,,,,B.... Ho.

Photos of Large Raptor above.

Luddenden Foot - Hebden Bridge Circular

Another grotty morning in Bradshaw with this never ending east wind bringing with it loads of gunge that nobody wants.

I left Bradshaw this morning for 'sunnier' climes - well dull stuff - at Luddenden Foot.

I really enjoyed the walk along the "railway" track to Hebden Bridge before going through the stone yard to pick up the canal for the return leg.

Not bad at all down here, a bit of light rain at first, soon dried up.

I was hoping for 2 "Ticks" and achieved both so a nice plus.

And another plus with this walk is that with a slight diversion I can call at Sue's best pal Helen's where coffee and cake is always available.

And at school kicking out time, I was also very lucky with the road work traffic lights that seem to be a constant fixture somewhere in Ludd. Foot - or is it me?

Birds:-

3 Nuthatch.

7 Black Headed Gull.

4 Wagtail species (Heard - but I can't separate the calls yet).

Goldfinch.

4 Starlings.

2 Male Goosander.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Dipper.

2 Heron at the nests.

Cormorant.

Barnacle Goose.

3 Song Thrush.

Buzzard.

Bradshaw - Soil Hill Top - Ogden Water - Bradshaw

10:30 - 14:45.

I did yesterdays outing in reverse today.

I found it a bit difficult walking backwards though.

Another enjoyable outing on a calm dull dry day.

Ogden car park was rammed so I was glad I'd got here on Shanks Pony.

I had a look at Back Lane where 2 Buzzards and a Raven flew past but no early Curlew yet.

Ogden Water was poor again, with just Gulls and Mallard on the water as far as I could see and the number of visitors probably resulting in a lack of circuit birds.

Another day where the weather was better than forecast.

Felt a bit chilly at the end of the outing so we will see what the weather brings with it tomorrow.

The mist is getting its act together now though (16:00).

Teacher: Johnny can you use the word insectiside in a sentence please?

Johnny: Yes miss.

Pause.

Teacher: Well then - lets hear it!

Johnny: I went to my mate Jimmy''s last night.

He told me to sit on the sofa , but a big dead beetle was on it!

Yuck! I said.

 Jimmy shouted : "Nay Lad - just sit down you entomophobe - and  push that insecticide".

(He had a way with words, Jimmy did).

Birds:-

5 Buzzard.

4 Raven.

5 Mistle Thrush.

3 Kestrel.

A small skein of Pink Footed Geese heard to the north of me on Soil Hill summit remained unseen in distant misty gloom.

2 Skylark.

2 Pheasant.

C30 Lapwing > NW.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Dunnock. Blackbird. Robin. Goldfinch. Goldcrest.

A Greenfinch called opposite house p.m.

2 Little Owl (1 Bradshaw. 1 Soil Hill End Farm area).

15 Stock Dove.

1 Starling.

Ogden Water:-

c80 Small Gulls.

1 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

4 Herring Gulls

at one point.

Distant Large Gull.

Bradshaw - Ogden - Soil Hill - Bradshaw

9:20 - 13:30.

The weather was a whole lot better than forecast this morning - no fog - no rain and some welcome brightness.

The Yellow U.F.O. made an appearance as well,  before skulking back behind the clouds later on.

I had a really enjoyable saunter across the fields to Ogden Water where I did 2 laps with 2 hot drinks in between.

It was quite busy here but not bad for a Saturday.

Home was via Soil Hill where the clouds looked 'dodgy' but the rain never materialised until 16:15 ish.

The bird life was much as usual with 2 exceptions - a Coot on Ogden Water and two Skylark that flushed at distance, soon high, " burbling" over a very damp clay laden Soil Hill summit.

Birds:-

Garden:

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Singing Mistle Thrush.

Bradshaw Fields:

2 Pheasant.

3 Wren.

2 Stock Dove.

Ogden:

Singing Mistle Thrush.

Long Tailed Tit.

Goosander. (Red Head).

c60 Small Gulls, 4 Herring Gulls, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull - at one point.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Nuthatch.

Coot.

Dunnock.

Kingfisher.

4 Wren.

Ogden to Home.

2 Mistle Thrush (seen).

Raven.

2 Skylark.

3 Stock Dove.

C10 Herring Gull overhead.

2 Kestrel.

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C16 Magpie throughout.

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Today's mystery photos.