Ogden Water

13:50 -16:00.

After a busy morning I eventually got out birding with a drive over to Ogden mid afternoon.

A windy, cloudy, dull outing with the odd spot of rain.

I walked through the conifers and over Back Lane, before doing just one circuit of the water - which was quite sufficient.

I did lots of scanning the shoreline with the bins but nothing new popped up - I enjoyed the outing none-the-less.

I was scanning C30 Swallows that were zooming low over the back lane fields when a Stoat  popped its head up, popped it back down again, jumped up and down a bit then disappeared - like they do.

The Swallow were so low I was wondering if the Stoat would try and nab one - but it didn't in the short period I watched.

Birds:-

c30 Swallow.

c20 Goldfinch.

Treecreeper.

8 Cormorant.

c250 Gulls - c100 on the water and c150 on the shoreline.

(I did not eyeball anything special in amongst them - probably).

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

2 Chiffchaff.

Above Gull - Interesting - Maybe?

Probably Herring Gull.

Ogden Water - Wet

10:45 - 12:50

A wet birding outing today as I did 2 laps of Ogden Water,

I had a small camera around me neck and the larger camera in the rucksack - just in case something new arrived on the scene.

The larger camera never saw the light of day.

There were a few more folk here than I expected , but no volunteers to run the cafe (can't blame them).

Still masses of shoreline but nothing new to show for it.

Still it's good to get some wet fresh air, for a change.

Birds:-

c200 Gulls  - nothing new seen.

5 Cormorant.

2 Chiffchaff.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

2 Buzzard.

Goldcrest.

5 Tufted Duck.

Nuthatch.

Raven.

4 Swallow.

At one point all the Gulls took to the air but I could not see the culprit.

A Very Windy Soil Gill

 13:15 - 15:15

As August bows out I enjoyed an after lunch birding walk up Taylor Lane and around Soil Hill top - back the same way.

A few pools appearing up there now.

The sky looked well dodgy so to stop any chance of it raining I donned my waterproof trousers.

Works every time - no rain at all.

Soil Hill was very, very windy which was a tad disappointing and a good look at the field walls and buildings failed to nab me much.

Still great to get up there, clear the mind  and blow the cobwebs away.

Birds:

c10 Goldfinch.

5 Linnet.

Chaffinch.

House Sparrow.

4 Meadow Pipit.

2 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

1 Herring Gull.

3 Skylark.

3 Stock Dove.

2 Buzzard together in the air.

2 Kestrel (One perched on the quarry face looked to have a damaged leg).

2 Swallow.

Pied Wagtail. 

2 Rook.

and a few other species.

Bradshaw Fields - Morning Stroll

I enjoyed an hour along the local fields this morning hoping for something new.

A dry outing, quite mild but cloudy.

Not a lot happening but I did get a nice sighting of a juvenile Green Woodpecker along the way.

Before lunch I had a walk up to the Raggalds and back.

Birds:-

Local Fields.

Green Woodpecker.

c50 Canada Geese.

Pheasant.

1 Little Owl.

10 Swallow.

and a few others species.

Raggalds Walk:

Raven,

Kestrel.

Soil Hill Via Taylor Lane - There and Back

8:35 - 10:45.

I had a bit earlier start to my birding outing than usual to avoid the forecast rain.

A shower did catch me as I came home down Taylor Lane but it fined up again.

Quite mild.

It was good to chat to farmer Adrian along Taylor Lane and also to a bloke on Perseverance Road who was topping up the midden there with a small trailer load of horse muck - might help!!

I did a good check of the walls and buildings in the vicinity of Soil Hill but again no migrant birds were seen by me today.

There were a few pleasing bird sightings on Soil Hill top, notably 6 Grey Partridge. However they flushed as soon as they saw me (which was way before I saw them disappear over the west side hill).

16 Lapwing and 4 Skylark (in ones) were here also on the tops and a pair of Red Legged Partridge were feeding in fields to the north of Soil Hill End farm.

Birds:

Herring Gull. 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull. c35 Small Gulls.

3 Stock Dove.

c50 Goldfinch were seen twice - presumably the same flock.

c15 Meadow Pipit.

2 Swallow.

Kestrel.

3 Wren.

16 Lapwing.

4 Skylark.

Robin.

2 Rook.

6 Grey Partridge.

2 Red Legged Partridge.

6 Jackdaw.

A Little Owl called from near Soil Hill End Farm.

Grey Partrdige.

Red Legged Partridge

Bradshaw Fields - Thursday & Friday Evening

18:45 - 19:45

I have not done much birding for one reason or another this week.

Yesterday evening I managed a dry walk along the local fields for an hour or so and the same again this evening.

I was hoping for a migrant or two but no joy on either occassion.

Ogden Water.

Following the possible re-naming of a famous lake across the pond I thought it might be a good idea to re-name Ogden Water.

I've come up with quite a catchy little name I think........

Get No Wader.

I thought this was quite apt and funnily enough the name uses exactly the same letters as Ogden Water.

Can you see what happens to my brain when I don't go out birding.

Birds:

Thursday:

c50 Goldfinch.

Pheasant.

Green Woodpecker called.

2 Little Owl.

Dunnock.

2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

3 Meadow Pipit.

Birds:

Friday:

50 Canada Geese.

46 Goldfinch.

Kestrel.

3 Pheasant.

2 Swallow.

3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Ogden Water and Bradshaw Fields

 10:35 - 13:10

Chasing Me Tail Teal

My route today was along the track opposite Coal Lane, Ogden over Back Lane and around Ogden Water.

Later on I had another short outing along the local fields.

A warm day if you stayed out of the fresh NE? breeze.

As I walked along Ogden Water east side 4 Teal were out in the middle in direct sunlight in silhouette.

I thought I would get some better photos of the birds once I'd got around to the west side.

When I got to the west side they had disappeared - flown off I thought.

When I made to the north end SIX Teal miraculously appeared, again these were now in direct sunlight. 

So, again, I thought I'd get some better photos if I returned the way I had come - so I headed back to the west side - where again, there was no sign of 'em.

Back at the promenade I could see the Teal , towards the north end.

Earlier, they had been hidden by the lip of the muddy bank...

so....

I went back to me car - Boo Hoo.

Birds:

Ogden:

6 Teal.

c50 Swallow - Back Lane with possibly 5 House Martin - the birds were zooming along in the strong breeze - difficult yo keep tabs on them!

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Coat Tit.

6 Cormorant.

Great Created Grebe.

4 Chiffchaff.

Canad Goose.

1 Tufted Duck.

Grey Wagtail.

Heron.

Nuthatch.

Usual Gull Species.

Bradshaw Fields.

Kestrel.

4 Stock Dove.

Little Owl.

Bradshaw Fields.