Bradshaw / Soil Hill & Bradshaw / Holdsworth

9:00 - 11:20

Bradshaw - Soil Hill.

A bright cool start to the morning clouded over later on.

I did my usual trek up Taylor Lane, over Soil Hill Top.

I went 20 yds down the north slope but the brambles ganged up on me so I turned back (soft sod what I am).

There were signs of migration with many Meadow Pipit - A large group in the main track fields and other nearby fields had them flitting about as well.

Difficult to say how many but probably in excess of 100.

Also here c10 Linnet and also see along the walk two groups of Goldfinch c50 & c150 but not a lot moving in the sky.

A pleasant morning for a birding walk.

12:20 - 14:45

Bradshaw - Holdsworth Area.

After lunch I had a couple of hours birding walk across the local fields to near Holdsworth House and back.

The sky became very dark at one point but just a farthings worth of rain fell - lasted all of 20 seconds.

A very pleasant walk along some of the Calderdale Way and no animals on the paths today.

Birds:

Bradshaw Soil Hill.

2 Little Owl.

c100 Meadow Pipit.

c200 (150 + 50) Goldfinch.

3 Skylark.

2 Kestrel.

2 Partridge species flushed silently from distance from Soil Hill Top.

2 Pheasant.

16 Canada Geese.

c10 Swallow.

3 Stock Dove.

and 

a Fox.

Bradshaw - Holdsworth Area.

Heron.

House Sparrow.

c30 Gulls in 2 adjacent fields held the 4 usual species.

Jay.

Buzzard.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Wren.

c10 Swallow.

Coat Tit.

Rook.

Chaffinch.

C30 Goldfinch.

Greenfinch.

Goldcrest.

A singing Chiffchaff greeted me as I arrived home.

Bradshaw - Soil Hill.

Trying to turn above bird into something that is not a Linnet.

Tail looks wrong for Linnet but probably the angle or my eyesight

so it's probably a

LInnet. 

Bradshaw - Holdsworth Area.

Ogden Water (Tues)

9:20 - 12:15

With the possibility of strong winds and heavy rain this afternoon I drove over to Ogden a tad earlier than my normal visits.

It was good to chat to B.S. along the way.

A damp, dull sort of outing and when a heavy shower came along I was fortunate enough to be under trees along the west side path.

Water is gushing in from the north and south ends now, but it will take some filling.

It could do with being a tad more full - the Gulls are very far off on the 'island' making it difficult to see them properly.

I spotted the Little Grebe as I was walking along the west side but it immediately was lost under the banking and although I searched for it again when I reached the east side I could not locate it.

It was probably wearing its new 'Ogden Water' camouflage plumage.

Mind you I was never very good at where's Wally when playing with Abby years ago.

The cafe had Pat and Cheryl on duty and it was good to have a sit down and a Kit Kat before doing  a second circuit.

There were 60 or so Gulls when I arrived and about 100 when I left.

Lots of bird calls and 2 separate singing Chiffchaff were heard.

Birds:

3 Chiffchaff.

c100 Gulls - c60 BIG and c40 little.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

5 Cormorant.

Little Grebe.

Goldcrest.

Goldfinch.

Wren.

Lots of Robin.

A couple of Wagtail calls flying over.

5 Swallow.

Long Tailed Tit.

Buzzard.

Not much else.

A Few Photos From Bradshaw Fields Sunday Evening

Bradshaw - Soil Hill - Ogden Water and back.

12:50 - 17:00

Another day, another outing , to Ogden Water via Soil Hill top today.

It was very, very blustery again on the hills but Ogden Water's west side was amazingly calm.

A bit of a face burner I realise as I sit down at home.

I am sure that Ned Hill Road is getting steeper, piece of cake going down it but on the return leg I find many interesting things to stop and look at as I climb back up.

I've probably spend 4 or 5 afternoons at Ogden searching for the near resident Little Grebe with no luck, so it was pleasing to find that I'm not cracking up when I spotted it way off on the east side as I went down the west side.

Seeing there was not much else about I followed it around a bit trying to get a half decent picture.

It fell asleep for a  bit in the middle but it did come near to the east side and was still there when I legged it over there.

It was a relief to get a sit down and a coffee in the welcoming visitors 'cafe' today.

It seemed a tough 4 hours but it was enjoyable exercise non-the-less.

Birds:

Kestrel.

23 Canada Geese in the lower east side fields, looking from Soil Hill Top.

c80 Goldfinch.

2 Mistle Thrush.

C10  Linnet.

3 Skylark.

2 Swallow.

An odd Meadow Pipit and a couple of Wren.

Ogden Water Area:

Little Grebe.

5 Cormorant.

Heron.

c200 Gulls.

Nuthatch.

*****

Bradshaw Fields to Ogden Water and Back

This afternoon I had a very, very windy walk along the Bradshaw Fields to Ned Hill Road, along Syke Lane and around Ogden Water.

Just one shower to contend with really, but in the strong wind it was wet!

These visits to Ogden Water are trying my patience with another damp squib of an outing today - but if I persevere  I will eventually find something interesting - or so I keep telling myself.

To be honest I did not expect much today with this wind kyboshing the job.

Birds:-

Ogden Area.

c10 Swallow. 8 Cormorant. 2 Chiffchaff. Coat Tit.

c20 Long Tailed Tit. 

Grey Wagtail.

Pied Wagtail.

c180 Gulls - nothing new seen.

Bradshaw Fields.

1 Little Owl.

47 Canada Geese.

Kestrel.

plus a few others.

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.