Ogden Water and Bradshaw

12:17 - 13:00

A sunny cool outing today.

A slight change to my usual routine with a walk down to Bradshaw Church after lunch to catch the 502 bus to Ogden.

The bus duly arrived on time but instead of turning left at the Bradshaw church it went straight forward - but not too far - before the driver realised his error and reversed back.

It looked, to me,  like he was making his route up, so I asked him for a ride out to the seaside.

" I drive both the 526 Queensbury bus  (no Sunday service) and the 502 Keighley bus" he said.

He dropped me at Blackpool - or so he said as I got off - he must have thought I was born yesterday - it was obviously Ogden - tut.

Ogden Water was reasonably quiet for a Sunday and after a coffee and a Twix I did one circuit of the water before heading home via the farm tracks.

Same birds as usual here today -  but if I keep plugging away - something tasty will turn up.

Some Birds:-

Bullfinch, 2 Cormorant, Long Tailed Tit, Coal Tit.

7 Teal, Buzzard, Goosander.

2 Nuthatch. 2 Raven, 2 Pied Wagtail.

c180 Gulls.

3 Stock Dove.

Local Fields

 16:25 - 17:35

A bit of a different routine today as I wanted to do some walking without carrying anything weighty (except me belly).

I caught the 526 bus to Queensbury and walked down the disused railway line to Queensbury station and then carried along to near Thornton where I had my lunch in the great outdoor cafe there.

Roast beef sarnie with onions and gravy and a cup of tea - yum yum.

I waked back up the Queensbury (phew!) intending to catch the 526 bus home.

However my timing was not great and with a half hour to wait for the bus I decided to walk home instead, just beating the bus home.

6 1/2 miles or so today, which, a few years ago would have been a wee doddle, was a lot tougher nowadays.

After a good sit down I had a late evening birding walk up the local fields.

There were more birds here than usual with 6 ish Blackbirds a sizeable flock of Goldfinch and a nice Green Woodpecker flushed by some angry Jackdaws.

Birds:-

Green Woodpecker.

Goldfinch 35+, Greenfinch, Chaffinch.

Long Tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit.

2 Stock Dove, Dunnock, 3 Wren, Robin.

Common Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Jackdaws. Pheasant.

Mistle Thrush.

Bradshaw - Ogden Water

 10:50 - 14:15

I had my usual walk to Ogden and back , going and returning on the low route along the farm track / fields.

It was pleasing to see a Stonechat along the Bradshaw fields.

It seems to be my week to get soaked with a second deluge on me 'ed after yesterdays soaking.

After a Kitkat in the Cafe (where I chatted to  Julia and  Will ) I set off along the promenade and then bumped into some close friends from Bradford.

I retraced my steps to the cafe, so we could have a chin wag and I could up my chocolate intake with a Twix!

As I left the cafe again the heaven opened and it pelted down for three quarters of the way round the water.

One consolation was seeing a Kingfisher flying in the sluice area seen from the prom. (it wasn't there on my earlier gawp).

Once the deluge passed over the sun came out to dry me stuff.

Birds:-

4 Pied Wagtail.

Little Owl (Bradshaw)

Kestrel.

Stonechat.

Kingfisher.

Treecreeper.

2 Cormorant.

Not as many Gulls today - C100. 

Yellow Legged Gull.

3 Tufted Duck.

Goldcrest.

Raven.

Plus the usuals.

Both photos above of the same Tufted Duck in different light.

The lower one looks very dark.

and two more very distant at the north end.

Mallard enjoying the rain.

Ringstone Reservoir - Barkisland. Awful Timing.

I had a visit to Sowerby Bridge late morning and later on I drove over to Barkisland to check out Ringstone Reservoir.

I walked along the west side reservoir wall as far as the hide and back.

My timing was really poor as "Rain" and it's good pal "Strong Wind" gave me a severe 

thrashing - I didn't cry though - tough sod what I am - those tears were raindrops.

Birds: (now there was something to cry about!).

Small Gulls - mostly Black Headed Gulls.

Golden Plover well camouflaged on the far east side stones.

Lapwing Flock, landed in the north field. (55 counted from a partial sighting on a photo).

The odd Meadow Pipit - pipped past.

1 Pied Wagtail on the cobbles.

Kestrel.

3 Pheasant.

Rook.

Crow.

Jackdaw.

Magpie.

Spot the Kestrel.

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

9:00 - 13:15

Over 4 hours out and about on quite a cool, cloudy and windy (Soil Hill Top) day. 

The top of the Ogden Wind Turbines were in low cloud.

It was good to chat with GH, walking his dog along  along Ned Hill Track and also to bump into NK along the Ogden Water circuit.

A few 'sizeable' flocks of finches and pipits on Soil Hill was encouraging, although they were mostly distant and very flighty.

2 in flight calls heard on Soil Hill,  that I could not place was a bit frustrating.

The calls too 'silent' and quick to be picked up by my Merlin app (even if I was quick enough to get me phone out!).

Birds:-

Bradshaw - Soil Hill Top - Ned Hill Track:

Robin. Pied Wagtail. 4 Pheasant. c50 Meadow Pipit.

c40 Linnet. c20 Goldfinch. Kestrel.

Little Owl called from near Soil Hill End Farm.

Herring Gull. Lesser Black-backed Gull. Common Gull. Black Headed Gull.

Ned Hill Road and Ogden Water.

Greenfinch. 5 Teal. 2 Cormorant.

6 Tufted Duck. Long Tailed Tit. Great Tit. Blue Tit.

c15 Chaffinch, some dropping down to feed on west side path.

I though I'd hang about in case a Brambling dropped down but there was too much foot traffic and the flock went elsewhere.

I did not eyeball anything special in the Gulls.

and a few other species.

Syke Lane - Bradshaw Farm Tracks.

Just 2 Pied Wagtail and a Kestrel worth a mention.