Bradshaw - Soil Hill Top - Ogden Water - Bradshaw

12:50 - 17:00

I did my usual walk again today, up Taylor Lane over Soil Hill Top and down to and around Ogden Water - back via Crabtree Hall Farm tracks.

It was quite cool to start, which caught me out when later when the sun came out and I had far to many layers on.

Tough going again bird wise today with a very poor Soil Hill Top and a mediocre Ogden Water, but as always it was great to get out from behind my 4 walls.

I arrived to late at Ogden to add to my weighty, weight-ness so I had to munch on my apple.

I did some bramble gardening at the top of Soil Hill north slope, in the hot sunshine, I was too pooped to take advantage of it and did not venture down the hill - maybe next time.

Some Birds:

5 Swallow. 5 Rook. 2 Linnet. 

1 Kestrel a second Kestrel at the time, but I now think it is a Buzzard from the photo.

Just a few Meadow Pipits seen today.

2 Pied Wagtail. 2 Mistle Thrush. 5 Cormorant.

2 Chiffchaff. Bullfinch.

c12 don't knows - probably Goldfinch, over head.

Long Tailed Tit.

Pheasant. 19 Canada Geese. 

2 Little Owls - one chasing the other.

Usual Gulls.

Buzzard Probably.

and....

some wizz-oh photos

Percy Road Unknown 

I know the picture is pants.

Soil Hill Unknown

Goldfinch - Maybe

Bradshaw - Soil Hill Thursday

 8:30 - 10:45

Quite a chilly outing today and a strong wind on Soil Hill Top was a surprise, given the weather forecast.

The sun made a feeble attempt to play out,  but it probably decided to play Fortnite instead, so it couldn't be bothered.

An early start (for me anyhow) hoping to see some migration, with the same walk as yesterday,

Pink Footed Geese were reported from several areas this morning but somehow I did not see any, and with 360° viewing from Soil Hill Top I think I must have been looking through the wrong end of my bins!

Birds of the day were Green Woodpecker with 2 heard, One to my east as I walked up Bradshaw Lane to Taylor Lane and a second as I passed by East Croft nearer home.

I reported the Goldfinch flock on Soil Hill as 60 but looking at the photo it's probably nearer 120!

(Some) Birds:-

Kestrel.

C20 Meadow Pipit.

2 Raven.

2 Green Woodpecker

Nine Skylark

C180 (30 30 120) Goldfinch

2 Stock Dove

6 Swallow

Pied Wagtail

Rook.

Pheasant.

1 Little Owl.

Goldfinch.

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.