Snowy Soil Hill

It was another very cold day, minus 2 leaving home, and another trek over Soil Hill and around the Ogden circuit. I went up Bradshaw Lane and was soon rewarded with a Pied Wagtail (on Daniel’s driveway). Then halfway up Taylor Lane 2 Dunnock were feeding near some sheep.

Soil Hill 9:45

I was on the search for Snow Bunting but I did not hold out much hope. The snow up here is over a foot in places – I know this because it was over my foot!

Apart from putting some birdseed down the trip over Soil Hill seemed to be a waste of time with nothing but a Carrion Crow on the ground. 

Then a bonus of 3 very large gulls followed closely by another 2 > NE. 

Given their apparent large size, I was hoping they were GBBG, but looking at the photos in my Collins Bird Guide I cannot marry up the pictures with my photos, they look more like LBBG - and yet the size still sways me towards GBBG.

It was very pretty on the tops and very, very cold.

Leaving via the Ned Hill track just a Wren broke the ‘birdlessness’ spell and then on the very icy Coal Lane, just a Dunnock knocking about.

Ogden:

Ogden was very quiet again with the white icy stuff keeping birds at bay. Blackbirds were the bird of the day outnumbering Robins for a change.

A Nuthatch was calling from the trees but even the smaller birds were keeping a low profile with the usual Tit population absent, Just a Dunnock near the Beech Trees area. A search for Dipper and Kingfisher all proved unproductive.

Approaching the Promenade, on my way home, 16 Canada Geese were on the water. They soon started to get agitated and honk, I think they were looking for bread lobbers, and not finding any were keen to be on their way. Sure enough they soon left, with some more honking, splashing and vigorous wing flapping.

Just Blue Tit and Woodpigeon seen on the Boggart Brig track before Sue picked me up and we enjoyed a delicious Turkey and gravy sandwich at Asa Nicholsons.

Not a bad morning out.

Taylor Lane - fancy living up here?

Further up Taylor Lane - sheep sheltering under the wall out of the cold wind.

Something out and about

OK. So there is not much to snap today

The Arctic

Farmer feeding sheep near Forerside Top