Apperley Bridge / Ogden / Soil Hill

Apperley Bridge

We had a drive out to Apperley Bridge this morning.  I had the bright idea of collecting some Hazelnuts.  I’d seen some hazelnuts here when we collected plums some months back. Search as we might we didn’t see any nuts!

(If we had a mirror at least we’d have seen 2 nuts).

After our futile search we enjoyed a short stroll on the canal towards Shipley, as far as the water treatment works and back.

Birds:-

Jays were everywhere collecting  and burying nuts for later on in the winter I guess.

Apparently Jays are supposed to know where they have buried them, whereas Squirrels bury them but don’t remember where they have put them for later on in winter.

We spotted at least 10 Jay.

Also about 2 Mute Swan, Canada Goose, 2 Kestrel, Nuthatch calling, Pied Wagtail, Moorhen, 20 & 15 Small Gulls.

A Kingfisher flew along the canal away from us.

A Red Kite was soaring very high and far, far away.

On the way home from Apperley Bridge Sue dropped me at Ogden.

Ogden – Soil Hill – Bradshaw

13:30 – 15:45

Ogden

Ogden was as quiet as a library – a library without books!

I’ve know it quiet but today was ridiculous.

A few small gulls were on the waters edge and a very slow stroll around the water brought with it:-

C6 Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, a good few Long Tailed Tit.

No doubt there were plenty of other birds about but I didn’t eyeball them today.

Soil Hill

The trek to Soil Hill fared much better. 

Nothing much was seen from Ogden to Coal Lane (a fox was here last time). 

On Coal Lane a Stonechat kindly sat on a wall a long, long way off. 

I think this is a female, my previous sighting was of a Male. 

The picture is very poor.

As I joined Ned Hill Track at the back of Pottery Cottage 2 Pheasant scared the life out of me, leaving the side of the track in a real old noisy flap.

One looked as if it’s plumage was still in the moult (if that is the correct terminology) because it struggled to fly very far, landing in a ungainly heap in the heather.

Further along the track c30 Goldfinch took to the air and C50 Canada Geese were feeding in the lower fields with another Pheasant. A good few Starling sat on the telegraph lines.

2 Owls called from below the track but I did not eyeball them – probably Little Owl.

A few Meadow Pipit were on the hill and 3 Red Grouse flushed, where the contour path meets the main track, at the north end.

Leaving Soil Hill the near resident Common Gull was in the reservoir field.

There was a quick rain shower so I used my favourite black golf cap to keep the rain of my camera. If I tighten the Velcro it works a treat.

Half way down the Taylor Lane bridleway – no cap.

Fortunately a 300 yd backtrack located it.

Nearing home, at Row Farm, a Goldcrest was flitting about in a Hawthorn bush giving me little chance of a decent photo and a good few Goldfinch were on the wires hereabouts.

Quite a good day out.

Apperley Bridge:

 Ogden and Soil Hill:

Spot the Pheasant