Elland,Cromwell Bottom & Soil Hill

I had to pick up some new specs from Halifax this morning and afterwards I had a drive out to Elland.

I parked near Elland Bridge and had a walk through the park next to the river , along Winston Lane before crossing the bridge into Lowfields business park and joining the canal.

After a short distance on the canal a path leaves it temporarily to shadow the river for a while before returning to the canal.

At the bridge over the canal at Cromwell Bottom I turned right and crossed the river bridge, turning right again to pass the fast flowing weir.

I continued upstream for a few minutes before retracing my steps and heading down to the main feeding station.

It was a nice surprise to meet up with Alan (the mountaineer and Kestrel box man) and we enjoyed a chinwag before Alan left.

We did meet, however, later and we both walked into Elland, on the canal. 

(Good luck in Mull - hope the sun shines and the midges stay asleep).

The light was really poor today.

Birds:

Near Elland bridge.

2 Moorhen,1 Grey Wagtail, Mallard, Goldfinch, 2 Long Tailed Tit, Dipper.

Canal.

 6 Long Tailed Tit, 8 Jay. 8 Canada Geese, Mallard, .

River.

Above the fast flowing weir 5 f/juv Goosander, 8 Canada Geese and there were faint calls from a Bullfinch in the bushes here.

Lower down a Little Grebe made a very brief appearance then it managed to disappear completely from view. 

I don't know how it did it.

Fortunately I caught up with it later on lower down the river and managed an awful picture before it went out of view.

The usual birds were at the feeding station.

GSW, 2 Nuthatch, M/F Bullfinch, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch.

Also, flying high up, a Sparrowhawk.

A Cormorant and some small gulls were seen on the walk back to Elland.

Soil Hill

14:40 - 15:15.

I dropped some Nyger seed on the track and had a walk around the contour path..

It was 3 overcoats colder, here, than at Elland.

A pr. of Mallard was on the main track and there were a couple of Meadow Pipit flitting about in the cold north easterly breeze.

At the far (north) end of the main track I flushed a Snipe.

The Starling sized bird flushed without calling, flying fairly low and straight.

It was very angular in shape and the white on the wings was evident.

It flew over the hill top and out of sight.

This is the second time I have flushed a Snipe from this spot. 

Impossible to get a picture or the bins on it

Ned Hill Track was bereft of the Little Owl, just 6 Common Gull and a Wren.

Have a good week-end all.

The worst Little Grebe photo - ever!

A new development complete with a new fishing lake.

Might be worth keeping an eye on over winter.