Twit of the Year

This morning the weather was pretty grim at Bradshaw, very cold wintry showers came and went on a near gale force wind.

There was, however, a long sunny interlude around 11 o’clock so Johnny one brain decided to take a look at Soil Hill.

I had been (wishful) thinking all morning about NK’s Ring Ouzle pictures yesterday and wondering if my 2 Fieldfare were in fact Ring Ouzel.

The birds took off from the North West corner of the hill, above the large ugly grey wind turbine by the pottery buildings, only allowing me a brief view of them.

Anyway I went up Soil Hill some time after 1 O’clock and never got out of the car!

The temperature was zero on my arrival and I coincided with a huge hailstone blizzard.  
I did open the car door and promptly shut it before it got ripped off.

After listing to Radio II for a while, waiting for the storm to pass,I abandoned S.H. and drove down to Ogden.

The weather wasn’t much better here with torrential rain and gales.

As I went down the slope towards the visitor centre a chap was pushing his wife in a wheelchair up the steep slope back to the car park!

“You’ve got make an effort top get out of the house!” they both said.

He was glad of a helping push – at least I wasn’t the only one out and about.

The water was grim, as expected really, with a few gulls and mallard and no mega to be seen.

I went around the circuit, head down mostly but I did actually get a Tree Creeper.

After a lot of faffing about I got the camera out but the Tree Creeper had gone.

 Also here were c8 dark silhouetted Goldcrest  - if  there was a Firecrest with them it was impossible to tell!

I went around the rest of the circuit sharpish and I was glad to get back home.

I’m definitely putting my name forward for Twit of the year.

(Back home and of course the rain had stopped – typical).

A few awful pictures - to match the weather:-

(At least Ogden Water is filling up nicely).

Kens birthday party treat with Calderdale Senior Citizens Orchestra.

The Orchestra is holding a Carol Concert at St, Jude's Church Halifax at 7pm

Tuesday 8th December - Tickets £5 from The Woolshops or phone 01422 252040

(Apologies for the phones video sound quality)