Ogden & Bradshaw

10:00 – 13:00

Sue dropped me off at Ogden this morning on her way to Halifax so I could check on the Kingfisher but it failed to materialise.

I enjoyed a stroll around on a dull , mild breezy morning, and it was nice to meet with Bruce and companion.

The water was very quiet with c20 small gulls and 80 Mallard (it must be quiet for me to count the Mallard).

The circuit was eerily quiet with just one Robin and a few Blackbird about.

On a very circuitous jaunt up to the giant tooth area I heard just 2 Nuthatch call!

A slog around up here improved things with 3 Red Grouse leaving the heather with amazingly 6 Snipe also on the move.

2 Snipe left silently and flew low before landing again.

4 Snipe flew high in a manic zigzag flight, one heading off in the direction of Soil Hill – so we might be getting some Soil Hill Snipe before too long?

I had the camera around my neck and fired off a few photos but as you will see below they are extremely poor.

The return journey to the waters edge was punctuated with – nothing at all really.

I crossed the Promenade and headed left behind the reservoir house – there is nearly always something in the trees/bushes here. Today there were 4 Long Tailed Tit and a Goldcrest.

The path to Rocks Road above the Golf Clubhouse produced a single Wren although I did have a long look around in the bottom by the stream by the small bridge – I was hoping for maybe Kingfisher but I guess the water is too shallow.

On Cow Hill Gate Lane c40 Jackdaws were feeding in the fields and 

from the top of Ingham Lane I noticed a grey Heron, miles off, on its way towards Ogden .

(The Redpoll were absent from opposite Bradshaw School).

It wouldn’t be December 2015 without getting wet would it? 

A nice refreshing shower accompanied me from the Fleece Inn to home.

I hope we get some bitter north easterlies and lots of snow soon, I need some different weather to complain about.

Enjoy your week-end when it gets to you - remember it's just a week 'till Christmas.

p.s. I'm a size 8 or size 9 if it's walking boots.

Approaching Giant's Tooth

Looking back over Ogden Water from the Giant's Tooth area

Soil Hill in the far distancer

Quite boggy on the moor

3 Red Grouse

A dull old day to take photographs

Of all the pipes in all of Ogden Water you 2 have to share my bit