Where have I been? Or Today’s anagram.

A strange old week-end is over, where we had Abigail to sleep for two nights instead of one and a Saturday morning with the four of us camped out at Calderdale Royal Hospital after Emma had fallen at White Windows and broken a bone in her wrist.

I was dreading the trip to the hospital on a Saturday morning. “Christmas revellers out on Friday night” and “broken bones” and “disorderly” came to mind.

However we were pleasantly surprised when we were only there for Two and a half hours.

Monday, and it was cleaning day, and afterwards the rain came in bucket loads accompanied by a gale. 

The rain finally stopped at 2 ish, but the gale continued - I headed off to Oats Royd.

14:15 – 15:45

The wind was keeping the birds at bay but at least some (10 ish) Long Tailed Tit were flitting about in the trees.

The Ponds held nothing new just 5 Mallard and 3 Dom. Geese. 

There were no Moorhen seen today.

A Heron flew over in the general direction of Ogden and apart from one Wren and one Great Tit that was my lot down here.

Just before Bradshaw Park, on the return leg, a few small gulls went over > West and then what looked like a Starling came into view behind one of the gulls. 

The Starlings  erratic flight gave the game away though – a Snipe on its way towards Soil Hill.

It was a nice surprise to see a Snipe in flight where you don’t expect one.

In the bushes, opposite the cricket club, there were 5 thrush types, but the light was poor now.

A couple were Fieldfare I think, and I’m unsure about the others. 

Two could easily have been Starling.

(or today's  anagram= Oats Royd. 
See what stupid stuff I get up to when it won't stop raining.)

The wind playing tricks with a bin liner

Windy Bank - Ambler Thorn Queensbury -  far distance

Approaching Oats Royd

Heron

Gulls heading home

Woodpigeons