Oxenhope Reservoirs

10:15 – 12:30

With a grim weather forecast for today I decided to give Soil Hill a miss and take the car out for a change so I headed off to Oxenhope.

Leeshaw

It was 2 degrees with a cold wind at Leeshaw.

The water held c80 small gulls with 1 LBBG as far as I could tell.

A Cormorant on the valve inspection tower was soon joined by a second one.

I had a good search in the fields and wall tops for … anything .. but came up with zero.

The cold soon made me move along.

Lower Laithe was bereft of birds.

Ponden.

There were workmen here with diggers so I just had a short shufty.

Just Mallard and a few small gulls here as far as I could tell.

I normally take a walk from the Old Ponden Mill area up towards Ponden Guest House, but I gave that a miss today, so I’m probably doing the birdlife an injustice.

Leeming 11:20 – 12:20

Leeming was perishing cold at the north end but sheltered and reasonably pleasant at the south end, by the small pond.

3 pretty domesticated geese greeted me as I arrived at the reservoir.

C40 small gulls and c25 Mallard were knocking about on the water.

The highlight of a dull do was that of a Kingfisher spotted as it left a wall near the pond and flew low around the corner.

A scan with the bins revealed it sitting in a small tree by the pond side.

Between swapping bins for camera I lost it again and could not relocate it– so no pic alas.

Strange this birding malarkey, I see no Kingfisher for months, then see 2 in the space of a few days.

The circular path is very boggy, as expected following all this wet stuff.

Leeming is my favourite of all the Oxenhope reservoirs, especially on a day like today, where dog walkers numbered just 2.

I did a full circuit, leaving the reservoir at the south end to loop around on the circular path. I stayed about 1 hour.

2 Goldcrest, 2 Wren, 3 Greenfinch, lots of Blackbird, Woodpigeon and Starling, Blue & Great Tit and 3 Mistle Thrush completed my morning out.

The poor weather forecasted, did not arrive in my time out and about, and it did not rain during my stint today.

Pool/Snooker this tea-time. I got absolutely thrashed last week and blamed it on the awful cough I had. I’m trying to think of an excuse for this week’s performance, at the moment.

Some guys asked why we played pool with snooker rules – we said it makes the game less boring.

The reality is we don’t understand the new pool rules.

We try to pot a ball on every shot regardless of the consequences.

Leeshaw:

Leeming:

Looking down from the higher path

Best I could do for a pic. of this elusive Greenfinch

All 3 Mistle Thrush on the fence posts