Widdop Reservoir

It was a busy day for us today, with places to go and people to see.

Halifax, Sowerby Bridge and Hebden Bridge were all on the ‘to do’ list.

Afterwards we had a drive out to Widdop Reservoir for an hours birding.

It was very cold here today with a temperate of 6° in a cold breeze with light drizzle but it felt like it could snow!

The distances I am walking at the moment have been curtailed dramatically, due too some fierce back pain.

This has been my best buddy for the last 10 days….but …. I think it might be easing.

Because of the back thing, Soil Hill has been a no go area for a while, and looking at the cracking birds Daniel has been seeing up there recently, the back thing may have saved me some embarrassment – I doubt I’d have eyeballed the birds he has!!!

Nice One Daniel.

Anyway, back at the (B)ranch (sorry Daniel couldn't resist)– it was a short saunter along the side of Widdop reservoir and back today.

The parking here was a tad awkward with the car park being taken up with reservoir maintenance traffic.

Lots of frog spawn about, a great deal was in the 'flooded' track next to the drainage channel - I doubt if the frog spawn in the 'flood' will survive to tadpole stage.

Birds:-

There were 3 Mistle Thrush on the telephone lines as we parked on the road side.

A Curlew called from the moor, and later 3 more were seen on the hill top just before the Pack Horse Pub.

The water was very quiet with a couple of Mallard and c12 Canada Geese on/around it.

A Red Grouse called from the far side of the reservoir and later another Red Grouse was seen, this side of the reservoir.

There were plenty of Dunnock in ‘mating form’ dancing about on the walls.

Also about were a couple of singing Wren and a couple of Pied Wagtail.

Meadow pipit were very active also ,with a few on the walls, a few in the grass and some feeding in the stones on the waters edge (c7 seen in all).

Top of the Pops was 2 pr. Stonechat; again these were very active, flitting about.

A solitary large gull was on the far side of the water just within camera/bins range - a Lesser Black-backed gull I believe.

A Song Thrush was in the garden of the reservoir house and c40 Lapwing flew over as we headed off home.

Not a bad hours result although there was no sign of Wheatear or any 'special' waders and I would have enjoyed a really long hike along the moors to take a look at the Gorple reservoirs.

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