Bradshaw - Soil Hill - Plantation - Ogden - Peat Pits - Bradshaw

9:50 - 13:45

I had the usual circular walk today.
2 Mistle Thrush were in the trees opposite the house as I left.
The forecast was for a dry day but a bit of rain managed to squeeze itself out of the Soil Hill sky making me stop and struggle to get my waterproof trousers on.

Once I'd managed that task, the weather brightened up with glorious sunshine arriving soon after.

I had a good scan around Taylor Lane but did not eyeball the Little Owl today.

Soil Hill was dull and quiet.
I dropped some birdseed along the path for a change.

My earlier birdseed, placed on the big rock, had gone, probably to the crows,.
A good scout around brought with it almost nothing until a small brown flower seed turned into a M. Stonechat once I got the bins on it.

The Stonechat sat obligingly , high up, to allow some decent, if distant, photos.

The walk through the plantation revealed c10 Pheasants in the field
near Back Lane.
I had a long look around the conifers here. There are plenty of cones on the trees but no sign of Crossbill - not sure if these are the right cones for Crossbill mind you.

3 Donkeys gave me that sad looking face - enough for me to forsake one of my 4 a day, and give them the apple (watch your fingers though).

11:40 Ogden

Ogden was bathed in bright sunshine, actually  making it difficult to see the birds on the water.

The usual Mallards and c80 Small Gulls were present as far as I could make out. There may have been a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gull far out in the middle - not sure.

It was a nice surprise to bump into Larry who was doing the rounds.

The circuit was very quiet with the 'Chaffinch Patch' now submerged.

A couple of tries to locate the Kingfisher, in a the dark and cold drainage area below the prom, both failed.
I guess the glue had worn off the pipe where it sits and it had gone off to enjoy a sunnier fishing trip.

There were just 4 Long Tailed Tit and a couple of Goldcrest seen also.

I went down past Boggart Brig where the conifers are jam packed with cones.
A while spent here revealed 2 Coal Tit and a Goldcrest but this area looks to have potential for Crossbill.

The walk home via Cow Hill Gate Lane and Ingham Lane did not turn up much.
A couple of Goldfinch were in the trees by Bradshaw School.

It's tasty, tasty very very tasty.

Spot the Long Tailed Tit

Spot the Wren

Raggalds & Scholes

We had a bit of a leg stretcher this afternoon with a walk past the Raggalds and down to Scholes and back.


Raggalds Flood held a few small gulls.

The football field held a large flock of Lapwing, a few Gulls and Starling.

Old Guy Road fields held a large Starling Flock.


4 Larger Gulls passed overhead, Lesser Black-backed Gulls I think.

A stone in a garden wall near Scholes, had my initials on it , and a date of 1780.

Not a lot seen on the walk today.


A few pictures:-

Soil Hill

11:40 - 13:00

Not much birding time today just a quick walk up and around Soil Hill before lunch to check for Snow Bunting and drop some bird seed. We had promised Abigail and Emma a trip to the Brighouse Christmas Fair.
It was a cracking day, weather wise, up here. Walter Wall Sunshine came out and it was actually warm up here, I guess 10 degrees, and I realised I'd got too many layers of clothing on.

It was a different day at Brighouse with cold dense fog in places and a temperature of 2 degrees.

A good look around found that the Little Owl was present at the bottom of Taylor Lane.

I dropped some bird seed on Soil Hill and had a look for the Snow Bunt. but did not see one.

A Common Snipe flushed from the east side and a  Stonechat was silhouetted on the standing stones.

A rush back home for lunch and off to Brighouse to see 3 Camels!!

I was thinking on the way home that a Little Owl, Common Snipe and a Stonechat would have been a mega morning for me 3 years ago - now it seems birding is a bit like chocolate cake - the more I see the more I want.

My best Snipe photo to date!

Slightly better cropped