√Bye, bye January

No long walks today with some family visits on the cards.

Very cold today with some snow and hail showers off and on.
January seems to me to have been an extremely wet month?
I think we will be in for frost and sunny blue skies in February.

A visit to Sue's Dads brought with it a quick squint at Saville Park.
While at Ken's place a Heron flew over.
Saville Park football fields had small gulls and corvids.

A Mistle Thrush and some Starlings were lower down - no sign of the Redwings but I was only here for 5 mins.

Raggalds:

There and back (quickly in the gale) to Raggalds this aft.
A small Lapwing flock were very mobile in the Bonnet fields with Starling and small Gulls for company.
I did not eyeball any Golden Plover , in amongst,as the wind tried to blow me over.

Plenty of juice, 2 Black Headed and a Common Gull in the Flood field.
A couple of Rook were seen on the way home and the remains of a small gull by the looks of it.
Better luck tomorrow?

Raggalds Area:

√Soil Hill, Ogden, Bradshaw farm track

9:45 - 13:45

The usual walk today.

I looked out this morning and the day had a warm sort of look to it.

On Soil Hill top it was raw, with a real ear-stinger of a westerly wind.

It was a good deal calmer at Ogden Water and very warm, in fact, in the visitors centre with a coffee for company!

Many volunteers were working around the water's perimeter, performing last rites on the Christmas Trees, in the mud.

The Promenade 'sluice' area was gushing water with workmen here.

Above the sluice, the Promenade itself, is having a face lift with new tubular fencing replacing the old stuff,along the promenade walls.

Lots of action but not many birds.

The farm track from the bottom of Ned Hill Road to home has bags of summer potential but in winter it does not reveal much!

Birds:-

5 Meadow Pipit by the Muck Heap on Taylor Lane was a pleasing surprise.

Soil Hill was ...... C O L D.

A pr. Mallard and probably aTeal on the very distant NK pond.

(I had hoped for Snow Bunt or a Snipe of some description, up here, but it was not to be)

Ned Hill Track had a solitary Wren.

Entering the conifers after 'Another World Adventure Centre' a Treecreeper popped up from nowhere.

Approaching Back Lane there were a few passing Herring Gulls.

Ogden Water:

Given all the action taking place, I did not expect a lot.

Mallard, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Common and Black Headed Gull were seen.

An 'odd' looking Mallard with strange head markings was here.
I wondered if it might be partially blind.

Crossing the prom a would be pr. Goosander flew quickly past, just as an elderly gentleman stopped me for a chat.

Drat, I thought - but I need not have worried because the Goosander  morphed into a very light coloured drake Mallard when I eventually caught up with it in the far NE corner.

On the return leg, looking west from the bottom of Ned Hill Lane,  'Hundreds' of Starling were way off in the lower fields.

Also hereabouts were a few Fieldfare.

The usual small birds were seen as I passed by the farms.

The 'Little Owl' field had a good few horses near it's usual haunt and I did not locate it here.

A slight detour down the lane by Brandy Hall, paid dividends as I did eyeball the Little Owl near here.

A very cold but enjoyable few hours out and about.

Snow tomorrow?

Many thanks for looking in on the blog.

Miles off - Mallard and probable Teal

Very poor, distant photos of the Starling Flock with a few Fieldfare:-

√Around the roads to the cafe and back

13:15 - 15:45

We enjoyed a leg stretcher this afternoon through Bradshaw and along the roads to Asa Nicholson's café on the Denholmegate / Thornton Road crossroads.

Then along past Kelham Farm Shop to the Raggalds and down Green Lane, home.

Great timing today. As we were noshing our Wenslesdale Cheese and Fruit cake with coffee, the rain came.

When we left the café the sun had returned, making for a completely dry experience - one, of very few dry outing, of late.

The wind was strong and bitingly cold by the farm shop but otherwise it was a good stroll.

Birds:-

Not on my tod today, so not as much time to stop and stare.

Large flock of Starlings and a few Fieldfare were in the fields, seen from Ingham Lane corner.

Unfortunately, they decided to up sticks and drop down behind a high field wall, so I only got a few, poor, distant shots.

A lighter coloured bird was with the Fieldfare, which I can't identify.

(It has a look of Golden Plover but I didn't think they would be alone with Fieldfare and Starlings).

I don't think it's a Redwing or a Mistle Thrush - but I think it must be one or t'other!

A few Common and Black Headed Gulls were dotted about the fields.

Lapwing:

Lapwings were seen in a few locations.

A small airborne flock went South near Ogden Lane.

c160 were in the feeding/resting  in the Shay fields, below Soil Hill. Another flock were airborne near the Raggalds and a solitary Lapwing was 3 fields up from the Flood fields sat on its lonesome.

Lots of Corvids were enjoying the surplus fruit on the Farm Shop tip, seen from Denholmegate Road.

The Raggalds Flood was very, very full with a 'sister' pond forming near the wall by the road -  no birds here though.

A Kestrel and a Mistle Thrush were seen as Sue left for home, as I was scanning for the Little Owl from Bradshaw lane.

(The Little Owl failed to show up today).

Not a bad stroll, especially watching the rain from the warmth of the café, noshing cake!

A poor, distant photo.

Unsure about the lighter coloured bird in the centre.

So distant, that cropping the photo, just gives a blur:-

Withens from Ingham Lane

√Bradshaw to Ogden circular hike

9:15 - 14:30

With Sue having a busy day today, I was left to go my own way.

A cracking day for a 5 hour walk today. We have had so few days like this, this winter, it seems.

I went via Bradshaw farms to Syke Lane, around Ogden Water. Then over to pass by the Golf Clubhouse along the stream and followed the track and fields paths to Mixenden Reservoir.

Some beautiful countryside here, a great place for my butty break.

A circuit of the water and back to Hunter Hill where a right took me through Stod Fold and up the track to Brockholes and along the Calderdale Way to Bradshaw Park and home.

Birds:-

The local Little Owl was a devil to locate but I did eventually eyeball it on a wall behind a small tree - always great to see.

21 Goldfinch were in trees by a farm with 2 Fieldfare high in the trees here.

10:10 Ogden

As I arrived at the Visitors centre a Sparrowhawk flew low over the conifers.

A circuit of the water revealed the usual Mallards, Common, Black Headed and at least one Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Cormorant.

Passerine alley was  bathed in sunlight and busy with birds calling.

Long Tailed Tit (One with a short tail?) were plentiful with the usual sp. hereabouts.

A left at the end of the Promenade towards the Golf clubhouse had a would be Reed Bunting morph into a Dunnock as I got the bins on it and a Coal Tit.

The walk to Mixenden Reservoir was a lot quieter that I had expected with just a hunting Kestrel and a Jay.

Mixenden Res. 12:40

I was hoping for big things at Mixenden - live in hope die ...

A slow full circuit of the water brought with it lots of Gulls.

The majority sunbathing on the east bank with a solitary Cormorant.

No wild fowl seen today which was a disappointment.

A WASP was on the 5 bar exit gate wall as I tried to get my leg over the high gate.

Entering the field above Stod Fold brewery a scan to my right for Green Woodpecker gave me something to smile about with my second Little Owl.

A calling Nuthatch here , failed to show up for the interview.

c10 Fieldfare were in the trees above Brook House.

A Stock Dove was further along.

It was very quiet from here to home.

5 Moorhen and a Mistle Thrush with a few smaller bird sp. seen in the park area.

A great day out.

Ogden Water:

God it's boring here

Approaching Ogden Golf course:-

Mixenden Res

Stod Fold - Little Owl

Very Dapper Stock Dove

√Coach Road - Lightcliffe

9:45 - 11:45

A couple of hours saunter down Coach Road, along to Sefton Ave and back this morning.

Cool, dry,bright and breezy.

Not a bad outing

(If I don't mention that little rare bark gripper - so I wont).

Birds:-

A couple of Birdies on the golf course, was a good start to the outing - Mistle Thrush.

2 Mistle Thrush were in the field at the back of the church later on - presumably the same birds.

2 Jay one heard the other seen.

Nuthatch 'a plenty' with 7 heard calling, 3 of which were seen.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker heard, not seen, going down the track.

Green Woodpecker(s) called opp. Sefton Ave 3 times and another called higher up the track.

A Heron left the trees at the very bottom of the track near the Golf Clubhouse - a bit of a strange place to see Heron?

Plenty of Woodpigeon and 2 Stock Doves with 3 Mallards overhead.

The 'Brambling' trees opp. Sefton Ave were busy with small birds - 5 Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Starling, Blackbird, Long Tailed Tit Blue Tit, Great Tit - but no Brambling as yet.

A Bullfinch, solitary Redwing and finally A  very distant, female Great Spotted Woodpecker were seen as I was nearly back to the car.

As I'm writing this a Kestrel is hovering near our house.

A distant picture - a Mistle Thrush Perhaps

Cropped from pic. above - not much better!

Birdie on the Golf Course

Spot the Nuthatch

√Bingley (A very interesting - Mystery Bird)

Wet and wild at Bradshaw this morning, so we had a trip out to Harden Garden Centre and afterwards enjoyed a couple of hours walk from Bingley.

After the gales in Bradshaw, the walk was exceptionally calm.
We headed up Ireland Lane following a very full and fast flowing River Aire.
After a couple of miles we followed a steep path that doubled back through the woods.
The path was very boggy in places.
The path exits, eventually, onto Altar Lane.
Here we dropped down into Bingley to the Car Park.

Birds:

Not a lot on the fast flowing Aire but we were rewarded with 4 Goosander (2 Drakes).
Also here were a PR. Mallard and a Moorhen.
A Goldcrest was it the trees by the beautiful stable buildings.
A large 'Corvid' passed overhead.

I though Raven at first, but as I look at the photo the bird looks 'very interesting' - it had a white throat and partially white breast.
The bill is all wrong for a Corvid as well.

It resembled a Petrel but the wings are wrong!!
I really have no idea what the bird is!!!!

As is usually the case, I got one photograph before the bird disappeared.

A Buzzard made a brief appearance, soon disappearing at the sight of the mobbing Crows.

A Jay and PR. Stock Doves were in trees as we exited the woods.

Also seen 4 Fallow Deer and a Fox.

Passing below Soil Hill were a large flock of Lapwing.

Mystery Bird

Mystery Bird - cropped from above

Buzzard

Buzzard - cropped from above

Lapwing Flock

√Saville Park & Raggalds

I took a short stroll around Saville Park this morning on the look out for Brambling - but never saw one alas.

It was very windy, but I missed the rain.

Birds:-

Saville Park:-

F. Bullfinch struggling against the wind.

Solitary Black Headed Gull, Carrion Crows and Jackdaws.

4 Goldfinch, Starlings, 3 Pied Wagtail, 3 Mistle Thrush.

Possible fly over of a single Redwing, but I did not see the larger Redwing flock that was here last week.

Raggalds:-

A quick stop in the car, to look at the football fields opposite the Raggalds where there was a large contingent of Lapwing and Starlings a few Small Gulls.

Saville Park:-

Raggalds:-

√Thwarted by the flood

14:25 - 16:00

Bradshaw - Oats Royd (Raggalds Flood earlier)

A poor day weather wise - supposedly the driest day of the week.
The snow is nearly gone but the rain kept a coming alas.

I took a walk through Bradshaw & down to Oats Royd where approaching Oats Royd,the path and the stream had become one.
I turned back humming the well known Perry Como hit "It's Impassible".

Tough going in the blustery showers with birds hard to come by.

15 Magpies were in one field close to Oats Royd - some sort of record for me.
A Great Spotted Woodpecker called from the small copse near Holdsworth, but remained unseen alas and a Wren was here also.
A few Small Gulls were dotted about the fields.

A Kestrel looked thoroughly fed up as it sat in a tree in Bradshaw Park.
It was soon chased off by a Magpie.

Raggalds Flood.

A quick stop at the Raggalds Flood earlier saw it very busy with a large flock of very mobile Lapwing with starlings and 5 Common Gulls.
The water was partially frozen.

Bradshaw & Oats Royd.

Oats Royd flood

Bradshaw Park path

Raggalds Flood: