Leeshaw & Ogden

A Free morning had me take a run out to Leeshaw Reservoir at Oxenhope.
I met the bin men (again), fortunately there was room to pass the bin wagon today - last week I watched half of Oxenhopes bins being emptied before I could pass!

The 'look-see' started out wet then progressed to very wet, with some stair rods arriving from heaven.

11:20 Birds:

Oystercatcher, Cormorant, Lapwing.

3 Swallow all went left to right along the res. top.

One House Martin, Curlew, 20+ Meadow Pipit.

Pied Wagtail.

Distant Canada Geese and Greylag Geese.

Kestrel.

Pr. Tufted Duck (asleep).

Brown Hare on the track.

Ogden 13:00 (ish)

I called at Ogden on my way home, for an hour or so.

I Had a very pleasant couple of minutes with 2 wet looking

smiling chaps here, DJS & Alan T.

I haven't seen Alan T since 'Waxwings' day in Halifax.

According to the Calderdale Birding Blog they had met someone called 'cheerful John' - alas I didn't bump into him here today!

I seem to see you only when it rains Dave?

A wet squelch around the res. path was a lot better that expected, given the awful weather.

The camera, though, was not on top form.

It insisted on focusing on raindrops, branches or leaves instead of B.I.R.D.S! - stupid camera thing. 

Instead of focusing I was just cusing.

Birds:-

2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Curlew overhead (although the call was odd?).

4 Chaffinch.

A good number of Willow Warblers - perhaps 8 seen.

Treecreeper.

2 Song Thrush.

2 Blackcap.

A real bonus for me, one of my bogie birds, Siskin.

One was on the 'passerine alley' bench with 2 others in the trees nearby.

I could have reached out and touched the bird - did I get a picture?

Did I thump.

Overall not a bad do, considering the awful weather.

My coat has taken to smoking vapour cigs, by the looks of it, as it sits near the radiator in the kitchen.

Some stunning photos:-

Leeshaw:

Ogden: