Thursday 14 June 2018

Ponden & Oxenhope Reservoirs in not ideal conditions


Warm and quite bright but far too windy to go for my usual walk up Soil Hill - I'd have needed lead boots on.
The wind became a real pain today, if I'm honest, especially the wind tunnel known as Leeshaw… anyway.

Ponden 15:30

The west side of the reservoir had school kids having fun with the boats. Later a teenage girl instructor was retrieving 3 blue barrels from the east end and lugging them back to the west end, along the path - the kids had let go of them and the waves and wind did the rest.

Birds:-

4 Oystercatcher flying about.

A cracking Common Sandpiper called constantly from the reservoir wall.
A second common Sandpiper appeared on the field wall as I was leaving.

Grey Wagtail was fighting the wind.
2 Black Headed Gulls over and regular ones and twos of Lesser Black-backed Gulls over.
There could have been Herring Gulls also but identifying Gulls in flight is not my strong suit.

A Tit species caught my ear, with a LOUD unusual call.
It was being blow to blazes in a small tree.
I got one pic before the wind took it away.
Probably a Juv. Coal Tit or Great Tit.

Lower Laithe was bereft of birds.

Leeshaw 16:30

The usual birds in this unpleasantly windy spot today.

5 Oystercatcher, Lapwing, 3 Curlew.
Lesser Black-backed Gull and a few Meadow Pipits.
At least 4 Stock Doves also in a field.
An UNID on a distant wall, nearest I can get to an ID is a Juv. Starling - poor pic alas.
A flock of Greylag Geese came in to land as I was driving off.

Leeming 17:30 - 18:15

Windy here but the south end was remarkably calm and Willow Warblers were singing.
A good few families of Great Tit about as well.

2 House Martin were moving at the speed of light with a tail wind.
8 Canada Geese.
Pied Wagtail.
2 Common Sandpiper.
2 Lesser Black-backed Gull on the water for a time a few overhead also.
2 Black Headed Gull.
Curlew, Kestrel or maybe 2.
6 or so Swallow.

Ponden:











Juv. Coal Tit or Great Tit?






Leeshaw:


Juv. Starling


But then again....







Leeming:













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