A long birding outing to Mixenden Reservoir and back, on a really sunny day, for a change.
A very cold wind for most of the morning but Ogden Water and the West side of Mixenden were sheltered and calm.
Things started well this morning with a Buzzard seen through the kitchen window as I washed the breakfast dishes!
Bradshaw Farms were very quite with just a Jay of interest.
Ogden 1st Time:
The sluice area was bereft of birds.
As I passed over the Promenade at Ogden I took a few photos before turning left at the end of the prom to go along the golf course path.
One of the photos reveals an 'interesting' Gull with very pale tail feathers - of course it is probably a Common Gull and not the Mega moment that always comes to mind.
Anyway I can't turn it into a Ring-Billed or Med Gull.
1 Reed Bunting was in the bushes.
Golf Course to Mixenden Reservoir:
A solitary Fieldfare and a Mistle Thrush were in the trees by
Hunter Hill.
Mixenden Reservoir:
The reservoir was bathed in sunshine and I needed to get to the far end to see owt.
1 Cormorant.
Canada Goose.
2 pr. Goldeneye was a great bonus for me.
They remained at distance, very camera shy.
A Female Goosander or poss. a 1st year Male?
Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Gull.
Black Headed Gull.
A few Meadow Pipit were heard out and about but none were seen which was a pity.
3 Redwing.
On approaching Ogden on the return, via the Golf Course, 3 Reed Buntings were in the trees by the reservoir house.
Also here a Bullfinch and a fly over of a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Ogden was very, very busy with the car park nearly full. Parking, thankfully, not a problem for me today.
Along the circuit I picked out the Kingfisher in the dark trees on the west side.
It was kind enough to fly into a sunny area, albeit still obscured.
Its amazing the different colours of the same Kingfisher in different light conditions.
On Soil Hill the wind was still strong and cold.
A Kestrel was hunting here.
Coming down the main path to Percy Road, the field on my left held c30 Fieldfare and (best guess) c500 Starling.
The birds soon moved over the hill out of sight.
This was a great pity because I would have liked to get some photos of the Starling flock to see how many were there.
C20 Fieldfare were airborne along Taylor Lane and the near resident Little Owl was on a gate.
My Calderdale Bird List for 2019 stands at 105.
This year's UK list is 160.
My 'interesting' Ogden Gull.
Shame about the glare and the distance.
Approaching Ogden Gold Course - Destination - Soil Hill in the far distance
Just some of the large Startling flock.
Old Faithful
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