Ponden and Leeshaw Reservoirs

Shopping day mostly today and  for tea we had a run out to Haworth to enjoy Fish and Chips in the car looking over a moody, drizzly moorland.

Over 100 Lesser Black-backed Gulls passed by overhead as we were noshing, on their way to Oxenhope reservoir I would think.

Afterwards we had a quick look at Ponden and Leeshaw Reservoirs.

Ponden:

Ponden was very, very quiet with just a few Sand Martins of interest.

Leeshaw:

The fields by the reservoir were full of birds, mostly Geese.

The usual Greylag and Canada Geese were in the company of a few Oystercatcher and Curlew. 

A couple of Lapwing were on the nearside shoreline and a few Gulls were on the far shore.

A Juv. Dipper was on a rock near the stream.

Elsewhere today - a Peregrine Falcon.

Ogden - Another Wet One

An hour and a half late afternoon today, having a look see at Ogden Water.

Pretty wet ,but bearable non the less, as I did the usual circuit of the water.

Half way around I heard some begging cries coming from the woods.  Hoping for an Owl sp. I following the cries.

I traipsed through the high, wet ferns and eventually  located the source of the beggars - 3 Sparrowhawk.

I cannot recall hearing young Sparrowhawk calling previously.

The birds were very active flying about in the dark tree canopy and as I waited around I did get some, mostly fleeting, glimpses of the birds intermittently.

With thanks to Calderdale Grapevine.

Other Birds:-

16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

6 Black Headed Gulls.

2 Cormorant.

2 Great Crested Grebe today (definitely).

4 Swallow, Bullfinch, Chiffchaff and Chaffinch.

A super dooper Vid.

Whiteholme Reservoit (Tern sp) and Ogden

After a grapevine text this morning of a Grey Plover and Arctic Terns seen at Whiteholme Reservoir, I thought I go and have a look see.

Abi and Sue were otherwise engaged so I had some free time.

The conditions at Whiteholme were pretty grim with heavy drizzle blown along by a strong wind and visibility very, very poor.

Arriving at the reservoir the 'island' was just about visible.

I moved a few big rocks about and hunkered down behind a walled drain, by the shore.

Out of the wind and rain it wasn't too bad really but there were no birds at all here.

A Tern sp. soon appeared, though, but did not land or call. It just zoomed through, going West.

I managed a few poor photos, I think the bird seems to have a dark bill? , is a Common Tern - any comments welcome.

Later a Wheatear zoomed past.

An hour or so 'sit about' brought little else. 

On leaving the reservoir the same, or a second Wheatear , was on the shore line and a solitary Meadow Pipit flushed as I left. 

Ogden:

I had a quick visit to Ogden when I got home on the off chance that the Tern sp. seen earlier might still be here, but no Terns were seen.

A few Black Headed Gulls, few more Lesser Black-backed Gulls,2 Common Gull, one Cormorant one Great Crested Grebe, Mallard, Canada Goose were all seen from the prom.

A lone Gull with 'odd leg position' (that I've  am trying to turn in a Med. Gull) is probably a Black Headed Gull with a damaged leg. 

Last evening, a local walk found a Fox carrying prey but few birds.

Whiteholme:-

Ogden:

Ogden - frequent thundery showers

 A run out to Ogden this afternoon was a wet affair indeed, with frequent heavy thundery showers. 11 degrees today.

Difficult to keep the camera and bins dry.

Birds:-

It was wet 90% of the outing, but some Gulls were coming and going throughout.

c40 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, c10 Black Headed Gull and 6 Herring Gulls were present at one point.

Possible 1st Summer Common Gull.

Others:-

3 Cormorant (1 with very light plumage - prob. a Juv.).

1 maybe 2 Great Crested Grebe (I didn't see two at the same time but if there was only one it was ubiquitous).

Not much in the trees around the circuit - well not much that I saw anyway!

A Dipper was way down in the bowels of the sluice, seen from the prom.

3 Grey Heron  (Three age groups I think).

A couple of Canada Geese.

I thought about checking out the golf course area but was disconcerted by the rumbling thunder and chickened out.

 Blogger:

It looks like I'm becoming an 'ancient mariner' sticking to posting on blogger.

What, with Twitter, Facebook, Whatsapp and other social media platforms it looks like Blogger is losing its attraction.

However, Its good to have some sort of semi-permanent record to look back on - so I'll persevere with it.

Who knows, one day this summer, I might even post something that's so  - "not mediocre".

Possible 1st Summer Common Gull.

Ilkley (Yellow Legged Gull)

We have Abi with us for a while during the school holiday.

This afternoon we took her to Ilkley, hoping that the rain would stay away - and we were very luck not to see any rain.

Not much has changed since our last visit, before the1st Covid lockdown - except street  parking charges have appeared along Stockkeld Road, where were usually park to visit the park.

We played 'football' for a bit then did some rock slipping in the, very low,  river.

This gave us an appetite for Fish and Chips in the Riverside Inn, where, being old farts, we were able to take advantage of the senior special! (I like a bargain, I do).

I did manage a very quick saunter up the river, just before we left.

Birds:-

At least 10 Grey Wagtails (7 together under the river banking).

2 Dipper.

Yellow Legged Gull.

Black Headed Gull.

Goosander.

A few Swifts seen through Silsden.

Bradshaw Fields

I had a late evening stroll up the local fields, towards East Croft Farm, where the weather was a tad cooler.

Birds:-

Red Legged Partridge.

Whitethroat.

2 Little Owl.

13 Mistle Thrush.

Fox.

A Peregrine Falcon was seen out and about this morning.