Marsh Tit Twitch

I've been wondering if I would make it to Cromwell Bottom with time to spare,  to try and see the Marsh Tit reported earlier - a great original find - could have easily been missed.

Today we had Abi and Emma for company and we lightened the wallet a bit by having a snack at Shibden Park Café before we tried to kick / throw a football about the place.

A warm sunny outing, with the football quite tiring for this old gimmer.

We dropped Emma off at Sowerby Bridge and after lunch the girls decided to go to Primark, Bradford for some gear for Abi.

This was my chance to have a long stint (if need be) with no grief looking for the Marsh Tit.

On arrival in Brighouse the weather was dry but the sky promised some wet stuff.

After probably 30 minutes 'sit about' the Marsh Tit obligingly visited the feeders but as soon as it arrived, it left again.

I waited around for a good hour or so in the  heavy rain, hoping for a better picture or better still hearing it call - neither of which in fact happened.

The Marsh Tit is a first for me in Calderdale.

I went back to the car by crossing the nearby bridge and along the river path, which turned out to be a good choice, as I picked up another Calderdale yearly tick in the shape of a cracking Little Egret.

Peering at the Little Egret in the pouring rain I thought - here is a Little eejit looking at a Little Egret!

A look back, at the river, just before I arrived at the fishing pools I managed to eyeball a resting Kingfisher.

All in all a red letter day.

Birds:

Shibden Park:

c150 Black Headed Gull - given a good looking at.

5 Mute Swan + the usual species for here.

Possible airborne Peregrine Falcon see on our travels.

Cromwell Bottom:

Marsh Tit.

Little Egret.

Kingfisher.

Jay, Nuthatch, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Robin, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit.

6 Goosander, Cormorant and a few other sp.

Potential Yellow Legged Gull over - but I could be way off the mark - see photo.

Peregrine Falcon ?

Yellow Legged Gull?

Marsh Tit