An unexpected free morning [with the ladies visiting "Aunty Ruth's" to complete the pottery that they started over Christmas - The Lizard has been in the kiln and next bit is painting it (apparently)].
I took the chance and opted for a longish drive over to look at Whitehome reservoir.
I parked along the A58, opposite Blackstone Edge reservoir.
A cold 2 degrees lifted to a balmy 3 degrees later.
I had a good scan along Blackstone Edge as I walked down Turvin Road to take the excellent Water Board track next to the drain to Whitehome Res.
Loads of dogs here, for some reason, this morning, 6 on leads with a a lady dog walker on the track early on.
5 large dogs bounding about with a gentleman, as I got to the edge of the reservoir itself.
3 more came along from the east side track and one was at the top end of the reservoir.
So 15 dogs in all is a record for me here.
Ah! but this blog is about birds , isn't it?
Well there weren't none we'tthey -
ok there were 4, that's 11 less than the number of dogs!
Instead of birding perhaps I should take up ???ing oops perhaps not.
Birds:-
1 Red Grouse popped it's head up on a distant hillside and popped it back again.
A Carrion Crow was perched on a pylon.
2 Large Gulls airborne, distant crossed the reservoir and flew off north.
Probably Herring Gulls but I've been pouring over my "Gulls of Europe, Asia and North 'America" big big bird book to try and turn them into Yellow Legged or Caspian - but I ain't that clever!
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The local fields this aft. had a Kestrel and possibly 3 Little Owl.
c30 Small Gulls mostly Common.
and ... A Meadow Pipit.
At least the Red Grouse was a Calderdale yearly tick.
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