9:50 - 14:50
The frost on the car soon melted leaving a fairly bright-ish but cold morning.
I had a drive over to Wainstalls , where the parking was easier with the school shut.
I walked down the road for 1/4 mile and took a step stile on the right to a path that runs directly uphill to Cold Edge Dams. This path has dried up (mostly) now.
A sharp cold wind greeted me as I popped me 'ed over the top.
I was hoping to augment my meagre yearly bird list and although I saw many birds , the number on the list remained stubbornly where it was.
After a Calderdale Birders WhatsApp from DJS,....
I sat by the water's edge and looked to the heavens said a little prayer that began -
"Let Osprey"
and I searched for DJS's Osprey that he had just eyeballed from Swalesmoor top - but I did not eyeball it alas.
I had made me sen a chicken, apple sauce and mayo sandwich for lunch and at 12 noon I found a big rock to sit behind out of the wind and the sarnie was delicious. Yum Yum Yum.
After I left the dams I turned right along Castle Carr Road as far as "The Heights" buildings before retracing my steps.
Along the way I met 3 hikers and we enjoyed a right good laugh.
They mention that they did a word of the week - cornucopia seemed to be a favourite.
I mentioned that we used to do a word of the week at work.
My favourite was crapulence.
2 of the hikers were doing the Coast to Coast hike in June and I mentioned that me and Sue had done it 25 years or so ago when I was 19 (or thereabouts!!).
It sounded like one guy loved his beer and was hoping for several pints each night after a long days hike.
You've got to be on top form to do this long distance walk.
I hope I bump into them again when they have completed it and see how he did.
5 hours out and about - now to make me tea - completely out of caviar so its going to be fish, rice and salad I think - just got to catch the fish first.
Birds:-
Nine Wheatear.
Six Stonechat - 1 singing.
3 Tufted Duck. Heron. 1 Cormorant > N
10 plus Curlew. Woodpigeon. 4 Pheasant.
Greenfinch. Dunnock. Raven.
Jackdaw. Magpie. Crow.
Rook. Canada Goose. c10 Meadow Pipit,
4 Mallard. 3 Reed Bunting. 4 Red Grouse.
3 Lesser Black-backed Gull. 18 Greylag Geese.
Chaffinch. 3 Skylark. Wren.
Robin. Many Linnet. Bullfinch.
1 Lapwing. 3 Kestrel. Buzzard.
Starling. 2 Swallow. Goldcrest.
Goldfinch. 2 Pied Wagtail. 3 Tufted Duck.
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