Bradshaw to Haworth - There and Back

It was a stunning Autumn day with clear blue skies and we had a real old stomp.

10:00 - 17:20.

We set off from Bradshaw with our pal Stuart with the intention of walking to Haworth, having some grub in a cafe, and getting a taxi back.
In the end we decided to kill Stuart by walking back to Bradshaw, from Haworth.

The route from home took us up the 'Koi Carp' bridleway to the first house then left through Bradshaw Farms to exit onto Ned Hill Road.
We walked along the road to Ogden Lane and turned right up back lane.
We followed back lane bridleway all the way to the top of the moors above Oxenhope Reservoir. 
From the top of the moor we dropped down to pass to the left of Leeming Reservoir, then down to Back Leeming and down Jew Lane.
We walked along the Oxenhop Road to the Co-op, where we all enjoyed an ice cream.
A short tramp along the road brough us to Oxenhope station.
Just before the station our path turned right along a lane and then quickly left to run along along next to a stream across from Oxenhope Railway yard.

A cracking path follows the stream.
First, the stream is on our left, then after crossing a footbridge, the stream is on our right.

A water treatment works is passed followed by a solitary house, before another iron bridge is crossed.

The stream is followed a while longer before the path rises to pass a solitary house with a beautiful window depicting a Heron.

The path drops down past a derelict farmhouse and returns to the stream for a while.

Soon another footbridge is crossed via 2 ancient kissing gates and then field bottoms are followed to exit on to the road.

2 left turns take us across the railway/stream bridge at Belle Isle and then a tough climb takes us into Haworth.

After a cafe break, we did it all again in reverse.

The final few fields on the return leg were negotiated in near darkness - good fun.
Stuart was still breathing when he left us - honest.

Birds:

Meadow Pipits and Goldfinch seen along on the Bradshaw Farm area.
A good count of Red Grouse (10) seen crossing the moors,  it was heartening hearing their unusual 'laughing' calls. 

I had a bit of a gruesome find. 
The head of a Red Grouse (I think) ,was sitting in the "V" at the top of the ladder stile, coming off the moors, above Leeming.

Also seen F. Bullfinch, c10 Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Mistle Thrush.
Pied Wagtail, Heron.
Many Gulls on Oxenhope reservoir , going, and many more on the return leg.
A skein of Greylag Geese over the reservoir - looked to be landing but changed their mind.
2 Buzzard and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Some pics - well a lot really 

Bradshaw Farms Path

Spot the Meadow Pipit

Halfway there at the watershed - Oxenhope Reservoit

Greenfinch (I think)

Leeming from the top path

OY You!

99.9% sure this is a Drake Mallard

Homeward bound - looking back down to Leeming Res.

Ogden in the dark

The lights of Halifax

Wainhouse Tower

Local Reservoirs

I had a drive around the Oxenhope reservoirs this morning calling at Leeshaw, Ponden, Lower Laithe and Leeming.

The rain that was forecast duly arrived and made keeping spectacles, bins, camera and me dry, a tad difficult.

10:20 Leeshaw

Not too wet to start but I had to shelter in the car a while at one point.

Just 2 Cormorant on the water, when I arrived but a few Black Headed and Lesser Black-backed gulls came and went.

A Heron was on the far bank.

3 Curlew > w and another was calling nearby.

A Pheasant called and then a Little Owl called and I managed to get a picture of the Little Owl before it disappeared.

C12 Canada Geese and 2 Greylag Geese on the water – would have been lots elsewhere no doubt.

During a wet spell, a large raptor was being mobbed by a Lesser Black-backed Gull as it went W very low to the ground over the moor.

Could have been a Buzzard or even a Long Eared Owl but it was too distant and too gloomy to get an ID.

11:15 Ponden

10 Black Headed Gull , 2 Grey Wagtail, Oystercatcher (calling), 4 Moorhen, Great Crested Grebe – not seen one in a while, 2 Kestrel.

Lower Laithe

A whistle stop at Lower Laithe.

20 Lapwing, Black Headed Gulls, Oystercatcher, Cormorant.

A little “black dot” at the very far end of the Res!

Upper Marsh

Just below the entranced to Drop Farm.

There were 98 Lapwing in the fields here and a Chiffchaff or Willow Warbler was in the trees along with another UNID which I believe to be a Juv. Goldfinch. 

The bushes/small trees on the left,coming down hill from Drop Farm, look like an interesting place?

There were many birds flitting about, they may just have been Chaffinch, but maybe not. 

However another bout of heavy rain and a couple of Van men passing me at 70 MPH put paid to any loitering I was thinking about doing!

12:05 Leeming

It was persisting it down here.

A young hero was jumping off the valve tower into the Res. noisily egged on by some very wet team mates. A couple fishermen were braving the rain also.

Just some Mallard and not a lot else – unusual for Leeming to be so bereft of birds.

C40 Swallows were zooming about the tree tops feeding in the poor conditions.

40 Swallow is a really good count for me!!

Leeshaw:

Ponden:

Moorhen I think (no way is it a common scoter!!)

Spot the Wren

Lower Laithe:

I took photos of all the gulls on the Valve Tower but couldn't find a Med Gull

Upper Marsh:

The Haworth Tour Bus

Not sure what this is - Juv. Goldfinch is my guess.

Leeming: