Sleepy Day

             Didn't get out today because of staying up all night
             watching boxing ( silly me ) but had reports of
             Whooper Swans flying over Ogden and Goldeneye
             on the lake, Hen Harrier at Lower Gorple, Scoter,
             Golden Plovers and Peregrine at Ringstone.
             Garden had 10 Goldfinch, 3 Mistle Thrush fighting,
             Starlings and 12 Jackdaw over Claremount Hill.

                                          A few pics from last year (below)

           

Kingfisher at Ogden

                Woke up this morning to a busy day in the garden
                avian wise, Goldfinch, Wren, Mistle Thrush, Starling
                along with Magpie, Jackdaw and Crows overhead.
                So decided to pay a visit to Ogden Water again for
                a good birdy day which turned out to be a disaster
                for the first hour, not a bird in sight until a Nuthatch
                popped up at a distant so with all hope gone set off
                back to the car through the crowds of people only to
                have my day brightened up by the top bridge by a
                Kingfisher that I was lucky to spot in the fading light
                that sat and posed for a while in between a bit of fishing,
                20 yards on 2 Wren were flying around the banking and 8
                Chaffinch in the bushes. I then looked for yesterdays
                Mandarin Ducks but if they were there I didn't spot them.
                                                 I then had the bright idea to go to
                Soil Hill hoping for Owls and guess what NOTHING
                except for a very cold wind, I seen someone else braving
                the cold with his binoculars in action I hope he had more
                luck than me, I think it was Brian.S. but not certain.

                                                   

Mandarin Day at Oggie

                 

                 Had a nice trip to Ogden Water today after brief visit to
                 Soil Hill which was very quiet apart from a Fieldfare and
                 3 Wren and the usual gulls, then got a text off of DS that
                 NK had seen some Mandarin Ducks at Ogden so thats
                 where I headed next, NK was still there on the promenade
                 as I got there and he showed me where they were, it was
                 2 males in the middle of the lake which were great to have
                 at Ogden as NK said he thinks its a first for that lake.
                 We then decided to go look for the Northern Treecreeper,
                 1st bridge had 3 Wren and a friendly Robin which stood on my
                 hand, then up towards Devils Tooth where we sat on a bench
                 for a bit which was a good idea as 4 Goldcrest, 8 Long Tailed
                 Tits and 3 Treecreepers popped up around the trees, one of
                 which NK thought was a Northern Treecreeper, I was hoping
                 but after looking at Pics I think its a regular Treecreeper. I
                 then went on a Owl hunt but all I got was wet through as the
                 heavens opened for about 10 minutes.

                 8 LTT'S
                 6 Wren
                 4 Robin
                 4 Goldcrest
                 2 Red Grouse
                 2 Mandarin Duck
                 1 Fieldfare
                 4 Dunnock
                 3 Treecreepers
                 1 Raven ( over Claremount Hill )
                 3 Chaffinch
                 2 Blue Tit
                 4 Dunnock
                 4 Blackbird
             

A Few Photo's

                 
                 Posting a few pics from my recent walks-:

                                          Kingfisher

                                          Stonechat

                                          Wren

                                          Stonechat

                                          Rats

                                          Longtail

                                          Treesparrow

                                          Reed Bunting

                                          Pochard

                                          Gadwall

                                          Teal

                                          Tufted Duck

                                          Great Crested Grebe

                                          Goosander (f)

                                          Greylag Goose

                  Gone a bit mad with the pics but not been on here for months.

Hellllloooo, I'm BACK

           

                 Skein of Pink Footed Geese flew over Claremount at about
                 9.20am this morning, also had reports of them being seen at
                 Swalesmoor and Northowram, 10 Redwing flew by as well
                 one nicely stopped off in the garden, 1 male Sparrowhawk
                 was flying high up over Claremount  Hill.
                 Its nice to be back on the search now that I've got over my
                 Hermit-itis, think I might brave Soil Hill tomorrow.