Raggalds Mixenden Reprise

A different day with Autumn making its presence felt. Raggalds Flood had a Mistle Thrush over W, 32 Canadas & c46 small Gulls with a couple Mipits to boot.
I couldn't face Soil Hell so I walked along Ned Hill track which wasn't exactly throbbing; 1 Lapwing, ditto Wren, couple Mipits.

Ogden Res: 4 LTT and other tits, 2 Jay & GSW, 27 Canadas, fewer small Gulls.
The Brookhouse area had 3 LTT & 2 WW but no Chats.
Hunter Hill coughed up a Jay, Reed Bunting & Mipit.
Mixenden Res: pr Grey Wagtail ditto Dullards, 1 LBBG, 1 each Green Woodpecker & GSW.

Amanita Muscaria - Fly Agaric

I came across several delicious looking Pizza toppings growing at the wood edge; I hope they taste as good as anticipated.

Raggalds to Mixenden

1025 hrs. The flood held 20 Lapwing & 11 Mipits with 4 Pied Wagtail nearby. The sports field had c24 Common Gull & a smaller no. of BHG. Soil hell had no redeeming features; 1 Skylark, 2 Mipits, 4 Goldfinch, few BHG.

Ogden Res was very quiet 2 Chiffchaff breaking the monotony. The usual Dullards and Dulls plus 8 LBBG, Cormorant, Chaffinch flock, 2 Blackbird.

The golf course had a Kestrel, 3 Mipits, at least 6 Stonechat & a Whinchat in the usual rough area with 2 Linnet nearby.
Mixenden Res was unconcious.

St Ives Circular Walk

Courtesy of DM a very pleasant sometimes challenging walk invoking some happy memories of life before Queensbury.
Birding started off slowly and in patches but ended satisfactorily in pleasant sunshine.

8 Pied Wagtail, 1 each Grey Heron & Chiffchaff, Mistle Thrush, 3 Jay, 1 each Nuthatch & Goosander, 6 LTT, Chaffinch.
2 if not 3 Kingfisher were busy along the river on the Myrtle Park stretch which also coughed up 3/4 Grey Wagtail and a Moorhen. A Buzzard soared for a minute or so being mobbed by Crows.
Also 2 Fallow Deer were seen.

Ogden Res to Mixenden

1145 hrs on an Autumn  day when you could almost smell migration underway.
Ogden: 5 Siskin, 6 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, singing Chiffchaff and PS who I had a lengthy chat with.
The Kingfisher put in an appearance close across the water which had a Cormorant fishing away.
Others incl 2 LTT same Goldcrest, Coal Tit & c25 Chaffinch.

The rough above Brookhouse turned up 3 Stonechat, 1 Whinchat, 2 Jay, 1 WW & a few Mipits.
The Green Woodpecker was vocal at Hunter Hill which also produced Kestrel & Grey Wagtail

Mixenden Res came up trumps with a personal site tick in the form of a drake Pochard. A Cormorant and a pr Mallard were also present here.

PS a Tawny Owl had been calling from across the road very early this morning and at 2130 hrs presumably the same bird had transferred itself to the trees at the back and was once again givin it some.

Swillington Ings

A quiet couple of hours by local standards approx 1100 hrs start. Grey skies but no rain and warm.
Raptors are easily disposed of; 1 each Kestrel & Buzzard. A crowd of around 200 Lapwing went up as the latter passed over.

Ringed Plover and Dunlin were into double figures but I only just managed 2 of the 4 Little Stint reported from yesterday.

3 Pintail, 12 Wigeon, 6 Teal similar Pochard, 4 Shoveler. Plenty Gadwall & Tufted, 3 each Little Egret, Grey Heron, 4 GCG and other expected Geese etc.
Also 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 GSW, 1 WW &  Reed Bunting. Several House Martin, fewer Swallows.

Queensbury to Mixenden

Old Guy Rd to Raggalds: 4 Skylark, c25 Mipits, 1 Common Gull & 6 Pied Wagtail.
I hereby declare Soil Hill can be regarded as no longer fit for purpose. 3 Skylark, Kestrel, Goldfinch, 3/4 Mipits.

Ogden Res was a non event: usual small Gulls, 1 LBBG. 2 Jay & 2 Nuthatch. The Wigeon reported yesterday was nowhere to be seen.
A pr Jay were by the clubhouse and the Chiffchaff was still by Brookhouse. I bumped into DJS at Hunter Hill bottom where we discussed important issue like what a great place for birding our area is!
Pr Grey Partridge, 1 each GSW, Green Woodpecker & Mistle Thrush, Canadas.

Harewood House Environs

Courtesy of DM with Kite spotter DW as front runner.
13 Red Kite, 4 Buzzard, 2 Mistle Thrush ditto GSW, 5 Jay similar Nuthatch. A big surprise in the shape of a Dunlin sized wader overhead calling clearly and loudly. I can eliminate what it wasn't but will  have to grill Xeno Canto to get near the mark.

A really crap shot by yours truly

Also c14 Swallow, multitudes of Canada Geese and numerous Greylags, c10 LTT, Coal Tit, 5/6 Goldcrest, c12 Linnet, several Mipits, Skylark.

I picked up an unknown fluttering medium sized Moth species from some mud as I did so DM saw a small wasp fly out of my hand. It would appear the moth had been stung and the stinger had been deprived of dinner, I do apologise.
Other beasties:both Daves watched a vole run in front of my plates of meat which I missed. 2 herds of  Deer, Red and Fallow.

Soil Hill to Mixenden

The first two thirds of this session were of exercise value only in the clear blue skies and warm sunshine. Things did get interesting on the approach to Mixenden Res making for a satisfactory outing at the close of play.
Soil Hill: 2 Skylark, few Mipits, Kestrel.
Ogden not really worth a mention  - 1 Swallow and a Chiffchaff below the golf course.

A Jay was screaming from the large  stand alone Sycamore just past the gate  at Hunter Hill bottom. I got in situ and a Buzzard called from up the hill; too far for it to be the root cause of the clamour I thought. Then said squawker flew out of the Sycamore to Stod Fold and a minute later all was resolved; a Little Owl followed suit. 2 minutes after this a second Jay flew from halfway up yon hill toward the golf course.
Although the water held just 3 Dullards there were 4 Swallows in flight, a pr of noisy Nuthatch similarly a Green Woodpecker and a Goldcrest or two present.

Low Moor Dams

1125 hrs in sunshine with no wind. A very quiet session; this place is losing its force (is it with you?)
Harold Park: 1 GCG, 12 Tufted Duck, 9 Mute Swan, 9 Moorhen, c23 Coot, 1 BHG.
Park Dam fared a bit better: 2 GCG, 4 Little Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, 1 each Jay, Grey & Pied Wagtail, c30 BHG, 10 Coot.

The pr Kingfisher flew into their favourite bush but left after a minute thanks to two dipstick dogs. The latter then rolled about in Cow shit several times giving their numpty owners something to reflect on.
Also seen c14 Mistle Thrush, 1 Blackbird and a Chiffchaff called briefly. No hirundines seen or heard.

The weather got a bit moist and grey on the way back home up Cock Hill where 3 Sand & 4 House Martin flew around briefly.
Around Pepper Hill/Queensbury Sth were 12 Linnet, 2 each Grey & Pied Wagtails, 1 Mistle Thrush, few Mipits & Goldfinch, c22 BHG but yet again no hirundines

Demise of the Little Egret

See BS Posting about the Little Egret - Nature Red in Tooth and Claw

The bird, as expected has subsequently died.

Ogden Little Egret

Phew! Arrived at Ogden Res at 0947 hrs to find the Little Egret stalking the N shoreline. There was just one other birder from Shelf present and we both took advantage of the photo opportunities it offered us.

Apart from the usual Gulls there were several Swallows and a few Mipits knocking about plus 2 Goldcrest.

The stretch across the golf course to Mixenden produced 62 Canada, 2 Mipits, 1 each House Martin,  Pied Wagtail, Common Gull, GSW, Chiffchaff & Nuthatch. Things improved 100 percent on the water; a pr Tufted Duck & 1 Mallard.

Bad Times Good Times

Woe is me for I am undone or maybe I got my just desserts for being a bastard in this life after having spent the previous 2 helping the likes of St Patrick and Florence Nightingale.
The birding today was the lousiest I've had for months, so much so I didn't intend to dispel any low key information whatsoever but there are those local birders who  had quite the opposite experience to moi.

Old Guy Rd was narcoleptic: 1 Kestrel, 2 Meadow Pipit. Raggalds incl the sports field had 1 LBBG, c50 BHG & 2 Pied Wagtail. Only c30 Goldfinch stick out from the morbid trudge over Soil Hell and Ogden was well eewwwwwww.

This is the bit that gets interesting, I decided to cut my losses and get back to the parish (a GSW in flight on departure) at 1232 hrs. At 1317 I was having my blood pressure tested when BS rang to advise that VJ reported a Little Egret (only the second record) had dropped into Ogden. Needless to say I couldn't record an accurate measurement as the equipment went into orbit.

More positive birding news from DP who went to Whiteholme Res in search for the Bairds Sandpiper that a few fortunate souls have seen. He managed to get onto it with three other Bury birders present and just in time as after 2/3 viewings the bird flew off and apparently dropped into another nearby reservoir. He also had 52 Pink-footed Geese fly overhead.

Cold Edge to Fly Flatts

Took advantage of an offer from DP this am to visit Cold Edge and FF. It was good walking weather in the bracing wind even if the bird life was somewhat inert.
CE: Pr Stonechat, few BHG Meadow Pipits Greylags Canadas & Swallows.
c50 Goldfinch at Nolstar, Meadow Pipits.

FF: Red Grouse on the embankment showing it's trousers. Kestrel, 3 Wheatear, Meadow Pipits, c20 House Martin >, 6 Red-legged Partridge, N, couple Swallows, Pied Wagtail.
For the first time in all my visits nothing at all on the water.
A quick check on Raggalds Flood produced just one each BHG, Crow.

Osprey For Ogden

I was stood above ducky corner at Ogden filtering the BHGs & 1 Common Gull for the Kittiwake seen at Raggalds yesterday by BS. I gave up and then the whole bunch of em leapt into the air at around 1052 hrs for 20 seconds or so. The cause of this was a large raptor flying over from the S over the embankment; it was an Osprey!
The bird was heading up the length of the water veering NE maybe trying for Fly Flats/TMR?

There were just 4 LBBG, 1 Chiffchaff, 8 Chaffinch a few House Martin & a bunch of Canada also noted.

Prior to that I'd done Raggalds but it was quiet just some BHG & 1 LBBG. Soil Hill had 2 Skylark, Kestrel, few Goldfinch ditto Meadow Pipits.
The stretch from Ogden over the golf course produced almost nowt; c40 Linnet, 1 WW, Swallows few Meadow Pipits & a Skylark.
Once again Mixenden Res was the pits; a Nuthatch heard.

Raggalds to Mixenden

1035 hrs water back in the flood field but only a Crow present. The sports field had 2 LBBG, 3 Common & 10 BH Gulls. Across the Rd in the farm field c50 Linnet were busily feeding. Also 1 each Pied Wagtail & Meadow Pipit seen.

Soil Hill was quiet again. 4 Skylark, c16 Meadow Pipit, 1 each Kestrel & WW, 4 Goldfinch similar Swallows.
Ogden wasn't exactly rockin; the Herring Gull was in among the usual crew and c38 Canada were splashing about. Chaffinch numbers were in the region of 26 birds.

A cloudburst dropped a CURLEW on the golf course bottom where it stayed for less than 30 seconds. Nearby hanging round the bushes and fences were 3 Stonechat.
Hunter Hill bottom once again coughed up several Swallows and a few Meadow Pipits, also 1 WW.
Mixenden Res was an aquatic mortuary; nowt on the drink and only a GSW heard chelping.

Successful Osprey Quest

Courtesy of DW Fairburn Ings 0955 hrs with DM.
Osprey at Lin Dyke sat on wooden railing eating a fish. This bird was also seen at Swillington Ings in flight at 1300 hrs.

Top 2 photos: NK

Bottom 2 photos: DW

Other raptors at Swillington: singles of Peregrine, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard & Red Kite. c14 Swift, numerous Sand Martin, few House Martin & Swallows.

Gadwall numbers were the highest I've ever seen contrasting just 1 Pochard. Several Tufted Duck, c6 Shelduck, 5 Grey Heron similar Little Egret.

DS reports 5 Wheatears from Old Guy Rd.

Low Moor Dams

A Tawny Owl was out back very early this am. I now realise that when I get up to rinse the kidneys switching the bathroom light on triggers them off hooting.

Low Moor 1035 hrs very quiet and misty. Harold Park: 6 Tufted Duck, 9 Mute Swan including cygnet bearing leg ring white on red 608Y.
1 Herring & c12 BH Gulls, 1 GCG,  Coots, few Moorhen. 5 House Martin but no Swallows.

Park Dam was the quietest I've ever known it at the start but it eventually grew on you. 1 each Blackbird,  House Martin, Swallow, Grey Heron & GSW, 14 Coot, 3 Moorhen, 2 GCG, 6 Little Grebe including 2 recently fledged chicks. 

I'd had a good view of a Kingfisher whizzing round the dam 3 times but as I took a few shots of the Little Grebes things got a whole lot better. In the bush next to me first one Kingfisher kicked off calling loudly and then a second bird started up. I could see them about 2 yards away in the branches for c15 seconds and then they both flew off together chipping away.
Also 2 WW and a few House Sparrows here.

Shelf Moor was sporting 3 Pied Wagtails, 2 each Greenfinch & Goldfinch, c16 Linnet, 2 Meadow Pipit, 3 House Martin & c46 Swallows.
Were I to be asked the question Would you deem today's expedition to be an enjoyable success? The only possible answer rendered in my best baritone voice has to be "Indeed!"

Bradshaw to Mixenden

A real downer in warm sunshine and minimal bird life. Taylor Lane and Ned Hill track: c15 BHG, Mistle Thrush, Reed Bunting, c20 Goldfinch, few Swallow.
Ogden Res: Yawnsville. Chiffchaff & Nuthatch heard only.

The golf course did at least lubricate my tear ducts with it's lack of birds. It's just a shame I'd left my piece of rope at home (OK I know there are no really tall trees there). 1 Meadow Pipit ditto Great Tit, c12 unid distant finches mebbe Linnet and one far distant calling Curlew.

I gave the reservoir a miss. To sum up in one word Phuckin Awful!
Er, I never could count.

Welcome back in action to Denise who nailed a Wheatear in Old Guy Rd this afternoon.

Queensbury to Mixenden

Not one of my best trips despite a promising start around Old Guy Road at 0925 hrs. 1 Wheatear also 1 each Kestrel & Sparrowhawk. I'll never know why 2 Crows chased the Sparrowhawk around yet left the Kestrel alone sitting quite unconcerned on a wall.

A couple Swallow and similar Meadow Pipit also present here.

Soil Hill a venue that has become of little value nowadays. (I bet I live to regret that remark). Couple Kestrel & Meadow Pipits.
Juv Moorhen, Jay and singing WW plus Goldcrests, Woodpigeons at Back Lane.
Ogden Res was like Boot Hill with water although I did get my first Treecreeper of 2017 here. A traipse up to GT produced 1 Red Grouse and a WW.

The golf course stretch: 3 WW, 1 Stonechat with a Green Woody further along Hunter Hill. It was here that I regret not looking around 360 degrees because some 40 minutes later DJS sent me a text about a pr Redstart. This would have been another annual but with no conviction whatsoever I'll say let's not be greedy.

Mixenden Res was abysmal; 2 each Dullards & BHG, 1 GSW.

PS 2100 hrs Tawny Owl flew over my head in Brighouse Road!