WEST YORKSHIRE BIRDING

BRIAN SUMNER.
WELCOME TO ( WEST YORKSHIRE BIRDING )
KEEPING BIRDING LOCAL.

BLOG UPDATED DAILY AROUND 2000 hrs.

FEEL FREE TO SEND ANY COMMENTS, QUERIES OR QUESTIONS DIRECT TO MY E.MAIL AT THE ADDRESS BELOW, OTHERWISE TEXT OR WHATSAPP. 07771 705024.


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NOTE !!
No sightings of Roe Deer, Fox, Hare or Badger will be mentioned on this blog throughout the year and links will be removed from other blogs giving the whereabouts of these mammals due to the rising influx of poaching, long dogging and lamping by sick individuals.
BS




Friday, December 22, 2017

The wonder of Ogden

                                       First view from the promenade, Wigeon



                       Drake Shoveler
                                 Yes, this really is Ogden

                   Foreground, pr Shoveler

                             All pics at distant in grey light
           Photos courtesy 600mm Sigma sport ( Big Bertha )

    A final count of 16 Wigeon, 1pr Shoveler, 1m Teal
   Just to add to the excitement, 43 Pinkies >W





Strange how things work out. The plan for this afternoon was drop the dogs off at the groomers then just over 2 hours spare at Fly Flatts before I picked them up again. The thick fog stopped Fly Flatts and a fall out with the groomer who had double booked so a good hour wasted by the time Id dropped the pup off at home and arrived at Ogden.
                                                                The sky was grey giving dull silhouette light off the water with the cloud base just above the tree tops . My throbbing neck and Billy Bad Head soon disappeared as I looked over the water to see a group of ducks way out in the centre which definitely were,nt Mallard or Teal. A scan through the bins revealed 16 Wigeon and a pair of Shoveler.
                                                           A few record shots in case they did a runner then round to the east bank watch point to try get some half decent shots given the distance and grim light.
After sending a grapevine text out a call from DJS who was on his way after seeing this group of ducks earlier on Mixenden but he was too far off to identify them. As I was talking to Dave on the phone I had to cut him short when I heard geese approaching then 43 Pink Footed came over the water heading West which were also picked up by Dave.
                                                          With a bad reflection on the water I scurried round to the west bank hoping for better visibility but it was actually worse so another dash back to the east bank which was cut short by a phone call from Dave who was steaming across the golf course shouting RED KITE into his phone. A good scan round found the bird just in time over the north plantation before it disappeared into the mist >NE. This in turn lifted all the gulls up and as Dave arrived on the prom I looked to point out the ducks and there they were, GONE. The commotion of the gulls towards the Kite must have spooked the Wigeon into leaving. All that was left was a drake Teal and the Moorhen near the feeding corner but what an hours birding.
                                                                        So a week of watching Ogden daily paid off with firstly 12 Teal then today, 16 Wigeon, 1pr Shoveler, 43 Pinkies, 1 Teal, 1 Red Kite and a Moorhen. Stick at your local patches and you,ll always get rewarded in the end.
BS