Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Ogden and Soil Hill

Mid afternoon - and still drizzling !
Ogden
1 Kingfisher along with a Dipper in the pump house area below the embankment. I guess with the stream in full flow down the valley and the choppy water on the reservoir that the two of them found a relatively sheltered spot to feed. The Kingfisher finding several small fish down there even though the water was pretty murky.
1 Cormorant and c60 Mallard on the reservoir but not much else other than a few Robins around the edge and a single Goldcrest found in the shrubs. Other than that just a few Black-headed and Common Gulls moving through.


Distant Kingfisher
 
Soil Hill
I tramped round the top for an hour - glad I had the wellies on !
Just 6 Goldfinch and 1 Meadow Pipit was all I could find.
I am surprised by  the shortage of Snipe and Jack Snipe on the top, as in previous years it has been quite good for both species though 'Jacks' are less common of the two. Perhaps some really cold weather might fetch them in !?

5 comments:

Bradshaw Rambler said...

Magic Kingfisher Dave - well spotted.
(I look in that area each time I call at Ogden but I've only had one Kingfisher in flight so far).
Missed you on a thoroughly miserable Soil Hill.
John

David Sutcliffe said...

Hi John - sorry I missed you. The more we check the more chance we have of finding a 'gem' !!

Brian Sumner . said...

Hopefully that Kingfisher will get established at Ogden, nice find.

Phil D said...

Hiya Dave, as you know, when it comes to ID my knowledge isn't always 100% accurate :), but I'm fairly sure we saw 3 snipe flying high, SW over Scammonden on Tuesday

AndyC said...

There are a lot of Snipe at Ringstone at this time of year so could well be Snipe....