Dean Clough

It was difficult to escape the 'bottle ice' on the footpaths today so instead of heading to a higher elevation, as I usually do,  I chose to go down Old Lane, passing the base of 'The Corona' chimney - datestone 1857 - height around 297ft (90.5meters). What  a feat to build a structure like that !!! Didn't take the camera -too risky on those footpaths. Occasionally see a Peregrine on the top of the chimney but not today. 

The plan was - to check the stream that comes down from Ogden/Wheatley and  Holmfield where it then emerges from a culvert under the Dean Clough complex. I was not disappointed As soon as I got there I flushed a Grey Wagtail and heard a Dipper singing. I couldn't see the Dipper for a while though as I looked over the wall it was on a low twig just beneath me. I left it there after several minutes, still singing.

Amazing that we can find Dippers even in mid-winter so close to our town center and also find them on exposed upland reservoirs such as Green Withens at nearly 1,200 ft (c360m). 

Not a lot else other than a Jay and Kestrel over Shroggs Road on my return

Two skeins of Pink-footed Geese c300 and c60 reported >W >NW late morning. (GWH, AC, VJ)