Mixenden Res'r and Cromwell Bottom - 10th January

 Mixenden Reservoir. A report from BS on 9th Jan of a flock of 35 Redpoll  adjacent to the reservoir tempted me up there - but they had disappeared without a trace. They could still be around the site .

Lots of gulls on the reservoir banking with a total around 400. Mostly Common and Black-headed Gulls with just 3 immature Herring Gulls. 1 Grey Heron and not a lot else.

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Early afternoon with a scout around Cromwell Bottom I searched some of the tree belt areas and was fortunate to come across a decent sized flock of small finches. Mostly Goldfinch - feeding in the alders - fairly flighty as they kept moving around en-mass. Finally tracked them down without further disturbance. With them were at least 6 Lesser Redpoll and 8 Siskin.

A 'tit' flock was also about in the shelter belt with a few Blue, Great and Coal Tits, though the dominant birds were Long-tailed Tits, around 20+ and 3  Goldcrests.

Birds around the site came to 35 species including 4 Mute Swans, two of which arrived from high and landed on the ski-lake. Also nearby, 2 Teal, 1 Cormorant, Little Grebe, Goosanders, and Green and Great-spotted Woodpecker.