Soil Hill & Ogden

  At lunchtime I went down to Ogden to have a look at the drake Shoveler found in the morning by BS, on the way picking up JJL, also on his way to see the bird. We quickly picked up the Shoveler on the east bank, but as we were making our way towards it I was distracted by one of the gulls in the middle of the reservoir. 

  Helpfully it was not particularly distant and it took no time at all to confirm my suspicions that the bird was a Mediterranean Gull. It was bathing in the middle of the reservoir, occasionally flying around, for around 15 minutes before it flew to join the gulls roosting on the west bank. We headed round and had very close views of the bird preening, before after around 20 minutes it flew off south towards Mixenden Reservoir, and did not return whilst we were there. 

-Mediterranean Gull

-Shoveler

In total managed 23 species today, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S201112759

  The morning on Soil Hill was very frustrating, with the fog only beginning to lift at around 09:00 and even then not clearing fully until after 10:00. Fortunately there were good numbers of thrushes still to be observed with 574 Redwing and 580 Fieldfare, but many others heard only in the fog. The only other bird moving in any numbers were Starling with 226 heading southwest. 

  Additionally of interest were three Teal on the NK Pond and four Grey Partridge on Perseverance Road. 

-Fieldfare

In total managed 42 species today, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S201091557

Trektellen count here; https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/767/20241102