Dowley Gap and Hirst wood

Saturday 24th November a.m.
 A very dull start to the day with low cloud reducing visibility but clear enough for birding with a temperature of 7°C.On the canal there was a pair of Mute Swans (Yellow Tags 153 & 154),there were three Goosanders, Mallards and Moorhens were also seen.A Kingfisher flew in to the trees at the side of the canal, at the water works there were BH Gulls and a LBB Gull overhead and I counted 30 Pied Wagtails in the Filter Tanks, with two Grey Wagtails.
 I walked into Hirst Wood and saw another four Goosanders  on the River Aire, a Grey Wagtail and another Kingfisher was seen.Heading back when I got to the car a Redwing was seen with several Blackbirds.
Nigel.

Goosander

Pied Wagtail

Five Pied Wagtails

Grey Wagtail

Pied and Grey Wagtail

Mute Swans

Dowley Gap 24/11/2018

Park Dam

Sunday 18th November a.m.
I moved down the road from Harold Park to Park Dam where conditions were much the same cloudy and a temperature of 7°C.I started off really well here with a female Shoveler along with Little Grebe, Gt Crested Grebe,Goosander,Tufteds and two Mute Swans.A Grey Wagtail also flew away from where I was stood towards the other corner by the Pylon.
 I decided to have a walk round because I've seen Grey Wagtails in this corner before, as I walked I noticed a Cormorant high above on the Electric wires.When I got to the corner I went to the edge to see if I could see a Grey Wagtail alas there was no sign of one.However I disturbed another bird which flew out from the corner the back in to the dense vegetation at the side of the lake.The bird was a grey/blue colour with an orange bill and although I only saw it for a couple of seconds there was no doubt it was a Water Rail!Wow never thought I was going to see one here at Park Dam, I hung around for a while hoping it might re-appear but I waited in vain so no picture but delighted to get a brief sighting of this elusive bird.
 On my way back to the car a flock of fifteen Long-tailed Tits went passed, one posing for a couple of pictures, as I went home happy with my mornings birding.
Nigel.

Shoveler

Cormorant

GC Grebe

Little Grebe

Well camouflaged Little Grebe

Long-tailed Tit

Long-tailed Tits at Park Dam 18/11/2018

Harold Park

Sunday 18th November a.m.
Another misty morning but descent visibility at Harold Park with a temperature of 7°C where there was a good count of fourteen Goosanders. There were two Mute Swans(Red Tag 278Y) others included BH,Common and Herring Gull,Tufted Duck,Cormorant and Collared Dove.
Nigel.

Goosander

Herring Gull

Mute Swan

Collared Dove

Harold Park 18/11/2018

Stockbridge NR

Saturday 17th November a.m.
A misty morning but by the time I opened the hide window on the BOG reserve at Stockbridge it was clear enough to see the birds with a temperature of 8°C.Once again as on my last visit there were frequent visits to the feeders by a family of House Sparrows, they were joined by Blue Tit,Coal Tit, Great Tit, Dunnock,Robin and Reed Bunting.There was a Grey Heron and a noisy Canada was on the water others flew over and later some were grazing in a distant field.It was good to see five Goosanders fly over and both male and female Pheasants made appearances.There were a couple of ducks that kept appearing near the feeder near the water, which I think were Teal which I have not seen here before.
Nigel.

Coal Tit

Gt Tit

Blue Tit

Grey Heron

Pheasant

Reed Bunting

Teal, I think

Stockbridge NR 17/11/2018