Dannysbirds

Saturday, 18 January 2020

Harold Park

Saturday 18th January a.m.
A sunny morning but cold after an over night frost with a start temperature of 3°C where I headed to the lake. Here there were the usual mix of BH Gulls, Mallards, Coots, Moorhen, Canadas and Tufteds, there was a Muscovy Duck near the island which I think is a first for me at this site. Other Gulls present were Herring and Common, also three Goosanders and a Great Crested Grebe.
I walked around the Park seeing Blue, Great, Long-tailed and Coal Tits with a Robin singing and House Sparrows chirping. A Greenfinch was high in a tree and eight Goldfinch flew over, there were also 18 Redwings feeding on the ground who went in to nearby trees when approached.

Redwing

Coal Tit

Greenfinch

G.C.Grebe

Breakfast is served

Herring Gull

LT Tit

Muscovy Duck

Common Gull

Goosander

Goosander at Harold Park

Harold Park 18/1/2020

Saturday, 11 January 2020

Redcar Tarn

Saturday 11th January a.m.
A trip up to Redcar Tarn after some early brightness was cloudy and blowing a gale with a temperature of 10°C. On the water were c100 BH Gulls and a few each of Common, Herring and LBB Gulls, there were c100 Mallards mainly sheltering near the trees. As I started to walk round there were more Gulls in the field next to the Tarn which has a large pond due to all the rain we've had. Among them I noticed a bird with a Yellow Ring number but couldn't read it but I hoped this could be the bird reported a couple of weeks ago by KM as a Caspian Gull. I took some pictures which was a struggle with the wind nearly blowing me over and walked round seeing a pair of Goosanders 30 Tufteds and c100 Lapwings.
When I got back to the car KM was now on site and he told me what I should be looking for with the Caspian Gull for ID. We went for another look in the field and the bird was still there, KM confirmed it was the Caspian Gull and the Yellow Ring number was X86A, Great news a lifer for me! This he reported on the BOG site as a bird ringed in June 2018 near Leipzig making it a second Winter bird.
There was a second bird which was also a possible Caspian but in the poor conditions he was not sure without further research.
Also seen were Chaffinch, Jackdaw, Starling and Rook.

Caspian Gull Ring Number X86A

Caspian, Herring and BH Gulls

Goosander

Herring Gull

Lapwings

LBB Gull

Rook

Tufted

Caspian Gull with BH & Herring Gulls at Redcar Tarn

Redcar Tarn 11/1/2020

Sunday, 5 January 2020

Dowley Gap

Sunday 5th January a.m.
A cloudy morning with spells of drizzle but a couple of brighter spells during the morning with a start temperature of 8°C. Another good start at Dowley Gap as I was greeted by a Song Thrush singing as I got out of the car. I headed for the Water Works where there were c50 BH Gulls, a Pheasant and the flock of Pied Wagtails had reached c100 birds. I carried on over the Aqueduct seeing LT Tit, Coal Tit and Nuthatch from this vantage point, a Goosander also flew overhead. The River Aire in Hirst Wood was quiet apart from a Grey Heron so I went back to the Water Works where I added Reed Bunting, Bullfinch, Robin and Dunnock before heading home.

Song Thrush

Grey Heron

LT Tit

Pied Wagtail

Reed Bunting

Nuthatch

Pheasant

some of the c100 Pied Wagtails

River Aire through Hirst Wood

Dowley Gap 5/1/2020

Wednesday, 1 January 2020

Cullingworth and Hewenden Reservoir

Wednesday 1st January a.m.
I awoke to a New Year with the sound of a Tawney Owl calling which sounds promising for the coming year. The weather too was good with the sun coming up and a temperature of 4°C as I walked through Cullingworth towards Hewenden Reservoir. On the way I saw common species such as Starling, Magpie, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow. When I got to the Viaduct I could see c150 BH Gulls, Cormorant, Canadas and Moorhen, at the other side of the Viaduct was resident Peacock as well as Bullfinch, Blackbird and Robin. Walking through the woods at the top end of the Reservoir I added Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Goldcrest and Nuthatch.
When I arrived at my viewing point for the top end of the Reservoir there were two Mute Swans, five Goldeneye, five Goosander, Six Wigeon, three Teal, two Little Grebes plus Mallard, Tufteds and Coots.
Walking back towards the farm I added Chaffinch and a closer look at the Gulls on the dam wall added Common and Herring Gulls making for a good walk and a great birding start to the year.