St.Ives

Sunday 29th January a.m.
  On the way home from Bingley we called in at St. Ives, Coppice Pond which
again was frozen in parts the temperature still a cold -1°C. There were BH Gulls
on the water and ice,Mallards,Canadas some in the fields behind the Pond,Coots
and Moorhen. We spent some time in the hide watching birds on the feeders and bird
table where there was a good selection including our first Nuthatch of the year and of
course plenty Grey Squirrels.
c100 - BH Gull
c75 - Mallards
25 - Canadas
6 - Coot
6 - Robin
5 - Blackbirds
4 - Moorhen
4 - Great Tits
3 - Coal Tits
2 - Nuthatch
2 - Chaffinch
1 - Magpie
1 - Dunnock
1 - Wren
1 - Woodpigeon

Nuthatch

Magpie

Grey Squirrel

Blackbird

Coal Tit

Nuthatch,Chaffinch,Great Tit and Coal Tit

Five Rise Locks, Bingley

Sunday January 29th a.m.
 A cold overcast start this morning with frost on the ground and a temperature of
-1.5°C. I wanted to have a look at the renovation work being carried out on the
Five Rise Locks at Bingley which is part of the Leeds-Liverpool canal. The locks
have been drained and people are able to go have a close look at the locks, I
didn't go to the bottom but took a couple of snaps of the scene.
  Walking along the canal which in parts was covered in ice there were birds to be
seen on the canal and in the surrounding fields.
c50 - Common Geese
30 - BH Gulls
20 - Mallards
5 - Moorhen
3 - House Sparrow
1 - Mute Swan
plus other Corvids

Five Rise Locks, Bingley

View from the top

Another view from the top of the locks

Mute Swan

BH Gulls on the fence and Common Geese in the field

Dowley Gap,Bingley

Saturday 28th January a.m.
 Another trip to this good birding spot with the sun shining and a temperature
of 2°C when we arrived. There were good numbers of Greylag Geese in the
field behind the canal and we spotted our first Grey Wagtail next to the canal
with some Long-tailed Tits in a nearby tree. There were BH Gulls around the
sewage works and Mallards on the canal and the River Aire. There were 2 male
and 1 female Goosander on the river with more Grey Wagtails and a couple of
Robins. There were a lot of Woodpigeons in the field with what looked like
Cabbages growing. On the way back there were more Grey Wagtails and on
the opposite bank an American Mink was bounding along. Not sure about
seeing this top predator which is not native to Britain but will certainly eat plenty
of the local wildlife. Back on the canal we saw another Grey Wagtail and in the
field behind a small group of Redwing.
c50 - BH Gull
45 - Greylag Geese
45 - Woodpigeon
20 - Mallard
8 - Carrion Crow
8 - Redwing
6 - LT Tits
6 - Grey Wagtail
3 - Goosander
2 - Robin
1 - American Mink

Grey Wagtail

Goosanders

Redwing

American Mink and Mallard

American Mink, watch out its behind you Mr Mallard!

Greylag Geese

LT Tit,Robin,male Goosander and Grey Wagtail

Harold Park, Bradford

Saturday January 28th a.m.
 A short distance from Wibsey Park is Harold Park which was our next
place to visit, here the sun was shining and the temperature was up to 1°C.
Here again was the usual waterfowl, which included a Mute Swan, there
were also BH Gulls,Magpies and Carrion Crows. There was still some ice
round the edges of the lake in the park and we were able to get a snap of a
Carrion crow having a drink were there was some broken ice. It is still early
in the year but a Coot was already making a nest from large twigs and Moorhens
were having a close look at it.
c100 - BH Gull
c60 - Mallards
30 - Canadas
20 - Coots
15 - Moorhen
8 - Tufted Duck
8 - Carrion Crow
4 - Magpie
1 - Mute Swan

Mallard 1

Mallard 2

Carrion Crow 

Canada Goose

Coot nest building

Moorhens checking Coots nest

Mute Swan 1

Mute Swan 2

Harold Park Birds 1

Harold Park Birds 2

Harold Park

Wibsey Park

Saturday 28th January a.m.
 A cold bright start to the day with a temperature of 0°C as we headed off to
Wibsey Park. Here we found the usual waterfowl with an odd Hybrid Goose,
Feral pigeons and Crows.
40 - Mallards
25 - Canadas
30 - BH Gull
12 - Tufted Ducks
10 - Feral Pigeons
6 - Coot
5 - Moorhen
4 - Carrion Crow
1 - Hybrid Goose

Tufted Duck

Hybrid Goose 1

Hybrid Goose 2

Wibsey Park

Corvid Roost

Saturday 28th January
 A pre-dawn walk with the dog this morning took us in the direction of some noisy
birds calling where we found a roost of c300 Corvids. They were cramped together
high in a tree and occasionally lifted as one into the slowly brightening sky making it dark
again. I am guessing the majority were Carrion Crows but there were probably
Rooks and maybe Jackdaws among them. Quite a sight as they lifted and circled then
returning to the trees, they began to fly away in small groups of around 10, no doubt for
their feeding areas during the day.

Pre-dawn Corvid Roost in centre trees

Tightly packed birds in the tree top

 

Lister Park, Bradford

Sunday 22nd January p.m.
  The wind dropped and the sun came out this afternoon with a temperature
of 7°C,so we decided on a family trip to Lister Park. There were around 120
Canada Geese with our escapee the Bar-headed Goose still with them,
Mallards and Tufted Ducks. Moorhen,Coots and c150 BH Gulls were
present as usual, there were 50 or so Feral Pigeons which are quite colourful
when the light catches them. The female Goosander was still here and elsewhere
in the park we saw a few Squirrels and Woodpigeons.

Bar-headed Goose

female Goosander

male Tufted Duck

Woodpigeon

Feral Pigeon 1

Feral Pigeon 2

Grey Squirrel

Lister Park 1

Lister Park 2

Lister Park 3

Dowley Gap,Bingley

Saturday 21st January a.m.
  Still a blustery wind blowing here but more shelter, the temperature still
at 6°C and the odd light shower with sunny intervals. There were 30 Greylag
Geese on the canal and in the field behind, we walked along the canal, seeing
Mallards on the water, up to the aqueduct which takes the canal across the River
Aire. At this point we took the path alongside the river, and soon spotted a
Kingfisher fly away from us and going into the undergrowth along the river bank.
There were more Mallards on the river and we saw a Grey Wagtail at the side of
the river which we were able to get some snaps of. It moved into some small pools
on the other side of the path where we could watch it for a while. A feeding party of
Siskin were in the trees above the path, and we also saw some Long Tailed Tits. Also
on the river were a male and female Goosander, in a field on our left there was a crop
of what looked like cabbage from where around 45 Woodpigeons took flight some
going into nearby trees. Behind the boat house there were some Redwings in the tree
and feeding in the field behind. When we got back to the canal we spotted another
male and female Goosander among the Mallards.

Grey Wagtail 1

Grey Wagtail 2

Greylags with an odd Hybrid

Greylag Goose

Siskin

Redwing

Goosanders on the River

Goosanders on the canal 1

Goosanders on the canal 2

Woodpigeons

Grey Wagtail collage