Cullingworth to Hewenden Reservoir

Saturday 30th January a.m.
A cool blustery morning with dark skies and the occasional snow flurry with a temperature of 3°C. We struggled with birds this morning but there were a few out including Jay,Nuthatch and on the reservoir Cormorant,Goosander,Tufted Duck & Mallard.

Goosander

female Goosander

male Goosander

Jay

Tufted Ducks

Hewenden Reservoir 30/1/2016

Redcar Tarn

Sunday 24th January a.m.
A gloomy morning but mild with a temperature of 12°C at Redcar Tarn, a walk round the Tarn producing BH & Common Gulls,Tufted Ducks,Moorhen,Canadas,Greylag & Coot.Overhead Lapwings were moving around some landing on the island for a while.The highlight of our visit was spotting a male Pochard among the Tufteds a first for us at the Tarn.

male Pochard

Pochard & Tufted duck

Greylag

Blue Tit

Lapwing

Lapwings moving to the island

Pochard with the Tufteds

Redcar Tarn 24/1/2016

Dowley Gap to Hirst Wood

Saturday 23rd January a.m.
 A milder start than of late with a temperature of 4°C on our arrival at Dowley Gap with some brightening sky.As we walked along the side of the canal towards Bingley there were singing Dunnocks & Robins with the addition of a tuneful Song Thrush.Heading back the other way at the sewage works area there were c40 Pied Wagtails and a solitary Grey Wagtail was also spotted. Always easier to spot birds in the leafless trees during the Winter, in a distant tree we spotted two Reed Buntings and also got the bonus of a Chiffchaff.We headed in to Hirst wood where on the River Aire there was a group of eight Goosanders, a Dipper joined them close by,also in the woods we saw Jays & LT Tits.The Blue Tits looked as though they were already pairing up and heading back along the canal we saw a pair of Grey Wagtails showing signs of courtship display.

male Goosander

female Goosander

Dipper

Grey Wagtail

Chiffchaff

Dunnock

Song Thrush

Two female Goosanders

Dowley Gap 23/1/2016

More from Hewenden Reservoir

From Sunday 17th January
We had an enjoyable walk yesterday around Hewenden Reservoir in the snow, taking plenty snaps along the way here are a few more.

Great Tit

Robin

Pied Wagtail

Cormorants

Goldeneye

Goosander & Goldeneye

Goosander & Mallards

BH & Common Gulls on the ice

Path from the village to the Great Northern Trail

Great Northern Trail under the bridge

Hewenden Reservoir from the Viaduct

View looking across the reservoir with Harden Moor in the distance

View from top end of the reservoir

Hewenden Reservoir 17/1/2016

Cullingworth & Hewenden Reservoir

Sunday 17th January a.m.
We had snow yesterday evening so it was a cold start at -2°C as we set off through the 6cm of snow on the ground with the extra hazard of ice heading through the village to Hewenden Reservoir.A good number of common species were seen on the way with the addition of Jay & Kestrel as we approached the viaduct.From here we could see Cormorants,Mallards,Tufted Ducks,Goosanders & a possible Goldeneye.At the other side of the viaduct we got a better view of the corner of the reservoir where we saw a male & female Goldeneye.We watched these for a while the male dived and came up almost immediately several metres away, we wondered how it managed to do that. After watching it do it again the penny dropped, there must be two males & eventually they popped up to the surface together with the female.We decided to go down the snowy hill side to get a closer look, they moved away so we re-located to a more central spot.The three Goldeneye moved to some more & after a while watching we had a total of eight Goldeneye,five Goosander,four Tufted Duck & four Cormorants.We were well pleased with this as we climbed back up the hill ,as we approached the wooded area we heard a honking sound then got our bins on two Raven flying low across our path & away, another result & a first for us here.
 Quiet round the the wooded area & the top end of the reservoir but coming back on the other side we got some Redwings & a couple of Pied Wagtails as we approached the farm.Another look at the reservoir taking some snaps the Goldeneye were all distant now we managed to get six in one picture as they moved around the reservoir which was around 25% frozen.We should also mention the c100 BH Gulls & 15 Common Gulls on the ice.

Cormorant

Three Cormorant

male Goldeneye

female Goldeneye

After watching them two male & a female Goldeneye

Three male Goldeneye

Four Goldeneye with a Canada on the dam wall banking

Goosanders

Goosander & Goldeneye

Pied Wagtail

Distant snap of six of the Goldeneyes

Gulls on the ice

Reservoir & Hewenden Viaduct

Hewenden Reservoir 17/1/16