Dowley Gap

Sunday 25th September a.m.
 We had a trip to Dowley Gap in the Bingley area this morning where it was a cloudy start with a light shower during the morning and a temperature of 14°C.A walk on the canal saw the usual Mallards and three Moorhen,Jay but the highlight was a Wood Duck.Heading back the other way we had the blue flash of a Kingfisher pass us by and near the water works were Grey & Pied Wagtails, Dunnock,Robin,Wren and a couple of Warblers which we think were Chiffchaffs which like this area but we weren't sure.We also had a fly over from a Cormorant and a couple of Canadas.
 Back at home in the garden a Wren was posing nicely on our fence so a rush for the camera  and just in time we got a snap of it.

Wood Duck

Dunnock

Grey Wagtail

Moorhen Juv

Pied Wagtail

Robin

Pied Wagtails & Warbler

Wren in our garden

Dowley Gap 25/9/2016

Leeshaw and Leeming Reservoirs

Saturday 24th September a.m.
A gloomy start to the day with plenty cloud at Leeshaw where it was 14°C as we pulled up in the car.
There was a Cormorant on the valve tower and two others at the top end of the reservoir which were accompanied by BH and LBB Gulls.A few Mallards were also seen and in the surrounding fields Lapwings and c100 Starlings were moving around.Fairly quiet unless you count the noisy pack of hounds high on the top of the hills no doubt hunting for something.At the other side of the reservoir there were still a couple of Grouse, more Starling,Song and Mistle Thrush with a few Swallows overhead.
We moved on to Leeming Reservoir where it was good to catch up with a Grey Wagtail in the overflow area,a Grey Heron was on the dam banking with Mallards on the water.Walking round we saw three Bullfinches and a charm of Goldfinch with a Chiffchaff breaking into song now and then.It was also good to see a distant Jay and a Kestrel, there were also five Swallows.

Grey Heron

Cormorant

Mistle Thrush

Starlings

Grey Wagtail

Leeming Reservoir 24/9/2016

Harold Park and Park Dam

Sunday 18th September a.m.
Another sunny start and a temperature of 12°C on our arrival at Harold Park where we headed for the Lake.We found a decent selection of birds including Tufted Duck,GC Grebe,BH Gull,Coot,Moorhen and Collared Dove. The two adult Mute Swans were still present (Yellow 468) with the four Juveniles now nearly as big as the parents.
 We then went down the road to Park Dam where there was another two Mute Swans with leg tags Yellow 690 & Red 019Y. There were two adult GC Grebes with three Juveniles and two adult Little Grebes with four Juveniles.Others here included a Grey Heron,Tufted Duck,Coot and Moorhen.

GC Grebe Juv

GC Grebe with Juv

Snack time

Little Grebe

Little Grebe Juv

Grey Heron

Moorhen

Moorhen with Hybrid Duck

Mute Swan

Mute Swan Juv

Four Mute Swan Juvs

Mute Swans with Juvs

Tufted Duck

Harold Park 18/9/2016

Park Dam 18/9/2016

Cullingworth to Hewenden Reservoir

Saturday 17th September a.m.
A good morning with some sunny spells and a temperature of 11°C as we set off on our walk seeing House Martins overhead.Looking at the reservoir overflow there were three Grey Wagtails, just a couple of Mallards on the reservoir and around 30 BH Gulls on the dam wall.Station Road produced Swallows,Linnets and Pied Wagtail, then a quiet walk through the wood and round the top end of the reservoir.Coming back looking at the Mallards on the water we spotted a single Wigeon among them, which was our first at this site.As we got near the farm there were more Swallows and a flock of birds containing Linnets,Goldfinch,Mipits and Starlings.There were more Pied Wagtails at the farm as well as Dunnock and a Robin as we headed home.

Swallow

Canadas moving around

Linnet

Meadow Pipit

Pied Wagtail Juv

Pied Wagtail

Robin

Record snaps of Wigeon

Hewenden Reservoir 17/9/2016

Redcar Tarn

Friday 16th September p.m.
 I had some time free this afternoon so paid a visit to Redcar Tarn where it was cloudy with a temperature of 15°C.Over the road from the Tarn the field was full of c150 Starlings & c65 Lapwings, also seen were Linnets and a Meadow Pipit.On the Tarn itself was the usual mix of Mallards,Canadas,Tufted Ducks,BH Gulls and LBB Gulls.There was also 11 Muscovys and Pied Wagtails, as I was walking round I spotted a single Wigeon on the island.Later as I was taking some pictures of other birds it came off the island and came close enough to the car park for some decent pictures.N.P.

Wigeon

Lapwing

Muscovy Ducks

Pied Wagtail

BH Gull Juv

LBB Gull Juv

LBB Gull

A returning Wigeon

Redcar Tarn 16/9/2016