Yeadon Tarn & Knotford Nook

 Friday 16th January a.m.

The sun was shining brightly by mid morning when I arrived at Yeadon Tarn with a temperature of 5°C.  The Tarn was 75% frozen with most of the birds near the boat club, there were c25 Mute Swans and c25 Tufteds.  Others were Canadas, Greylag, Moorhen, Coot, BH Gull & Mallard. 

I followed on to Knotford Nook just a couple of miles away where most of the water on the Lake was unfrozen at this lower altitude.  The Smew was still present but keeping to the other side of the Lake some distance away.  Others here were Goldeneye, Tufted, Gadwall, Goosander, Coot & Cormorant. 

Canada

Greylag

Moorhen

Mute Swans

Tufted

Tufteds, Canadas & Mallards

Smew at Knotford Nook

Smew & Cormorant

Yeadon Tarn

Mix of birds at Yeadon Tarn 16/1/2026

Dowley Gap

 Wednesday 14th January a.m.

A frosty morning, cloudy with a temperature  of 3°C, good to see two Kingfishers near the canal lock where some repair work is in progress.  Along the river there were four Goosanders, two Little Grebes, three Cormorants and a nearby field held c50 Canadas & c25 Greylags.  At the water works there were c100 Pied Wagtails. 

Kingfisher

Cormorant

Goosander

Little Grebe

Little Grebes

Pied Wagtail

Some of the c100 Pied Wagtails

Kingfisher at Dowley Gap 14/1/2026

Knotford Nook

Monday 12th January a.m.

A cloudy morning with some brighter spells but much milder than recent days with a temperature of 8°C.  There were a few birders here to see the Smew that was reported a couple of days ago, I was pleased to get a good view of it.  Always difficult here though with a fence and trees surrounding the Lake, plenty other birds including Goldeneye, Teal, Gadwall, Wigeon, Tufted, Goosander, Coot & Cormorant. 

Smew

 

Goosander 

Goldeneye 

Smew, Gadwall & Goldeneye at Knotford Nook 12/1/2026

Harold Park

 Wednesday 7th January a.m.

Some sunshine this morning with a temperature of 3°C but sheet ice on some of the footpaths at Harold Park.  This limited my access to the Lake but most of the birds were together in a small area of unfrozen water which I was able to get to.  Here there were 15 Mute Swans, Tufteds, Coots, Moorhen, Mallards & Gulls.

Tufted

  

Mute Swan

Moorhen

LBB Gull

Harold Park

Lister Park

 Sunday 4th January a.m.

A cold frosty morning with a temperature of -3°C but sunny, the Lake was frozen over at Lister Park.  On the ice were Canadas, Greylags, Gulls, Coot, Moorhen & Mallards, the rest of the Park was quiet I only saw Carrion Crow, Feral Pigeon, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail & Robin. 

Robin

Pied Wagtail

BH Gull

Canadas

Greylags

Herring Gull

Moorhen

Lister Park 4/1/2026