Leeshaw Reservoir

Saturday 31st January a.m.

A decent morning with some sunny spells and a temperature of 5 °C as I made my first visit to Leeshaw this year.  I was pleased to see a Little Owl on the usual wall, with nine Grey Partridge lower down in the field and two Grey Wagtails flying over.  A Cormorant was on the water tower with c100 BH Gulls on the railings & dam wall plus several Herring Gulls, Canadas were on the water. 

Cormorant

Little Owl

Grey Partridge 

BH Gulls

Canadas

Herring Gull

Grey Partridge at Leeshaw

Leeshaw 31/1/2026

Hewenden Reservoir

 Wednesday 28th January p.m.

At last a decent day after all the recent rain & fog the sun came out with a temperature of 6°C.  This meant I could get out for a walk on to Hewenden Reservoir where there were eight Cormorants, a pair of Goldeneye and a Wigeon.  Overhead were c50 Lapwings, others were Canadas, Moorhen, LT Tit, BH Gull & Robin. 

Cormorants 

LT Tit

Wigeon

 

Lapwings

Hewenden Reservoir 28/1/2026

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