Rodley Nature Reserve

Making the most of my last days off work we headed to Rodley on Wednesday. Despite the fog and rain we were there early doors. The lagoon was a little hazy but not enough we couldn't see anything.

There were plenty of birds to see including 9 Goldeneye, Tufted Ducks, a Little Grebe, Canada/Greylag Geese. The Geese kept lifting off in noisy flocks and disappearing overhead. By the time we left there was only a handful out on the water.

Along the Willow Path we saw Bullfinch, Dunnock, Blue/Great Tits, Song Thrush, Blackbird and Robin. By the field a flock of Linnets were flitting about.

On the Duck marsh were a large flock of Black Headed Gulls with a few Common dotted about. I saw a BH Gull flying past which had a fully black head, a bit unusual in winter?

We counted 9 Herons around the waters edge, plus a number of Teal and Tufted ducks too. A Canada Goose stood watching us expectantly, maybe one used to being fed in a public park somewhere?

A Jay flew off in the distance, the trees were full of Woodpigeons and the banks were covered in pigeons. The Grassland was quiet, mostly it was more BH Gulls and a few Moorhen. The riverside walk produced a Goosander flying along it. We watched a Goldcrest in the trees across the water and a lady told us there was one nearby in the brambles but that one stayed out of sight for us.

After stopping for a cup of tea to warm up a little we walked up to the managers garden. It was quiet there, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Reed Bunting mostly. The pumping station was busy with more BH Gulls and a Grey Wagtail was flying about. A Pied Wagtail was in the field by the manure pile and a Crow was eating what looked like a rat.

Back at the car park one of the trees had a small flock of Redwing and Fieldfare. A nice end to the morning.