St Aidan's

We managed to pick the one day that the all dancing, superbly showing Bearded Tits were actually doing nothing of the sort and had clearly had enough of posing right in front of the many thousands (ish) of people that seem to have seen them recently..........basically we dipped the Beardies. You can see how well they have been showing here.

It was still freezing on Saturday, with a lot of frost and ice around it made for an interesting walk, with lovely blue water in one lake and ice on another! The weather doesn't put off the birds (apart from the Bearded Tits.....) nor did it put off a swimmer in Bowers lake brrrr!!

 

After hanging around for the Bearded Tits we decided to get moving to try and warm up a little. We walked around the edge of the reserve scanning the main lake as we went. There were lots of Gulls - Black-Headed and Herring and possibly Common but they were a little too far off to be sure. Herons, Shovelers, Shelduck, the usual ducks - Gadwall, Wigeon, Pochard.....

Along the path by Shan House Bridge a large flock of Siskin, Redpoll, Bullfinch, Blue and Long-tailed Tits were in the trees, they were constantly on the move but we think around 25-30 altogether, mostly Siskin.

Siskin

Overhead three Buzzards, were flying about, we also saw a Red Kite and a Peregrine as well during the walk.

Buzzard

Walking down the causeway we checked out the ducks on Lemonroyd lake - more Gadwall, Wigeons, Teal, Mallards and a beautiful male Pintail just stepping out of the water onto the ice. It wondered for a minute or two and the took flight, a second joined it and they disappeared over Main lake.

Black-headed Gulls, Pintail, Gadwall, Coot

Pintail taking off

Gadwall

Mute Swan

The hedges at the bottom of the hillside were filled with Fieldfares, we didn't get close, they were very flighty.

Walking back towards the dragline a male and female Stonechat flew alongside the path in front of us. We got some hot drinks at the visitors centre and ate our lunch whilst watching the birds on the feeders nearby.

Reed Bunting

After a quick walk around Bowers to try for the Bearded Tit again (no luck) we went home to thaw out.

North Cave Wetlands

Early Sunday we headed over to the Wetlands for a walk in the freezing windy winter sun! I think it got colder too as the morning went on!

Still we had a good walk and parts of the reserve where chock full of birds! At the feeders we saw Tree and House Sparrows, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, Robins, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, Reed Buntings and Moorhen!

Great Tit

Goldfinch & Tree Sparrows

Long-tailed Tits

Reed Bunting

Tree Sparrows &  Goldfinch

Dunnock

Blue Tit

On the water I saw the some of the largest flocks of ducks i've ever seen - Shelduck, Pochard, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal, plus Greylag Geese, Herons, Little Grebes, Black-headed and Herring Gulls, Redshank and a large flock of Lapwings.

Shelduck

Ducks as far as the eye can see!

Overhead a Marsh Harrier was flying about, we also saw a couple of Fieldfare and Cormorants fly over.

We were looking out over the many ducks on the lake when I saw some birds in the tree nearby - bright yellow - Siskins - there were both male and female, around 8 birds hanging from various branches. It's not a bird I see often so quite a treat to see so many at once.

Don't let the sunny photos deceive, it was bitter and even I'd had enough by the time we'd walked round! It's always worth getting out though, regardless of the weather.

A rare garden visitor

Tuesday morning I was sat in my usual spot by the patio doors watching the birds in the garden before I went out to work. A bird flew in that I haven't seen in a long time - a Siskin, just one, a male, it went straight for the sunflower hearts and stayed around long enough for a few photos.

I checked my records and the only other time there's been one in the garden in the ten years we've lived here was back in 2011! I've not seen it since either. 

In the Garden

Saturday saw a pair of Siskins in the garden, they didn't stop long, just enough time for me to grab the camera. I checked back and it's the first time i've seen them in the garden since 2011!

Some of the other birds round and about the garden at the moment. 

Plus I heard the first Chiffchaff in the garden this morning, couldn't spot it but the song is lovely enough.

Old Moor

A couple of weeks ago, we took an early Sunday morning visit to Old Moor, hoping to see the Bearded Tits, which seem to have made their home there, for now at least. Unfortunately it was not to be and yet again we dipped on these beautiful birds. Maybe i'm just never destined to see one!

Still it was a beautiful morning for a walk, very cold but if you go prepared then it's not a problem.

There were plenty of birds about on the water around the reserve, the usual Coots, Moorhens, Canada Geese along with Wigeon, Gadwall, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorants, Shovelers, Lapwings, Black Headed Gulls, Heron, Mute Swans and Pochard.

There were a lot of Reed Buntings flitting about in the bushes along the path up to the family hide and the usual friendly Robin too.

I managed to miss the Yellowhammer at the Tree Sparrow farm but did see plenty of Goldfinch, Greenfinch and a Siskin.

In the Bird Garden were Magpies, Bullfinch, a Pheasant, Woodpigeons, Chaffinch, Blue and Great Tits, Blackbird and Robins.

Couldn't resist a little wonder around the adventure playground before we left!