How about going to Mixenden Reservoir and the mixed conifer/broadleaved plantation around it?
The walk can be lengthened if everyone is in agreement, up towards Ogden.
Meet 10.30 for 10.45 leaving from the fish shop area in the middle of Saville Park Moor, Halifax, or meet on the road below the Res, but let me know if meeting there as I may not come if no-one turns up.
This used to be a favourite walk of the HSS.
Saturday Evening 27.12.14:
Pictures from the walk:
Mixenden Reservoir
A Great Northern Diver was staying there. My pictures were poor, but some good ones are over on Calderdale Birds Blog. We bumped into Dave Sutcliffe, the original finder of the Diver. He had been caught with his family in the Sheffield Gridlock yesterday evening!
We set off to the next Reservoir, Ogden Water
We saw no other walkers until we got to Ogden Water
the smudges are dust in my camera
Crossing the polar ice-cap of Ogden Golf Course, we found the snow littered with conifer seeds drifting from the plantation. I think they were larch seeds.
We had company as we stopped for lunch. (A Carrion Crow and scores of people plus their dogs doing the circuit of the reservoir.)
The variety of ice formations is amazing. You could call this one "Lace- ice"
We returned via the lanes of Ogden which were nice and almost traffic-free for a change
Returning through Mixenden Plantation
Frank Murgatroyd once saw a Woodcock on its nest here. He said the first thing he noticed was its eye looking at him. Our bird list today is below. (Three of us were on the walk.)
Great Northern Diver
Common Gulls
Black-headed Gulls
Woodpigeons (few)
Crows, Jackdaws, Magpies
Robin
Wren
Snipe (7 together)
Meadow Pipits (13 together)
Lapwings (20)
Pied Wagtail
Kestrel
And we watched a Roe Deer bounding through the snow in the fields. It stopped to look at us for a moment.
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