BTO - Ringing Recovery Report

The recent reported ring number (1713684) of the Shag on the Rochdale Canal near Todmorden has been replied to by the BTO.

It was ringed by Scan R.g as an age nestling, sex unknown, on 18th June 2025 at Puffin Island, Isle of Anglesey.

It was found 170 days after it was ringed, 136 km from the ringing site, direction ENE. 

It would be interesting to know if the bird is still around as no reports have been received this week as yet.

Special thanks to AvH for first reporting this bird to the group. Well done Annie.

Ryburn Reservoir

Dipper

Rochdale Canal ...

Managed to get to see the Shag recently reported near Todmorden. Thankfully, still there this morning and I managed a few shots including information off the metal ring - details of which are now reported to the BTO with hopefully an update in due course.

A very confiding bird but not sure that's a good thing.!! Hopefully it is managing to feed and perhaps return to it's normal habitat as a coastal bird. Plenty of activity nearby from at least 2 Kingfishers, Grey Heron and a number of Goosander, all suggesting there is plenty of food there for the taking.

Beacon Hill

Kestrel pair

Also, 135 Pinkfeet west at 1055

Around and about - 2nd December

News in today of a Shag near Todmorden. Well done and thanks to AvH for posting a photo on the birding group raising awareness to this rare bird for us. Later news advised us that it has been present since 25th November. Very few records for Calderdale. A fantastic inland find.

I managed a brief look at Cromwell Bottom to check the ski-lake which is never an easy place to view but generally the birds are undisturbed. It is a place where scarce water-fowl, can and do turn up on occasions. Not today, but 2 drake Goldeneye and 11 Tufted Duck (7 drakes) were nice to see along with 7 red-head Goosander, 2 Mute Swans, 4 Grey Herons, 14+ Cormorants.

Also present, with some gulls moving through, were 25+ Common Gulls,  6 adult Herring Gulls,  11 LB-b Gulls and 40+ Black-headed Gulls.

A gem of a Kingfisher along the canal.

Pepper Hill, the  hillside above Claremount  turned up a Buzzard earlier in the day then this afternoon - a Kestrel and a  Little Owl.  Among the berries of hawthorn and  holly were feeding thrushes including 20+ Redwings, 1 Fieldfare and 12 Blackbirds.

Mixenden and Fly Flats

Poor drizzly conditions and a strong wind. This site has been really hard with this year even though in the recent past it has turned up some pretty special birds.! Nothing on Mixenden res'r other than gulls with much coming and going...

50+ Back-headed Gulls, 40+ Common Gulls, 6 Herring Gulls and 3 Lesser Black Black-backed Gulls.

Fly Flats was very choppy water in the strong south westerly and the site was almost devoid of birds other than 1 each Raven and Kestrel.

Ogden

Late afternoon visit was the best I could do today.

A very smart looking drake Goldeneye and a red head Goosander were the best of, not a lot.

I checked some of the woodland in the hope of a Woodcock but failed on that score.

A Woodcock from CS today was flushed on the reclaimed landfill site adjacent Shroggs Road.

Sadly, there have been a couple of reports this month of predated Woodcock - possible  suspected Sparrowhawks. 

Castle Carr Road

A very unexpected flock of 70 + Meadow Pipits arrived to feed in a field towards the end of the road. They looked to be finding plenty of food as the sunshine was melting snow and exposed tufted grass. Nothing unexpected with them though a pair of Stonechats was nearby running the fence line.

1 Kestrel and a flyover Cormorant heading towards the Calder Valley.

Soil Hill

Pretty well devoid of birds on the summit this morning. A few passing gulls and corvids with a lone Kestrel - and that was about it. JJLwas on the same mission so we had a chat !

Looking from the summit towards Ogden, The Withens and the wind-farm

(click to enlarge)

Beacon Hill

2 x 1cy Long-tailed Tit

Swales Moor - 20th November...

I had a 'stab' at Ringby Lane top mid morning. In these conditions its always worth checking for Snow Buntings on the tops. Its been a place in winter where over the years we have recorded occasional Snow and Lapland Buntings, Linnets, Twite, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits as well as a Shore Lark that stayed for 3 winter months (26th December 2006 until last seen on 26th March 2007). The site has gone off in recent years which is unfortunate. Farming methods appear to have changed and several fields are managed in a different way. Even so, feel it's still worth a check.

Very little up there this morning, mainly corvids and a few gulls passing through along with 2 Stock Doves - that was about it - though the views were stunning !

Wednesday 19th November

Braved the conditions at Cold Edge - more than living up to its name in the cold wind, snow and ice. Never know what birds might turn up !!

3 Stonechats - how do they survive in these conditions ? A Pied Wagtail was on a manure pile. Also 72 Canada Geese. 1 each Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Raven, Stock Dove, Kestrel and 3 each Redwings and Fieldfares.

Lower dam area

Haighcote Dam, towards Ovenden wind-farm

Adult Common Gull

Pied Wagtail

Then a check of the ski-lake at Cromwell Bottom this pm.

9 Tufted Duck, 1 Red-head Goosander, 3 Goldeneye (1 drake), 2 Coot and at least 30 Cormorants.

6 adult Herring Gulls and a Lesser Black-back flyover. A few Redwings near the car park shrubberies.

Tuesday 18th November

A Tuesday morning check at Mixenden res'r - more or less drew a blank there other than smaller gulls, 2 adult Lesser Black-backs and a juvenile Herring Gull alongside a Cormorant. I then made a trip up to Fly Flats but as I arrived, the fog came in and it snowed sideways so I made an exit just managing a Red Grouse along the top road.

Ogden yesterday afternoon just avoiding the torrential downpour. Not a lot on or around the res'r but a Little Grebe at the north west corner in the water under the willows was about the best of the afternoon along with 4 Mistle Thrush in the clough.

Shibden Park

Little Grebe (1 of 2), Tufted Duck pair, Mallard

Tufteds