Mixenden Res'r and Hunter Hill watch-point

Nothing at all on the reservoir this morning and I failed to find hardly anything moving at all from Hunter Hill watchpoint in the cold >NE wind and clear sky.

Most interesting event - I was watching a Common Buzzard reasonably close by for quite a while till it dived speed with legs down - it had definitely seen something. It dropped out of site but came up again a minute later with a full grown Weasel dangling from it's talons. Looks like it got it head first. It carried it off out of site. I've never witnessed one take a Weasel before though I think BS had one a year or two back at Fly Flatts - this time, of course. with a photo (am I correct Bri?)

Otherwise it was down to a green Woodpecker,  Kestrel, c grounded Meadow Pipits,  Stock Dove, 2 Feral Pigeons and a Starling.

Elsewhere a Shoveler at Ringstone Edge reservoir (AT),

Soil Hill - north slope this morning.

Following in DJB's footmarks from this summer I set up the scope for a couple of hours in the hope of some migrants. Not a lot doing but enjoyable just the same. Brisk >NE wind, cool but bright and dry (apart from underfoot !)

6 Skylarks came in from distance to land on the hill

2 Buzzards headed high >E while 2 others were to the north of the watch-point

2 Snipe >E

c30 Swallows >SW

Lots of Meadow Pipits high >SW with lots of others on the top

c50 Goldfinch >E

2 Kestrel

Plenty of gulls in distant fields but a bit too distant for scrutiny.

Cold Edge yesterday (17th)

30 Pink-footed Geese high over Midgley Moor >SE at 08:45 was a decent start. Around the same time was a slightly larger flock over Fly Flatts heading >SE (see West Yorkshire Birding)

Otherwise - 2 Little Grebe, 11 Moorhen, 1 Buzzard, 3 Stonechats, 2 Teal, 3 Snipe, 2 Raven, 3 Red Grouse, 2 Chiffchaff and lots of Meadow Pipits blogging and >W on a broad front along with a few Swallows.

39 species in total was not a bad return for up there but the best was a flock of 25 Greenfinch near Moorlands Farm in the small copse and then on the overhead wires. Scarce birds for us nowadays but a welcome sight indeed.

Mixenden and Hunter Hill

This morning. Little sign of anything much moving though conditions at high level were poor with mist hanging on. Hunter Hill - 40 +Swallows and c10 Hs Martins high >Sw
1 Green Woodpecker, c20 Linnets, a few Meadow Pipits, 1 Kestrel and 3 Jays

Mixenden Reservoir
One each - Teal, Cormorant, Mallard and Grey Wagtail.

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Luddenden Dean

This afternoon with mist still clutching the tops.

Fairly quiet in the Dean.
One group of 5 Stonechats and a Whinchat along Catherine House Lane and a Green Woodpecker calling nearby.

Chiffchchaff in Wade Wood.

Elsewhere - 2 Nuthatch, 3 Buzzards distant, 8 Bullfinch, 2 Kestrel, 12+ Swallows plus not much else.

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Swales Moor

First thing - very warm and no breeze and very little movement overhead, unless birds were very high, other than a few Meadow Pipits and 3 alba wagtails.

The rest were grounded along Ringby Lane - the best were...
2 Stonechats
4 Skylark
3 Chiffchaff
1 Green Woodpecker

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Wainstalls area

Castle Carr Road this afternoon

Family group of 5 Stonechats with a single Whinchat

2 Buzzards distant

1 Little Owl

A few Swallows

Out of area Franklin's Gull

Franklin's Gull at Redcar Tarn Keighley today, well worth the trip, only the second in Yorkshire for 29 years I think.

Ploughcroft and Pepper Hill

Yesterday afternoon
A single Swift high over Shibden Valley was a big plus for September.

Still plenty of Swallows and House Martins in the valley. It's a good place in autumn especially with insects to feed on where there's shelter from a westerly wind.

1 Whinchat feeding from a fence line perch over a freshly cut hayfield was a bit unexpected but really nice birds to come across.

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Ogden / Ovenden Moor

Yesterday morning a very quiet walk over the moor apart from Red Grouse starting to make plenty of territorial noise and a family group of 5 Stonechats! 2 Kestrels near the wind-farm. Plenty of Meadow Pipits >W on a broad front and a few Swallows and a brief view of a Sparrowhawk.

Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch and 2 Great Crested Grebes on the water and a Common Buzzard flyover >E


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Pepper Hill Kestrel Family

    Enjoyed watching a family of Kestrels hunting

    Pepper Hill every couple of hours today, they never

    gave up even after being pestered by Crows & 

    Magpies, there were 3 hunting together to be exact.

  

      

Pule Hill

Wheatear  (This is my last post. I don't like the new format at all, and it seems that this 'legacy format' is being withdrawn. If I have any photos in the future that support a difficult ID, I'll send them to Nick)

Around and about - 7th September

 I checked the Wryneck site yesterday - no sightings as far as we know since Sunday morning, first thing. Green Woodpecker nearby. 2 Raven fly-overs >SW along with a few Meadow Pipits and Swallows.

Garden birds -female Blackcap briefly along with a Chiffchaff at the same time. Plenty of Coal Tits along with Blue, Great and 2 Long-tailed Tits.

Fly Flats and Withens Head - late afternoon - conditions not good at the reservoir with a strong westerly and heavy drizzle - I only found one Mallard ! Withens Head was slightly more sheltered -  1 Kestrel and 2 Wheatears by the farm with 2 Swallows still in and out of the farm building probably feeding young.