green withens 1650-1830

when will the wind stop?

quiet up here this evening due to the wind,

curlew 1
canada goose nc
mallard 2
skylark 4
meadow pipit 14
reed bunting 1
magpie 1
carrion crow 2
pied wagtail 1

also free from any form of disturbence!! hurrah

30th April Catapult

Elland GP at 15.00PM.A fisherman has been seen at the fishing lake with a Catapult apparantly shooting at a Great Crested Grebe this afternoon. This insident as been reported to the RSPB and the Police to follow up. Photographs have been taken. If anybody else sees such behaviour please contact the police or RSPB.

Buzzard

One flew in from the south-west at Elland Gravel Pits at 2:25 this afternoon, circled over the water-ski lake before continuing on in a north-easterly direction towards Hove Edge.
Other birds around were 1 Cormorant, 5 Lesser-Black-backed Gull, 3 Swift, 1 Sand Martin and 3 Swallow.
Just for the record there are 2 cracking Wood Warbler at Delves Wood near Crosland Moor/Beaumont Park and 1 superb male Pied Flycatcher in a private garden, unfortunately for you guys, in the Huddersfield Area!

Elland GP Sunday 29th April

My first ever visit to this site. Numerous willow warblers, 2 chiffchaffs, 2 reed buntings, pair of bullfinch, 4 linnet, 3 greenfinch, half a dozen or so goldfinch. Grey Heron flying over and some mallard on the lake.

6 swallows flying around the farm.

Cooper Bridge

Courtesy of David Pennington

60+ swifts over the river at Cooper Bridge (just by the Green Sand site) this morning with hirundines. Also a Yellowhammer singing nr there, a pr of Grey Wags, and a Mute Swan on nest but generally fairly quiet

green withens 1700-1725

well, after well over a month of no offroaders or scum as i call em,tonight there was at least 11 quad bikes over the moor,so i was so fed up i walked to boat house then came back.

dunlin 1
common sandpiper 2
mallard 3
swallow 1 north

yorkshire water have put 3 signs up warning those who are found on such vehicles will be prosicuted,also they have fenced off the bankings to the dam.

Walshaw Dean

Before I get onto today's sightings, has anyone had any Swifts yet? I heard them calling briefly in Hadfield (near Glossop for those unfamiliar with this seething mass of inhumanity) on Saturday afternoon, so they're pretty close!
Walshaw Dean did not produce any major surprises, apart from a pair of Little Ringed Plovers, which is not a bird I can recall at this site. Also found:
1 F Whinchat briefly, by the reservoir house.
1 Redshank.
At least 4 Common Sandpiper.
A pair of Wheatear.
1 M Tufted Duck at top end of Upper Res.
2 chicks, apparently Mallard, in a stream to the E side, but no parent found.
A relatively small number of Canada Geese - no more than 40 over all 3 reservoirs, including a noticeably small bird in a pair, which were chased off the top reservoir by a 3rd bird.

1 M Kestrel.
Usual woodland stuff, including a lot of Willow Warblers.

Also a very brief Ring Ouzel, which my walking buddy confirmed was in the same area last week.

Fly Flatts

29/04/2007 0800-1015hrs Cold ENE>5 turning E>3 mid a.m.
1 Common Sandpiper
2m Reed Bunting
1 Golden Plover
11 Wheatear
Not a Twite in sight
+ usual BS

The Seeds Project takes root!

I am delighted to report that following a meeting today between myself (CBCG), Ann Blackburn (ABC) and local landowners the Calderdale Seeds Project will see its first sowing of seed next Wednesday May 2nd. Following results from soil sampling and on the ground survey work a total of five fields owned by four different landowners in the Luddenden Valley/Midgley area will be sown with flower rich seed mixes. The aim of the project is to create suitable feeding habitat for seed eating birds especially Twite as well as benefiting other wildlife in the process. We were all heartened to have Twite on the walls of one of the fields as we planned the sowing! Grateful thanks are expressed to Ann Blackburn for her undoubted knowledge of farming and grasslands in particular, to GBN for the vital funding and especially to local landowners for adopting the project so enthusiastically. It is hoped that a further sowing can take place in the autumn.

Colden yesterday morning 08:30

went up looking for the Whinchat but was out of luck, however did get 10+ Wheatear, 2 Curlew, Lapwing, Meadow Pipit and in a scene out of top gun a possible Peregrine, but I was driving and looking everywhere other than where I should have been when the bird flashed past.

27th April

Roils Head
2 Wheatears, 2 Willow Warblers and 7 or 8 Linnets.

Fly Flats this evening with GD.
2 Red-legged Partridge on the track down from the road at the north end just behind the rusty gate. 1 Red Grouse, 2 Golden Plover, 5 Wheatears and several Curlews.

green withens 1600-1830

very quiet due to high winds but 1 little ringed plover on the north shore,2 common sandpipers,2 curlews,3 golden plover flew in from blackstone very quiet. plus the usual

blog problems

has everyone upgraded their 'account', i remember last year to post pictures you needed to go to your dashboard the enable something called 'ftp' or similar i cannot remember.other than that i dont think i can help

Elland Gravel Pits

Went down this morning hoping for a Sedge Warbler, no luck on that front but Garden Warbler was a year tick for me. Bumped into Petar Grba and as we went our separate ways at 10:30 I looked up and saw a Hobby approaching at speed from the SE. It flew straight into large numbers of hirundines over the ski lake but missed it's intended prey. Due to the fact that I was making all sorts of excited noises Petar ran back towards me and also managed to get on to the Hobby for a short time. It then flew off in a NW direction.

Some 10 minutes later I noticed a Tern over the water and after it settled briefly on a buoy was able to photograph it and identify it as a Common Tern. The bird was still around until 12 noon when I left Petar hoping for an Osprey this afternoon. Some folk are never satisfied!

Binoculars wanted

A friend of mine is wanting to buy a second hand pair of bins, but only has 50 or 60 pounds to spend. If anybody has say a pair of old Swift Audubon or Opticron for sale could you plesae let me know.

26th April Roils Head

3rd time of trying. Redpoll in display flight, 2 Wheatears ( one rather large upright individual) 3 Willow Warblers singing.

Egg Marking

As in previous breeding seasons we have now security marked all Peregrine eggs in our area to deter thieves, this job simply couldn't be done without the climbing skills and experience of Steve Downing. I thought it appropriate to publicly thank one of our unsung heroes and to urge everyone to support the Operation Artemis initiative set up by Steve to protect the last remaining English Hen Harriers (sadly not in our area!), see the link on this Blog.

Colden 4:45pm

A 5 minute walk at Colden (where the proposed development is):

- A fantastic and relatively obliging male whinchat
- Male wheatear
- 2 skylark
- 1 lapwing
- 2 curlew
- 3 meadow pipits
- 2 pheasant

Hardcastle Crags

From Stoneshay Gate Widdop Rd to Leigh Wood Corner.

Male Blackcap singing in gardens
Green Woodpecker calling all the time I was out, Also GSW heard kitting.
Nuthatch also heard but not seen.
Willow Warbler, Long Tailed Tit (pair), Female Sparrowhawk over Scout camp, 2 Ravens over Slack top.
Kestrel, 4 Mallard, Grey Heron and usual stuff.

Underbank, Jumble Hole

4 whitethroat at the Eastern end of Higher Underbank.
Bullfinch, robin and long tailed tit carrying nesting material
Male sparrowhawk carrying blue tit!
2 blackcap
4 willow warbler

Whimbrel at Ringstone

A pair of Whimbrel briefly this morning (09:00) before flying off high to the NW. 3 Grey Heron, 2 LRP, Ringed Plover also on the north shore and a possible White Wagtail but after my post last year I'm not claiming it!
4 Wheatear and 1 male Whinchat along the west wall.
Gropper still reeling and showing well at Deanhead.

Place your bets....

Purely for fun, any 'betting' on what the next totally new species for Calderdale might be? Bare in mind that there have been some bizarre ones over the centuries, so what you think of a a new bird might not be. If you had black guillemot in mind for example, it's gone!
My hat is in the ring for dartford warbler, as they are pushing north.

Any other suggestions?

25th April test

Wheatear and 2 Willow Warblers at Roils Head. 3 Stock Doves at Heath Hill Road.No sign of Monday's Hobby.

Hardcastle Crags - 8:30 - 11:00

Went to the Crags in the hope of pied fly (there's good numbers in at Barden now, and some are pairing up) redstart (seem to be in well north now) or cuckoo (ditto).

Got nowt on that front. It's a bit early still for Calderdale, but again, they do seem to be well in elsewhere.

Other bits: 2 nesting great spotted woodpecker, tons of willow warbs (lost count) green woodpecker, report from warden of nesting treecreeper nr. Gibson Mill, 3 song thrush, dipper, male blackcap, pair of grey wagtails. 2 roe deer.
Also a quick check at Blake Dean brought wheatear, sparrowhawk, 6+ willow warblers, plus usuals.

Dusk at Soil Hill

2 Curlew
10Linnet
1 lapwing
2 Skylark
4 Goldfinch

Ringstone 5.30 pm

Ring Ouzel (2), Wheatear, Whinchat (2) still Ringstone 5.30pm. West Fields (2nd pylon).

Town Centre Peregrines

They are still there! Male on one of the pinnacles this morning and the female soaring over Sainsbury's heading off towards Claremount!

GRAPEVINE

Just to let you know the problem with my phone is now resolved - I am up and running again with a new phone - same number.
Thanks to Nick Carter for standing in in the meantime.

Please remeber the grapevine money is due to those who have not sent it in yet! It can be sent to Nick Carter, Nick Dawtrey or myself. A.S.A.P. PLEASE.

Happy Events

First of this year's new generation I've seen are, as usual, a brood of Mallard chicks on the Calder by Tod bus station. Actually, that refers only to this country - ten days before, I was watching a fully fledged Barn Swallow chasing its parent around the sewage works in Agadir, amongst other early juveniles. Perhaps it's something to do with all the Storks...

Hobby

Nick Dawtrey (having problems posting on the blog) reported and adult Hobby at 12.30 pm today and seen for about 2 minutes, coming from Mount Tabor/Heath Hill Road area and then down towards Warley and Sowerby Bridge.

My phone is still down so please text any sightings in the meantime to Nick Carter am - or Nick Dawtrey pm.

Luddenden Boxes

14 more boxes went up this weekend, this time in Luddenden. Thanks to all involved.

Pictures as promised from last few days.

bits and Bobbs

EGP-2 Common Tern,3 common sandpiper,1LRP,Linnet,Redpoll,Goldfinch,Bullfinch and Goldfinch, 4+Chiff chaff,3 willow warbler,3LBBGull over
Ringstone-2LRP,1 Curlew,3 lapwing,1Pied wag,1mallard with 2juv and 2 Reed Bunts.

Twite at Fly Flats

another blog test

30 Sandmartin 2 house martin 50 swallows at EGP on Thursday

GRAPEVINE

Please note that my phone is not working this morning and looks like it is a repair job. Please send any messages to Nick Dawtery until further notice.
Brian Sumner reported a Hobby at Fly Flats just this morning. Also seen at Thornton Moor
Thanks Dave

Fly Flatts

22/04/2007 Cold WSW>5 slight rain.
Completely opposite to last Sundays brilliant
morning,with hardly a bird in sight, knew it couldnt last.

2 Wheatear
1 Distant Hobby over sacrifice stones, sighting thanks
to DCBs directions as he watched the bird from his
Oxenhope watchpoint. BS
+ usual sp.

House Martins at Todmorden

There were 6 House Martins over the streets of Todmorden yesterday, 21st April, during the morning.
I have also had my first Willow Warbler (Weds.18th April) at Saville Park, and Blackcap (Thurs.19th) at Northowrham, both in gardens.
Steve Blacksmith

Sat AM and Sunday AM

First of all let me apologise for not making it to the nestbox project yesterday, unfortunately I didn't get the email in time, well done all the guys who turned up, plenty of surveying to be done now.

Which is where I was yesterday from 07:15 - 12:45 Hardcastle crags.

Box 4 - Blue tit with nesting material

Boxes 7,8,9 missed

Box 24 - Blue tit visiting

Box 32 - Great tit with nesting material

Box 38 - Blue tit pair inspecting

All other boxes no sign of activity.

Other birds found to be nesting Song Thrush, Green Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpecker (judging by activity i'd say female was on eggs) for details contact myself.

Also flushed a Woodcock by Box 29 and had a Sparrowhawk fly through whilst viewing boxes 10,11,12.

Grey Heron by the Mill.

This morning I have again to say shame on me, took the dogs for a short walk up the road when something of interest caught my eye on the common to the front of my dads house. Grabbing bins and ditching dogs I set off up the Common (and this is the shame, because despite it being on the doorstep I rarely go up there with my bins.)

The something of interest turned out to be a pair of Grey Partridge, so I decided to carry on as far as the fringe of Widdop Moor and found another pair of Grey Partridge, 2 pair of Linnet, Swallow, 20+ Meadow Pipit and a female Stonechat. Also had a Grey Heron fly through.

I really should go up there more often.

Happy Birthday

The Calderbirds blog was two years old as of yesterday!! Like most two year olds, it can be a little unpredictable, temperamental, and frustrating, but ultimately extremely rewarding.
This month has already shown record numbers of both posts and hits, and we seem to be attracting new 'members' and therefore invaluable records for Calderdale. Around 100 people a day view the blog, so thanks to those who post and make it readable!

Matt

Todmorden

Steve Blacksmith reports 6 house martins in Todmorden today. I also saw my first of the year there this morning, nest building already right by the canal.

Upland sightings - 21 April

Courtesy of Colin Duke

12 wheatear, below Bride Stones, Todmorden
Short eared owl same general area
Pair of curlew
2 swallows

20th and 21st April

Lets hope this works.
Elland Gravel Pits afternoon.
Common Buzzard and LRP over, 5 Blackcaps, 7 Chiffchaffs, 3 Willow Warblers, Grey Wag, Common Gull, Reed Bunting etc.

Luddenden Valley Evening.
Short-eared Owl, 2 Swifts, 2 Green Woodpeckers and a distant bird doing a very good immpression on an Osprey ? Sparrowhawk over Moor End Gardens.

21st April
2 Common Sands at Withens Clough, Sparrowhawk over Moor End Road.
2 Willow Warblers 4 linnets at Roils Head, male Kes eating a rodent at Heath Hill Road.

BL reports 14 Ring Ouzels dropping on to Whirlaw Common this PM, also a dead Knot half eaten at Whiteholme yesterday.

Lee Mount

2 fantastic Peregrines chasing each other and calling over Lee Mount this afternoon at 4.45 pm. Amazing site. Both birds were the same size probably males - perhaps defending territories? Both went realy high then headed off at speed, still calling, in the direction of Halifax town centre.

Also 3 Lesser black-backed gulls went over around the same time and a single House Martin headed NW. Also Blackcap and Willow Warbler in Shroggs Park and Great-spottted Woodpecker drumming - quite an afternoon from the garden!

Greenland Wheatears?

A couple of big bright male Wheatears near Withens Gap farm this evening, looked good for Greenlands but couldn't get good enough views to count primary tips etc. watch out for them tommorrow Brian!

Luddenden Dean Boxes

Many thanks to those who turned out this morning to erect 14 nestboxes in a wood in Luddenden Dean, primarily targetting Redstarts these boxes were made by Darrel and a friend of Mick Sharpe's. Thanks also to Nick Dawtrey who set the whole thing up by liasising with the landowner. Atendess were Gordon Denison, Steve Cummings, Sean Johnston, Darrel Prest and myself, hopefully there will be more photos to follow.

Moths Last Night

Early Grey - Early Thorn - Pine Beauty

Sorry for putting Moth photos on the bird blog
but I cannot post to the invertebrate site and
have no bird photos.

Gorple area

5 ring ouzel
2 grey partridge
4 wheatear
100 canada geese
1 barnacle goose
1 greylag
plus usuals

Report by David Ousey

Ringstone and Blackstone Edge today

Ringstone:- 2 LRP, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Common Sand, 9 Lapwing, 14 Goldfinch on feeding station along with 4 Greenfinch, 2 Linnet and 4 Dunnock.

Blackstone Edge:- On the Crag rd rocks 3 Wheatear - 2 male and a female also a dead Curlew (photo's of both to follow) Curlew had clearly been there for sometime so difficult to guess a cause of death.

On the Res - 2 Canada Geese and 5 Mallard.

Birders Get Together

Many thanks to the 15 or so people who turned up for last nights get together, I trust everyone had a good night, a special thank you to Jane, Keith and Roger who joined us for the first time. It was good to see so many people back together socially rather than in a business like (?) meeting, we will probably repeat the evening in another month or so when hopefully there will be a few more of the more long standing local birders present?

Various

Sean Gray reported summer plumaged Dunlin at Whiteholme today along with LRP's and Common Sandpiper.

Fly Flats had 16 Twite at the feeding station and 1 Wheatear but little else other than 2 Greylag Geese and 32 Canada's.

Halifax Town Centre - male Peregrine soaring over Woolshops and then over the Town Hall at around 5 pm. Nice to watch from Woolshops car park as I loaded the shopping in !

GRAPEVINE

We are now out of funds for text messaging!!

Fivers please either to Dave Sutcliffe, Nick Carter or Nick Dawtrey as soon as you can - if you wish to continue receiving the service.

Please note that several people (as below) are still in credit having joined part way through the last round. Below is the amount required from them. This is so everyone ends up in the next phase at the same time (hopefully)!
T Walker - nil
N Carter £3
M Hayes £0.90p
S Johnston £1.40
J Beaumont £2.40
A & L Crystal £2.80
B Hoyle £3.60

Please do not delay with your response as with 22 people on the grapevine we cannot afford to continue sending messages for more than a few days if we do not get the funds up front. Many thanks.

Mytholmroyd train station

1 male blackcap (my first this year), 2 chiff's and two willow warblers. Dipper and grey wagtail on Elphin Brook.

re Urban Peregrines

Great news on the Peregrine frount.

Jumble Hole & area

2 bullfinch, green woodpecker, gs woodpecker, coal tit carrying nesting material, 3 chiffchaffs, 6 willow warblers, sparrowhawk, peregrine over. Tonight, 2 woodcock roding, tawny owl calling, pipistrelle bat.

25 swallows feeding over Callis sewage works yesterday, 12 or so today.

Urban Peregrines

A group of us from work went out yesterday lunchtime to look for the peregrines. Managed to spot both of them soaring high overhead but apart. The male started chasing a pigeon, which did a good job of dodging it. After about 30 secs the female arrived and joined in . Eventually they managed to grab it between them and started parachuting slowly down with both of them holding on. They must have got mixed up over who was supposed to take it because it managed to break free. The both went after it again and after 2 near misses the pigeon took a chance and dropped down towards the trees. The male stooped after it but it managed to make it into the trees half a second ahead and the peregrines gave up. The male then had a go at a crow/rook that was passing before drifting out of sight.

I was walking home over the hill tonight when I saw the male high up soaring. I lost it when it went into the sun and was still trying to pick it up again when it appeared over the tree just below me, flew overhead about 20 metres up with it's wings completely folded in and dissappeared into the next valley. About a minute later it came flying slowly back giving the best views I've had of one before.

Top entertainment!

Posting Test

Nice one Matt, we seem to be cooking with gas. BS

Testing new blog

Wheatear at Fly Flatts. BS

New Calderdale Forum

Morning all
I have set up a new blog called Calderdale Invertebrates Forum. I want to try and help and encourage all those who record invertebrates in Calderdale. My own particular passion are the micro-lepidoptera, but I do study other orders of invertebrates. I know may of the bird group now also record lepidoptera, so I hope I may be forgiven for using this forum for a non bird posting. The new blog is at http://calderdaleinvertebrateforum.blogspot.com/ Anyone wishing to become a contributor can contact me at paulinvc63@blueyonder.co.uk and I will happily add you as a contributor. Lepidoptera are now more recorded in Calderdale than they have ever been, but sadly many other orders of insects are not. Adding your records to the new blog will enable us to build up a picture of the current state Calderdale's invertebrate population. It will also enable those who record insects to add records in their own particular field of interest for viewing by others. Thanks for your indulgence in allowing a non bird post

JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON LOCAL PHOTO'S

ALL PHOTOS TAKEN ON THE 14TH OF THIS MONTH.

Test!

Just a test with a robin!

17th April

How is this possible ? can I finally have stumbled onto the new blog. There's been more twists and turns than there are in the Caverns of Nargothrond.
Roils Head - Mount Tabor 4 Linnets, 1 female carrying nest material, 2 Stock Doves, 1 male Sparrowhawk, several Skylarks singing and a Kestrel. Goldfinch singing at Moor End Road.

The hide tonight

I can post as well!! 70 GP in stunning summer plumage flew in to the North Field late tonight. Very nervous and flighty. Joined one bird which was already there all on its own. 2 LRP and a Curlew.

Whiteholme ?

Just been for a quick walk on the tops near Whiteholm Res. Parked off road near the gate on Turvin road and followed the culvert round to the Whiteholm Res. Absolutely freezing in a chily wind, only birds seen apart from Pipits were a pair of Pied Wagtails and a pair of Redshank. What name do the the birders give to this section of the moor, Whiteholm ? Shame about the extensive fire damage as many over wintered insects will have been wiped out and thus less food will be about for nestlings later in the season.

Testing

I have sussed it i think,you have to go to the dashboard to post.Male and female Peregring Falcon Displaying at Northowram today.Yippee

Picture trial

Just checking I can post pictures also.

Test

Just testing to see if I can post.

Blog upgrade

Well, after all the waiting, Blogger have decided to upgrade our blog after all. It remains to be seen what effect this will have. I had to follow the instructions re: password etc, but it was very straightforward - just follow the on-screen instructions.
If anyone tries this and still meets problems, post a comment (if you can!) or email me on the above address.
Matt

16th April blog problems

 
Sorry I know I said I wouldn't put many moth pictures on, but I can not now blog unless I put a picture on and this is all I have of late.
All I get now when I click blog this is a page saying HTTP STATUS 500
APACHE TOMCAT/4.1.24-E, whatever that means.Any way a quick walk this evening over Roils Head Mount Tabor brought 3 Redpoll, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 first summer male Wheatear, 2 Swallows, a kestrel caught a rodent, 1 LBBG, several Greenfinch and 2 Goldfinch. Oh by the way the moth is a Brindled Pug I think ? 

All quiet on the Westerly front

Nothing stays the same, Soil Hill was all change this afternoon. No Ring Ouzel seen. 2 Wheatears, usual Mipits, Skylarks, Linnet, Lapwing, Curlew, Reed Bunting, Swallow, 2 LBBG. Am I allowed to say this? WE NEED SOME RAIN!

Hardcastle Crags

BOG reported a pied flycatcher at Bolton Abbey today, so when I had a spare hour I dashed up to the Crags, but no luck as yet. Only got about half way anyway. Nuthatch, treecreeper, pheasant, swallow, plus usual stuff.

Shibden Park - Sunday am

Usual species plus 1 canada goose, 2 moorhen, 1 coot on the lake. 1 nuthatch and one GS woodpecker by the hall. 2 singing chiffchaff.

Also the first house martin has arrived at the nesting sites at Godley Gardens.

Ian Scott

Fly Flatts

Hobby reported yesterday 9:15am (Bradford Birders website)

Garganey

A pair of Garganey have been reported by East Lancs flying West over Widdop this a.m. No further sign in our area or in East Lancs. This is the first Calderdale record since 1993.

Soil Hill

15/04/2007 1730
1m Ring Ouzel by mast
2 Wheatear by mast
4 Linnet
+ usual sp.
No Waders. BS 

Bonus day at Fly Flatts

15/04/2007 0800-1000hrs slight >W. Hot sunshine
Just like being at Fairburn, the busiest day for a long time
with Canadas,Greylags, Curlew, Lapwings and Goldies
displaying.
2 Grey Partridge
7 Wheatear
1m Reed Bunt
1 Shelduck,kept flying but always returned to water
2 Redshank
11 Twite, 4 Linnet on seed
1pr Stonechat
4 Goldies
+ usual sp. BS 

Wheatears

Morning all
First two Wheatears of the year this morning on Norland Moor. There now seems to be a possible two pairs of Reed Bunting breeding on the moor.

Yesterday

Pair of Ring Ouzel at Gorple, photo's to follow. Having not seen them in this historic nesting location last year it's great to see them back. Maybe the Maltese had the sun in their eyes as they came through this year.

Withens Clough instant success with the twite feeding station with 2 birds in the area yesterday, one of which was colour ringed dominate colour was pink (suggesting Lighthazzles bird) but didn't get combination before they flew off.

Not much else up Withens, although GD who I shared a wlk round with had a Willow Warbler near the car park.

Stonechat present at Withens.

Ogden - Sat 14th

3 chiffchaff and 4 willow warbler. Pair of goldcrest with one, presumably the male, displaying his crown to the other. Male sparrowhawk. Pair of goldfinch. 3 pairs of coal tits gathering nesting material. 1 treecreeper. Pair of goldeneye on the reservoir. Grey heron. 3 canada geese and 1 barnacle. Large numbers of blue, great and long tailed tits. 4 mistle thrushes and 5 song thrushes.

From the stone circle - 4 curlew and 2 skylark.

Wood pigeons, blackbirds, robins, wrens and chaffinch all in reasonable numbers

Reported by Ian Scott

WhitbyBirding returns

...... from a very damp Mallorca. Photos posted in next few days. Sorry I can't get to the do on Thursday. Very pleased that my posting rights have been restored, clearly a glitch has been fixed. Must order a bird report - how much are they again?

Kestral

Cycling past an old mill on the canal towpath just above Elland we spotted that Kestrals appear to be nesting their again this year. The mill is just past Lockwoods Carpets above Elland Basin. Kestrals have nested there in the past I belive ?

Roils Head

1 Wheatear, 2 Willow Warblers, 4 Redpoll, including 1 taking a bath in an old mop bucket with a Chaffinch.

Ring Ouzel

3 male Ring Ouzel at Soil Hill

Whiteholme

Ringed plover (from Wildlife of Rochdale web site). Also 4 shelduck yesterday.

Fly Flats

Visit this afternoon produced 2 Wheatears, a pair of Stonechats and 17 Twite at the feeding station. Also a pair of Redshank along with Golden Plover and Curlew around the moor.

Gorple - 4 - 5:30pm

4 greylag geese (Lower), 40+ pairs of canada geese (30 Lower, 10 Upper) 2 pairs tufted duck (1 pr Lower, 1 pair Upper) 12 mallard, 15 pairs of black headed gull (Lower) 3 red grouse, 1 kestrel, 2 ring ouzel (1m, 1f) 3 skylark, 12+ mipits, 4 pied wagtail, 2 goldcrest, mistle thrush, pheasant, collard dove, 4 lapwing, 4 oystercatcher, 12 curlew.

Sunny Vale - 13 April

Reported by Chrs Sutcliffe
6.30 - 7.30am
From Badger Lane to end of lake and return)

Great Spotted Woodpecker (at least three drumming)
Green Woodpecker (heard further down the valley)
Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wren, Robin, Song Thrush, Coal Tit, Collard Dove, Wood Pigeon, Blackbird, Jay, carrion crow, Jackdaw, Chiffchaff (at least 2)
Canada Goose (could only see one but there were a pair last Saturday), Moorhen (pair), Coot (pair), Mallard (4 males, 1 female), Goldcrest (pair in the garden)dunnnock, magpie

Lots of Celandine
Bluebells just about to burst into flower
1st Ramson flower

More boxes arrive

 
Thanks to Mike Sharp and friend for supplying eight new boxes designed for Redstarts. We now have 14 Redstart boxes which we hope to put up in the next few weeks in the upper Luddenden Valley. Redstarts have been known to breed here in the past but numbers have been gradually falling, it is hoped with careful placement of boxes with a 32 - 35 mm hole we can encourage them to nest. Any other boxes would be most welcome.

3 Redpoll at Roils Head this pm, 1 in song flight. 

12th April

 
 
Only 1 swallow of note today over Moor End Road. Caught my first two moths of the season an Early Grey and a Hebrew Character. I know its a bird site but there are an increasing number of birders taking up mothing and I thought I would share my first moths of the year, promise not to do it too often.
The years first Common Sandpiper has been recorded at Ringstone Edge today.