Saturday, May 07, 2016

Lost Rookery

Hi again,

Something I noticed a week ago but forgot to post: the rookery around Mytholm turning circle seems to have virtually disappeared. Possibly this is old news - I don't visit the Fox & Goose as often as I used to! I could only see one nest in the trees nearest the brook, and I don't know if that was occupied. Perhaps there are a few others I missed? A few years ago there were twenty nests in the area. If anyone can confirm, this would be a sad loss, although maybe some of the local human residents might not see it the same way.

6 comments:

David Sutcliffe said...

Hi Phil. We have no records in the database of a Rookery at that site unfortunately. We might have missed it in our recent surveys (?) Similarly nearby there was a small colony near Dauber Bridge though this now appears deserted !
Occasionally they stop nesting at some sites for unknown reasons though I suspect they start a new colony in the area or add to an existing one. Active nests fluctuate at colonies from year to year from the records we have over recent annual surveys though the last 3 years overall we have consistently had around 600 nests in Calderdale.
Hope this is helpful

Phil Wood said...

Hi Dave,
I think it would have been around 2001-2004 when I was sending in records on a regular basis, I haven't checked the Reports but I thought Mytholm was listed then.

David Sutcliffe said...

Sorry Phil - my mistake - I was at Mytholmroyd not Mytholm!!! must be my age - apologies. Yes there was a decent colony there and up the opposite hillside at Savile.
Savile Road/Glen View - 5 in 2016 after 22 in 2014
Turning Circle - 3 this year and 15 in 2009
Hebden Bridge Park at New Road - 17 in each of the last 3 years

Hope that solves the query !!!

Matt Bell said...

Dave - this is the site just before Stubbing Wharf in Hebden. I'm sure I've done a count there before for you?

David Sutcliffe said...

You have Matt thanks it's all in the database. I think going back several years they were in the area around the nearby church with several nests in the big Horse Chestnut.

Phil Wood said...

Thanks for that, Dave.
Incidentally, I had cause to walk past Stoney Royd Lane this morning (about 1km N of Todmorden on Burnley Rd), which also used to have a reasonable number of nests. There appeared to be three or four clustered in one tree and one in another, so again a reduction in numbers.
On a more positive note, House Martins have appeared in Todmorden in decent numbers, with several surviving nests on Nutfield Street being investigated this morning.