Monday, September 02, 2019

Ogden, Fly Flatts and Withens Head

Ogden - Golf course check at the lower end this afternoon

6 Stonechats (a family group of 2 adults and 4 juveniles) in Carrs Beck

No sign of the recent Whinchats but a nice surprise was an adult female Redstart in the long hedge/fence line. I tried hard to get a photo but it eluded me always keeping 40 meters or so in front of me. Got to the top and it headed back down to the lower end where I first located it. I gave it up and left it in peace to feed up for it's forthcoming migration back across the Sahara. How do they do it ???
1 Little Owl at Stodfold and lots of Swallows and a few House Martins around in the valley as well as Linnets and Goldfinches

Fly Flatts
I must have missed BS at his post but the contractors seem to be busy there preparing for the work on the reservoir. I've never seen it so low, though there are some small islands which might tempt some more waders in.
8 Tufted Duck and 12 Mallard was the best I could do there along with 2 Kestrels. Then the drizzle started.

Withens Head - opposite the wind-farm car park
Light drizzle, but I stopped for my usual scan there, generally looking for Wheatears on the stone walls. There were four of them and something else with them showing a bright red tail - scope on the spot - Black Redstart - always a special bird for us in Calderdale. It was flitting about so in the drizzle it was not easy to be sure if it was a juvenile or not though I did suspect a male bird. Nearly always found on stone walls or buildings on the uplands. Hope it stays around to get a better look at it.
This is the third sighting in that area this late summer/autumn.


2 comments:

Brian Sumner . said...

Child minding duties this p.m. Dave and fogged off mid morning. Wonder if that is the same Black Redstart thats been staying around the area ?

David Sutcliffe said...

I wonder..... The first one was a juv but I need a better look at this one. Today's looked very black on the back and upper breast. Might try again tomorrow(?)
That compound looked pretty full this afternoon ! Hope there's still room for you.