Recent news ......

Cold Edge 24th March

Tried over the last couple of weeks to find an early Wheatear. Jen managed to find our first, in a field just opposite the top dam, a nice male showing well. Nice to see a good mix in the same fields including Graylag and Canada Geese, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Curlew, Moorhen, Starling, Pied Wagtail and Meadow Pipits.

29 species for the afternoon.

I had chance to head up to Lower Gorple on 25th March. Don't often manage to get up there but it was, as usual, well worthwhile. Just about the first bird I saw was a Chiffchaff - feeding continuously in the small conifer plantation near Blake Dean on the track up to Gorple. Highlight thereafter was 5 Crossbills, including 2 red males around the edge of the plantation by the cottages, always a special bird in Calderdale. 

Plenty waders in the area including Curlew, Lapwing, Redshank and in excess of 70 Oystercatchers. Also 2 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Tufted Duck, Canada and Greylag Geese and a few Mallard,

On return I was surprised to find around a dozen House Sparrows near the cottages along with Siskin, Chaffinch's and Stock Doves and a singing Mistle Thrush.

1 Skylark as I returned down the track and a single Red Grouse calling.

All in all 36 species was a decent total.

Ringstone Edge

Oystercatchers and Crow

Also, 50 Fieldfares

Undisclosed location

Twite

Also, a female Wheatear

Beacon Hill

2 singing Song Thrushes

Various....

10 Whooper Swans on Mixenden res'r this morning thanks to a message from BS. They were still there mid afternoon but suspect they will have gone in the morning.

I checked Swales Moor this morning, looking for those early Wheatears, no joy there but managed a vociferous Green Woodpecker in the Shibden Valley. In fields at the top at least 4 pairs of Skylarks and a good deal of song. Several Meadow Pipits displaying by showing off their parachute descents. Not a lot else other than a single male  Kestrel and as usual, a good number of corvids. 

Ringstone Edge

Little Egret

Ringstone Edge

14 of 19 Common Gulls (5 - 2cy)

Oystercatcher 2

Ogden......

This morning (Tuesday).

Large flock of Whooper Swans seen there first thing (MM) - someone will get an accurate count in due course. Hopefully they will stay there all day if we're lucky - they sometimes do !!

c150 Whoopers still there till at east 15.30

Also 2 Redshank were there briefly yesterday afternoon but not a lot else.

Ringstone Edge

3 of 24 Fieldfares

Great Crested Grebe 2

Whiteholme

Reed Bunting male

Beacon Hill

Stock Dove

Male and female Hazel flowers

Female Hazel flower

Around and about....

News usually travels fast when Whooper Swans turn up on local reservoirs. Thanks to a BS contact a number were reported on Sunday at Ogden. News came in this morning with a large group still there with a count of 45 from CS. The flock was still present this afternoon.

This afternoon we took a check at Cromwell Bottom. Nice to see that the 4 Scaup, drake and 3 females, are still there. Also a drake Goldeneye, Also nearby were at least 4 Teal on the lagoon and Little Grebes nearby and a Dipper on the river. 1 Chiffchaff was calling - lots of reports of singing 'chiffy's' especially from Calder Valley areas on those last few nice warm settled days.

Cold Edge

Oystercatcher pair

Tufted Duck pair

Various ......

12 Whooper Swans on Mixenden Res'r yesterday (Wednesday). JJL spotted them at distance from Soil Hill and BS called to check in the afternoon and they were still there. Clear conditions last night and they had gone this morning.

A call from BS this morning with 5 Whooper Swans on Fly Flats Res'r. I went up there later in the morning, scoped from the top road. They were still there, very settled, towards the north end busy bathing and preening. All looked like adults from the distance.

At around 10:40 a noisy skein of c120 Pink-footed Geese came over very high >NW. Count thanks to BS photos !

Also present, a very elusive Ringed Plover, 4 Oystercatchers, several Curlew and Lapwings, 14 Meadow Pipits, 1 Skylark, 1 Kestrel some distance away, same for 2 Buzzards. Plenty Canada Geese !

Nothing doing at Withens Head or Cold Edge Road as I was on the watch for more Skylarks in their recent favoured fields.

Claremount, Pepper Hill this afternoon was pretty quiet. 1 female Stonechat (seem to be plenty about at the moment) and 4 Skylarks in the usual top fields. 2 distant Buzzards

Soil Hill and Ogden

Soil Hill was pretty perishing on the top this morning. 4 Skylarks did not seem at all phased by the chill wind but staying low on the edge of the long grass most of the time though one did get up to sing, briefly.

A pair of Teal and a Moorhen on the NK pond and a Curlew singing briefly.

Ogden - up to the edge of Thornton Moor rather than the res'r circuit - not a lot doing up there but enjoyable in the very fresh air. 

1 Red Grouse, 1 Raven, 5 Curlew >NE and 4 Stonechats running the fence line.

I also managed a Greenfinch on Syke Lane - a first for this year.

Baitings

Female Kestrel

Hebden Bridge

Goosander pair

Fly Flats......and around and about.

Managed a trip up to Fly Flats late morning after a message from BS about a Shelduck on site. The glare of the sun on the water was distracting and it took me a good while to locate it from the top road. It would have been impossible without the scope. Looked quite settled out on the middle of the water. (thanks Bri).

On leaving I called to check Withens Head - still 4  Skylark - they are a bit special !

An afternoon between Luddenden Foot and Brearley didn't produce anything too unexpected. 

2 Buzzards, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Barnacle Goose with the Canada Geese with around 150 along the stretch of the canal and adjoining fields.

4 Grey Heron nests occupied but no sign of any activity in the two rook colonies.

2 Grey wagtails and a couple of Song Thrush singing.

Walshaw Dean etc

Checked Cromwell Bottom first thing to see if Mikes 3 Egyptian Geese were still about from yesterday - but no show, so probably moved on. The 4 Scaup are still there along with 1 Tufted Duck and 7 Goldeneye including 4 female types.

We headed up to Walshaw Dean, with a few 'sarnies' and stayed most of the afternoon including a walk up to the lower end of the middle res'r. Our main target bird was the Crossbills that keep appearing in the plantation given the amount of spruce cones. Failed miserably to locate any Crossbills, as did others there, some of whom spent nearly all day waiting for the chance of some photos. Several sightings there of a mix of  a few Redpolls, Siskins, Coal Tits, Goldcrests and Great-spotted Woodpecker as well as a singing Song Thrush.

Plenty of activity in the dean with one flock of 60+ Curlew, around 140+ Lapwings and 200+ Starlings all making the most of feeding in the sheep pasture. Two Ravens went over high, briefly mobbing  a lone Buzzard. Only 1 Kestrel seen. A distinct lack of thrushes other than 2 Song and a Mistle Thrush and 2 Stonechats running the fence lines. 

27 species altogether and enjoyed in the continuous sunshine.

Egyptian Geese

 Mike Sharpe found 3 Egyptian Geese  yesterday at Cromwell Bottom Ski Lake , 4 Scaup still present .

Around and about !

Mixenden res'r - nothing doing at all there other than a few Common and Black-headed Gulls and 3 Herring Gulls.

Elsewhere - c200 Starlings, 1 Red Grouse and 2 Skylarks in the field at Withens Head and 4 Skylarks off Cold Edge Road.

17 species at Ogden this afternoon but certainly a lack of small birds ! 56 Pink-footed Geese went very high >W at 3pm.

Also c140 Pink-footed Geese went >W over Skircoat late morning (WG)

A surprise report this afternoon from MS at Cromwell Bottom - 3 Egyptian Geese there and photographed. The 4 Scaup are still there on the ski-lake - wonder if they will move off soon ??

Withens Clough - 25th February

An interesting afternoon despite the stiff breeze there was plenty to keep our interest with 16 species.

On the water - 1 drake Goldeneye, 9 Mallard and a pair each of Goosander and Canada Geese. 

4 Curlew flew straight through >E above the water, a very welcome sight.

Elsewhere around the site 5 Reed Buntings and Chaffinch's around the lodge feeders with 11 Stock Doves nearby, 2 Pied Wagtails and 2 Mistle Thrush

The banking below the res'r had 4 Stonechats feeding together along the fence line. Two more Stonechats  were down in the clough below the car park.

Mixenden res'r and 'the moor'.

In comparison with a count of over 200 gulls on Mixenden res'r on Saturday it was a a bit different today. Gulls only just into double figures. Nothing much else around the site other than an Oystercatcher with  a few of the Black-headed Gulls. In the woodland a Great-spotted Woodpecker 'drumming' and Mistle and Song Thrush's singing.

Fly Flats was a brief visit only, picking out a good number of Canada Geese already paired up, 4 Oystercatchers, 15 Lapwings and an adult L B B Gull >NW. Sad to see a pair of Carrion Crows feeding on the carcass of a roadkill, Brown Hare.

Withens Head was quite productive given the strong gusty westerly. 2 Stonechats working the wall tops, 20+ Fieldfare feeding in among the field juncus made it difficult for an accurate count, but up to 200 Starlings were a bit more visible but always keeeping together, on the move on the ground and in the air !!

Just about to leave and noticed some movement amongst the sheep - 6 Skylarks - well chuffed with that. 

Further down towards Wainstall 4 more Skylarks made the morning outing very worthwhile.

Whiteholme

18 of 20 Greylags flying SW

Whiteholme

Female Curlew

Lee Mount and Hunter Hill

Not much to report but 3 Common Buzzards over Lee Mount across mid-day were a welcome sight - and sound from one bird constantly calling.

Long-tailed Tits are daily visitors to the 'fat' feeder. Up to 11 at times. They come and feed then move off and return soon for more, that goes on most of the day. Also Blue, Great and Coal Tits as well as a Nuthatch are also welcome visitors.

Tawny Owl singing in Shroggs Park in an evening and most mornings a Song Thrush singing first thing.

Stodfold and Hunter Hill were quite devoid of birds this afternoon though a single distant Common Buzzard was a welcome sight and a Green Woodpecker 'yaffling'. There seem to be plenty Jackdaws wherever you go !

Whiteholme

4 Mallards

Mixenden and Soil Hill

Paid a visit again to Mixenden res'r this morning. It has been a struggle to find anything there recently though during the morning and early afternoon in the winter months, lots of gulls come in to bathe and preen. There are lots of comings and goings and it's always worth a check. 

This morning was no exception with over 200 gulls on the water, mainly Black-headed along with Common Gulls, 6 Herring Gulls and a Lesser Black-backed Gull. I kept scanning through them and came across a 'different' one. The water was quite choppy at times and with some difficultly wondered if the individual could be a Mediterranean Gull as the bird was around the same size as the B H Gulls around it but showing no black at all on the wing tips, a smudgy dark patch around the eye and a red bill. Watched it for a good while but kept losing it in among the others. Eventually, it flew up. Adult Mediterranean Gull in winter plumage and showing completely white flight feathers and pale grey mantle. It landed with other gulls on the embankment and after a while lost track of it. It was always distant so didn't manage any decent photos. I came away well pleased though.

It seems it didn't stay around as BS gave it a try later in the day and it appears to have moved on.

Also around the site - 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Greylag Geese >SW and 2 Mistle Thrush landed in the plantation.

Short visit onto the summit of Soil Hill. Almost devoid of birds but 2 Skylarks were singing on the top despite the cool, windy conditions.

Cromwell Bottom

 Late morning..

Ski-lake - 4 Scaup still present associating with 8 Tufted Ducks and 5 Goldeneye nearby (3 drakes) and a pair of Goosander. 2 Little Grebes were foraging together just at the waters edge near the Scaup.

A pair of Teal were partially hidden among some of the reeds on the lagoon.

Very few small birds about other than 4 Bullfinch and a few 'tits' around the bird feeders

Song Thrush singing along the river-bank.

Recent news !

Not a lot to report but interesting to see that the 4 Scaup at Cromwell Bottom ski-lake are still there today. This is certainly not a common bird in Calderdale. When they do occur it's usually single individuals so to have this number of 'stayers' is quite unprecedented ! 

Maybe not long before they move on towards their breeding areas in Iceland, Scandinavia and northern Russia.

3 Whooper Swans were also on the lake on Tuesday along with 5 Goldeneye. (AC JJL). Oystercatchers , Curlew and Ringed Plovers have been seen returning to upland reservoirs and a cracking female Merlin on the tops as well..(PD , MH , BS)

I had a look at Cold Edge this morning. Plenty of birds around the site included 2 drake Goldeneye on the top dam were nice to see. Also there 2 Lapwings. 155 Canada Geese and 12 Greylags, c140 Starlings, 6 Herring Gulls and c150 mixed Black-headed and Common Gulls as well as 60+ Jackdaws.

Shibden Park

 Long-staying Muscovy Duck

Soil Hill

  A delightful frosty morning on Soil Hill today, with clear skies and still conditions. A few interesting birds on offer as well.

  The highlight was not one but two Red Kites which both went southwest. The first passed high over Ogden at 08:30, circling high over the old Withens pub and continuing down the valley. The second came southwest over Keelham at 09:30, keeping very low and seemingly dropping into the fields at one point, although out of sight. It eventually continued straight southwest low and directly over the Hill. I have never had more than a single Red Kite on a given day at this site.

  Additionally flushed a Jack Snipe and had a distant skein of 109 Pink-footed Geese, which flew northwest over Ilkley Moor, far to the north of the Calderdale area.

-Red Kite 08:30

-Red Kite 09:30

-Jack Snipe

In total managed 34 species today, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S212155093

Cromwell Bottom

 Visited Cromwell Bottom yesterday to check out the wintering Scaups, now up to three individuals. They were always on the far side of the Ski Lake from the canal towpath but through the fence was able to get some nice views as they moved around with the small group of Tufted Ducks. Also a few Goldeneye on the lake as well. 

The male Scaup is looking quite dapper now!

-Scaup

Around and about....

Checked on a few spots today starting at Mixenden Res'r - always in the hope that something will turn up there. It does seem to have gone off a bit from some recent years. Still no sign of wintering Goldeneye.

1 Lapwing was a little surprising as it dropped in with the preening gull flock together with 3 Cormorants and 2 Mallard..

Gulls were disturbed several times usually landing back on the water before returning to the embankment.

60+ Black-headed Gulls, 25+ Common Gulls, 13 Herring Gulls included 6 adults, 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls included 5 adults.

Fly Flats - 1 Oystercatcher on the small spit at the bottom of the fence line was a welcome returner but the weather up there might move it on. That was the only bird other than 10 Carrion Crows loafing along the top road.

Ogden - p m in the drizzle. Not a lot better for birds than Fly Flats though a Kingfisher was darting about at the north end. Just a few gulls on the water, mostly Black-headed with a few Commons and 5 Herring Gulls.

Very few passerines other than on the feeders and a pair of Bullfinch in trees near the car park

Also interesting news from the ski-lake at Cromwell Bottom with 3 Scaup, 1 drake and 2 female types, photographed on Sunday (JJL) and again this morning from DJB.

Mixenden res'r etc....

The recent adult Great Black-backed Gull was there again on 21st and 22nd though I failed to relocate it after 11:20 yesterday when all the gulls were put up off the embankment and the water with many moving off. Just a single Cormorant on the water but still no sign there of any Goldeneye this winter. It was formerly a regular wintering spot for them !

Little else in the very wet woodland other than 3 Goldcrests feeding close together in the pine trees.

Brief check at Cromwell Bottom ski-lake this morning. The 2 Scaup are still there, looking good, as are 12 Tufted Duck and 7 Goldeneye  (including 4 drakes).

A small flock of Siskin were also reported c150 yds down from Cromwell Lock (GS).

Song Thrush singing at Midgehole, near Hardcastle Crags (NG) and another at Cromwell Bottom this morning.

Cromwell Bottom - ski-lake

 A day for ducks......

The Tufted Duck flock seems to be increasing daily with a maximum count today of 27.

Also, and enjoyed by a good few observers, were at least 10 Goldeneye (5 drakes), 3 Shoveler (1 drake), 2 Scaup, several Goosander and a drake Pochard which has certainly been a scarce bird in Calderdale in recent years. Also today from JB - a Little Grebe.

Certainly a site worth checking on a regular basis at this time of year.

Mixenden Reservoir (and recent updates)

Site visit 16th January.

Bonus bird was an adult Great black-backed Gull, most of the time just resting on the water, looking a real 'bruisers' of a bird compared with 3 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls and up to 20 Herring Gulls nearby. Also on the embankment 20+ Common Gulls and 40+ Black-headed Gulls. The  gulls here like to drop in, bathe and preen then move off, with others arriving almost continuously at times during the winter period.

Nothing else on the water other than 1 drake Mallard.

Over the years this site has produced some outstanding sightings so it's always worth a check even though it is often disappointing !

The woodland was so wet - a welly job so didn't venture far in.

Elsewhere 6 Brambling were located in Luddenden (MH) and throughout the day a big move of Pink-footed Geese reported passing over the Calder Valley probably in excess of 800 birds.

4 Whooper Swans passed over Northowram (AC) heading south late afternoon and 11 Whooper Swans at Lower Gorple on the 15th .Upto 8 Crossbills , 30 Sisking and a few Redpoll are showing well in Walshaw Dean Plantation (MH , AC)

The 2 Scaup at Cromwell Bottom ski-lake seem to be well settled having been reported there since 5th November 2024 - presumably the same birds ?.

Also on the ski-lake a small flock each of Tufted Ducks and with Goldeneye drakes now starting to display..

  Pink-footed Geese have been seen in good numbers so far this year with aprox 2 to 3 thousand birds heading west ...

Cromwell Bottom and Castle Carr Road

 Finally got a bit of light birding yesterday 15th Jan.

Cromwell Bottom ski-lake

2 Scaup still present and sticking together. Looks like they are paired up now with the drake looking particularly good. I suspect these are the long stayers from the end of 2024 when they both were in immature plumage.

Still limited viewing of the lake but also present as far as I could see were 18 Tufted Duck, 9 Goldeneye (inc 5 drakes), 14 Cormorant, 4 L B B Gulls (inlcuding 1 intermedius), 3 Herring Gulls, 7 Coot, 3 Moorhen and 2 Grey Heron along with just a few B H Gulls and 2 Common Gulls.

An afternoon  saunter along a short stretch of Castle Carr Road produced a nice surprise with 2 Golden Plover on the edge of the moor that called and sped of towards Cold Edge. Also 6 Red Grouse becoming vocal and 3 Fieldfares

Shroggs Park - Mistle Thrush in full song yesterday afternoon

River Ryburn and Mid Jannuary

 A walk along the river Ryburn today produced 19 Mandarin Duck by far my biggest count in Calderdale in fact anywhere , the 12 males  were in perfect plumage and 7 female types . Dipper , Moorhen and Mallards made for a great walk, Cromwell was very busy with 23 Tufted Duck , 2 Pochard , 2 Scaup , 8 Goldeneye , 5 Teal .500 Black headed gulls( the odd one or two with full black hoods)  , 100 Common Gulls , 3 LBBGulls (1 intermedius) and 6 Herring Gulls...

Shibden Park

Ring-necked Parakeet 1

Lots of overnight snow !

Not much to report today though  the feeder was  busy with Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed Tits.

Most interesting was a superb looking Grey Wagtail in the crescent feeding off the snow and searching the walls and fences. Not much like their usual stream-side habitat but it must have been finding food as it was there most of the morning.

Cold Edge

3 of 50 Fieldfares

Also, 66 Greylag geese!