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