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.