North of England Raptor Forum

 **NERF Raptor Conference 15 November 25, £20 delegate fee for under 25s*

The status of the Red Kite in NE England John Barrett

A life with raptors Brian Etheridge

The North Pennines National Landscape Chris Woodley-Stewart

Raptors and the work of the Rare Breeding Birds Panel Mark Eaton

The life of Short-eared Owls John Calladine

Nomad; the world of the Pallid Harrier Mike Henry

The Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme Connor Tomlinson

The full programme and booking arrangements for delegates will be available via the NERF website (*www.raptorforum.co.uk)*

Cromwell Bottom

1cy Goosander, (white line below eye and through lores to bill)

Also, 1 Kingfisher

Whiteholme

Midday: Meadow Pipit 15, Wheatear 2, Carrion Crow 2, Goldfinch 2 (1 ad, 1 juv)

Soil Hill

   A pleasant morning on Soil Hill with very little activity overall but a few standouts. The highlight of these, for me at least, were two Ring-necked Parakeets that flew south early morning. These were a patch tick for me, my 132nd species for Soil Hill. 

  Perhaps of more rarity interest was a Great Egret circling over Ogden at 09:10, before heading northwards, my second record here. There was not the movement of Pink-footed Geese that there has been on previous mornings, probably due to the fog across the tops, but a large skein of 241 birds did fly over Halifax at 09:20.

-Ring-necked Parakeet

-Great Egret

-Pink-footed Geese

In total managed 46 species today, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S275511164

Trektellen count here; https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/767/20250926

Ringstone Edge

Teal 10

Arctic Skua

 

Seen today on the path to Whiteholme Reservoir at 17.10 ....Amazing

Soil Hill & Ringstone Edge Reservoir

  A steady morning on Soil Hill with little moving until 08:50 when all of a sudden the skies above Halifax were filled with Pink-footed Geese. In the following 20 minutes I saw five large skeins all heading southeast and picked up by various observers across the area. But after 09:10 I only had one more flock, a small group of 15, which brought the morning total up to 931 individual birds as counted from the, albeit distant, photos I took of the flocks. No skeins noted in the Aire Valley today, all the birds I saw were heading down the Calder Valley.

  

  After this I went to Ringstone to look at the excellent assortment of wildfowl there, found by AC. For me the highlights were the three drake Pochard, my first in Calderdale since 2008, but the 13 Wigeon, 12 Teal and a Shoveler made for quite a spectacle, at least locally. Nice to see AC, AT and PD up there as well. 

-Pink-footed Geese

-Pochard

In total managed 42 species today, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S275198635

Trektellen count here; https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/767/20250924

Cold Edge

(Autumn) female Stonechat with weak supercilium and pale throat

A quiet day.....!

Started off the day with 58 Pink-footed Geese over  Lee Mount as I was checking the moth trap. Not very clear photos, they were so high up heading east, but good enough for a count.

I tried the top road watch-points at Fly Flats this afternoon but it was hard work in the brightness reflecting off the water which has massively increased after Saturdays rainfall.

2 Kestrels, 2 Wheatear, 4+ Stonechats, c60 Goldfinch on the thistles and 14 Lapwings on the shoreline with LBBG's and Black-headed Gulls to and fro - and that was about it !

Pepper Hill, Claremount

An hour or so on the hill top there this afternoon.

Many of the fields had been freshly cut and long grass left in rows though I suspect after the very wet day on Sunday that the farmer had not had the right conditions to bale it up. The Meadow Pipits (100+), Skylark and  corvids were making the most of the abundance of food in among the rows in the warm sunshine.

3 Stonechats nearby, 40+ Goldfinch, and 30+Linnets were also making the most from the fence lines.

1 Sparrowhawk buzzed through as well as just the one Swallow and a Buzzard was calling from Shibden Valley.

Also along the nearby lanes 3 Small Copper butterflies and a Red Admiral.

Soil Hill

   Despite the cold conditions and northwesterly winds, it was a very enjoyable morning on Soil Hill. Not too many birds moving, with the exception of Pink-footed Geese. In total, I counted 1016 going southeast in 19 skeins between 07:30 and 09:30. Most of the birds were passing down the Aire Valley rather than the Calder Valley, but a few still entered Calderdale airspace. 

  A single Red Kite heading southwest was the best of the rest, with a light scattering of 33 Swallows and 6 House Martins heading south. Along Taylor Lane I picked out a late Whinchat on the dry-stone walls.

-Pink-footed Geese

-Red Kite

-Whinchat

In total managed 52 species today, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S274611304

Trektellen count here; https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/767/20250921

Soil Hill

  After yesterday's brilliant morning with 1022 Meadow Pipits, 249 Swallows and 78 House Martins going south, today was something of a crash back to earth. Minimal movement this morning, presumably as a result of the thick low cloud base, since otherwise wind conditions seemed similar to yesterday. 

  

  A few birds around this morning, notably the first Song Thrushes of the autumn, with two south and a third in the North Slope Tree-Line. The Grey Partridges remain off Perseverance Road, and two Ravens flew over. A scattering of finches, hirundines and pipits flew south during the morning, but no notable counts. 

  The morning was salvaged by a surprise Grasshopper Warbler at the bottom of the North Slope. It flushed from an area of thick grass, but being such a late record, I followed the bird, hoping to get some photos. Fortunately, with a little encouragement, the bird came out of the bush it had descended into and showed reasonably nicely, tacking loudly the whole time. 

  My previous latest Grasshopper Warbler at this site was on 5th September 2022, so today marks my latest by exactly two weeks. Thanks to feedback from AC and DJS, it seems this is the latest Halifax record, but I'm happy to be corrected on that front. Certainly not what I expected this morning. 

-Grasshopper Warbler

In total managed 43 species today, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S274171232

Trektellen count here; https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/767/20250919

Whiteholme

                                             Record shot of distant Osprey sat on fence post in the middle of the moor

  1 x Osprey sat on the fence post for 10 minutes before  heading off south west

31 x Ringed Plover

2 x Curlew Sandpiper 

1 x Little Stint

3 x Dunlin

1 x Snipe 

2 x  Kestrel

4 x Swallow

1 x Wheatear

2 x Teal 

2 x Raven

60 + Meadow Pipit , small groups heading south throughout morning 

Andy Huyton and Cockroft

Ogden

1cy Continental Cormorant, P c sinensis

Tufted Duck 2

Whiteholme continues..............to 11th Sep

Late news from AC

9 Bar-tailed Godwit and  2 Turnstone -didn't stay long yesterday.

2 Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stint still today (MH)

Whiteholme Reservoir

   Headed up to Whiteholme Reservoir late morning to try to see the juvenile Curlew Sandpiper found earlier by MH. The bird was still present when I arrived, but feeding distantly with a large flock of Ringed Plovers in the northeast corner of the reservoir. Fortunately, the whole group decided to come closer not long after, but it was a shock that when the flock landed, there were not one but two juvenile Curlew Sandpipers standing next to each other!

  Sadly they did not stay long before returning to the far shoreline, with all the waders being quite mobile throughout the morning. It was not until another hour had passed that the birds came close again, this time close enough to allow for some photos to be taken. Curlew Sandpiper was a new species for me in Calderdale.

  In addition to the two Curlew Sandpiper, the juvenile Little Stint remained present but it never came close. A solitary Dunlin was also present, alongside my best count of 18 Ringed Plover. A Wheatear was also running on the exposed shoreline. Great to see AC, PD, LD, MH & SH all present as well. 

-Curlew Sandpiper

-Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin & Ringed Plover

In total managed 15 species today, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S272544834

Whiteholme

Early start for MH this morning was well worth the effort with the Little Stint still present along with a newly arrived juvenile Curlew Sandpiper. Brilliant birding.

Also from yesterday 5 Crossbill flew over (BL)

Canada Goose IAD

This bird with the orange neckband, seen at Ringstone Edge on 6 September, was banded as an adult male on 9/7/22 at Scorton, near Catterick, North Yorks.

I mentioned the Euring website on 6 Sept as the place to track down a colour ringed bird. This was not exact enough. One needs to go to: cr-birding.org - and click 'Find a colour-ring project': then enter the details and click 'Apply'.

Whiteholme res'r

A good day today for MH in finding a Little Stint - a scarce wader for Calderdale - always a good find and in this case persistence payed off !

Shortly afterwards joined by AC they manage an Osprey passing over late morning. 

More waders on the shoreline included 23 Ringed Plover and a Dunlin along with a Shelduck and 13 Teal.

We headed up there in the afternoon in the wake of PD, LD then later with DJB. Stint still showing well near the NE island, always with the Ringed Plover flock and single Dunlin though they were very wary and ended up on the distant shoreline leaving them impossible without the scope. Also present 1 Golden Plover and 2 Snipe with a Wheatear on the rocks and Shelduck and 13 Teal still present.

A good afternoon all round.

Earlier in the day a cream crowned Marsh Harrier was reported moving through Rishworth Moor and shortly after one was over Scammonden (AC) - possibly the same bird on it's travels.

Ringstone Edge

Continental Cormorant, P c sinensis.

'European Birds' by Hume et al (Princeton University Press) explains how the shape of the yellow gular skin usually tells which subspecies a bird belongs to. This skin is pointed on P c carbo, and squarer on most P c sinensis.

This is because of the angle between the gape and the rear edge of the gular skin. For this angle the ranges given are: carbo 30-72 degrees, sinensis 66-111 degrees. (A few birds in and around the overlap zone cannot be assigned to subspecies.)

PS: I've had a response from the BTO about the Canada Goose with a neckband seen two days ago. It is not one of the Norfolk birds. I've now been asked to send my photos to someone at WWT Slimbridge.

Soil Hill

  First day back and first morning on Soil Hill of the autumn produced a very nice patch tick in the form of this Mediterranean Gull, which flew south with the steady stream of Black-headed Gulls, my 131st species for Soil Hill. From the photos, it appears to have small dark edges to the wingtips, so I suspect this bird is a 2cy. The white plumage stood out a mile from the other gulls moving. Sadly I lost it behind the hill, but it did not appear to go down on Ogden.

  Steady trickle of Swallows going south, with 76 counted in several small bursts. At least nine Chiffchaffs in the bushes, and a Lesser Redpoll flew south calling. 

-Mediterranean Gull

 In total managed 43 species today, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S271942912

Trektellen count here; https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/767/20250907

Ringstone Edge

This Canada Goose with black letters IAD on an orange neckband was here today. I've sent details to an email address at the BTO, that I found on the Euring (European colour-ring birding) website. The website says that birds with these colours, and letters, were banded in Norfolk. If I get to hear when the bird was banded, I'll put this on the blog.

Ringstone

No sign of the recent Caspian Gulls at Ringstone this afternoon despite an extensive search, in good light, checking through the mass of gulls on there again, with AC. Mostly Black-headed and Lesser Black-backs with a very small number of Common Gulls in-among.

Also 6 Ringed Plover, 2 Golden Plover on the shore (+ 55 in the field), 6 Teal, 4 Shelduck, 2 Great Crested Grebe and a Cormorant along with several Mallard and Tufted Duck and a mobile number of Lapwings.

Ringstone

 Ringstone has had very few waders this autumn so far but is getting a lot of gulls..There has been an Adult summer , 3 x   2 Cy Caspian Gulls on the shoreline. Mid -afternoon seems to be the best time , 2 Little Egrets dropped in for about 10 minutes yesterday. 1 Swift on the 1st .

Lee Mount etc - 2nd September

Started off well this morning with a decent flock of  25+ House Martins over the trees in Shroggs Park. Time to watch out for Swifts - then 4 appeared, generally feeding higher than the martins. Always good to get Swifts in September as they are certainly 'early leavers'. Also 3 Swallows.

Best I could do with a Swift  (the sunshine on its underparts)

Most frustratingly, a distant falcon was hawking insects high up towards Boothtown. I watched it for a good few moments but failed to get firm identification so will have to let that one go.

Later, I tried Swales Moor, on the top. No visible migration other than 33 Lesser Black-backed Gulls with 2 adult Herring Gulls drifting >S along the ridge and 15 Meadow Pipits and 3 Swallows in the same direction.