Grasshopper Warbler

 

Whiteholme This morning , heavy rain and fog for most of the morning , but this was a great find..thanks P.Smith 

Ringstone Edge

1 of 3 Black-headed Gulls

Ringstone Edge

Little Ringed Plover

Oystercatcher

Ringstone Edge, 11 May

Willow Warbler

Great Crested Grebe

White-tailed Eagle......!!!!!!

 

Driving along the M62 towards Lancashire , I could see some raptors having a scrap above the mast at Windy Hill. Julia was driving so I grabbed my bins from the back. The traffic came to a standstill just under the bridge just after  Exit 22 . A couple of Swifts flew over and then raptors , 2 Buzzards and a larger bird, my mind was going what the hell is this.....my word as the bird turned to take a swipe at one of the Buzzards it was an immature WHITE-tailed EAGLE ...I frantically put the news out as the bird seemed to be heading for Green Withens Reservoir at this point , but I now think it must have gone over the moor towards Blackstone Edge, drifting down the valley where it was seen at Shaw Moss (Andy Huyton) and Smithy Bridge..where the photo was taken by Ian Kimber in his garden.!!!!!! The bird was seen heading towards Blackstone Edge Again at this point and eventually seen at Cant Clough further north....

Blackstone Edge

Blackbird - at altitude 370 metres (1214 feet)

Whiteholme

Raven. Typical long-necked long-tailed silhouette

Whiteholme

Teal

Raven

Wheatear

Blackstone Edge

Canada Goose pair with 4 young

 

Whiteholme

Singing Wren

Wheatear

Teal

Blackstone Edge

Mallard female with 9 young

Whiteholme

Common Sandpiper

Blackstone Edge

Little Ringed Plover,  Common Sandpiper

Whiteholme

Whitethroat male. Sang briefly

Willow Warbler also present

Little Ringed Plover

Reed Bunting

Roe Deer

Blackstone Edge

1 of 3 Common Sandpipers

Skylark

Whiteholme (continued)

Greenland Wheatear male:

- pot bellied

- long wings

- short tail with broad black band

- strong supercilium

- brownish grey back

- underparts orange, deepest on breast and flanks

Whiteholme

Common Sandpiper

Little Ringed Plover

2 of 3 male Reed Buntings

Blackstone Edge

4 of 9 Linnets

Whiteholme

Kestrel male dust bathing

Baitings

1 of 11 singing Willow Warblers

Great Crested Grebes

Cromwell Bottom

 Had an hour to spare this afternoon. It was in the drizzle, very little singing other than Chiffchaffs, a couple of Blackcap, Song Thrush,  Blackbird, Wren ...

Ski-lake was almost empty apart from Grey Herons, 10 Herring Gulls and 8 LBB Gulls.

Elsewhere, mainly over the river near the weir I came across a few hirundines - 30+ House Martins, 20+ Swallows and c10 Sand Martins along with a pair of Goosander.

Shibden Valley

Singing Nuthatch

Shibden Park

Mallard female with 8 young

Soil Hill

  The very handsome male Ring Ouzel that has been at the bottom of the North Slope continued into its third day today, although the second bird from yesterday seems to have moved on. It is not an especially cooperative bird, always mobile and far more often heard than seen early in the morning. 

  Other goodies in recent days have been more limited. A scattering of Wheatear have been around, although there were none that I could find this morning. Willow Warblers are now up to five individuals and the first Whitethroat was seen by JJL yesterday morning, but I have not yet laid eyes or ears upon it. 

  In addition to the Ouzel, it was nice to have a flock of four Crossbills fly north this morning. It seems to have been a lively April for finches, with Siskin and Redpoll recorded on most days on Soil Hill. A Golden Plover also flew over this morning, and the resident Grey Partridge have put in a couple of appearances in recent days. Two male Stonechats have taken up territories at the bottom of the North Slope. This species does not usually breed on Soil Hill, my last recorded attempt was back in 2020, so watching these birds with interest. I have not been looking for Jack Snipe every day, but on my last check two days ago there was still at least one individual present. 

-Ring Ouzel

-Jack Snipe

In total managed 38 species today, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S321455344