Fly Flatts

Fly Flatts Dunlin. BS

Hardcastle Crags

Just a reminder that the nest box survey is this Saturday - 9:00 am start. Please contact me if you intend to help out, then I can know what sort of numbers to expect. Again, whatever happens in the nestbox survey itself, it should be a good opportunity to pick up pied flyactacher, spotted flycatcher, redstart, wood warbler etc.

Mallard Record Brood ?

I spotted a female Mallard with 18 newly hatched ducklings this morning on the canal. This must be an exceptional sized brood even for Mallard ? When I spotted all the ducklings I assumed there were a couple of broods mixed together but only one female was present and she was definitely caring for the whole brood. I forgot the camera this morning but will try and get a shot of them tomorrow assuming they all survive overnight.

Undisclosed site

Posting for Nick Dawtrey
3rd site for L E Owl tonight - out hunting at 8 pm.
If anyone is up for monitoring the species again this year then please liaise with Nick.

Fly Flatts

18/05/2008 0730-0930hrs cold NE>4 bright.

2 Dunlin
4 Twite
6 Common Sand
1 m Whinchat
2 Reed Bunting
54 Canadas + 22 young.
+ usual sp.
BS

Little Egret

Posting for Nick Dawtrey confirming the sighting at 06.35 at Elland G P this morning from Nick Cunningham. The bird was flying west and could still be in the area? There are lots of places along the Calder Valley such as Copley/High Royd etc as well as many suitable locations along the river Calder and the canal - or maybe back at Elland in the next day or so?

Sanderling

Message just come through on grapevine that Sean G has had 3 Sanderling fly west at Whiteholme this lunchtime. Will any grapevine members please send all texts to me between Monday and Thursday next week as Dave is unavailable. Thanks.

Little Egret Elland GP

Report on Birdguides etc of a Little Egret flying through Elland GP early this morning, no further details I'm afraid.

Fly Flats

4 Dunlin still there and very approachable on the embankment
2 pairs Common Sandpiper and another one hanging about with the Dunlin

Luddenden Dean

Male Redstart singing this morning in the dean - very elusive with short bursts of song then going quiet and moving around the wood. Heard at the far end of Spa Wood from the track that leads towards Castle Carr lower lodge. Also seen later down near the stream. No sign of a female.

Male Pied Flycatcher still singing in the dean but still no sign of a female there.
At least 2 Cuckoos singing around Spa Wood
1 Dipper

Undisclosed site2

From Nick Dawtery tonight - L E Owl, Woodcock and Ring Ouzel

Hardcastle Crags

Male Pied Flycatcher located tonight in Hardcastle Crags from Sean J.

Jumble Hole Clough

- 2 garden warbler
- 4 willow warbler
- 2 chiffchaff
- 1 green woodpecker
- 1 gs woodpecker
- 1 male pheasant
- 6 swallow
- 2 Jay

Fly Flats/Castle Carr/Cold Edge

Fly Flats
1 of 4 Dunlin there this afternoon and very approachable
4 Common Sandpipers
1 Redshank
2 Twite
1 Cuckoo in Clunter Clough

Dean Head
2 Tufted Duck on the top res'r
2+ Twite in the area

Cold Edge
1 Whinchat still behind the boat hut above Haigh Cote Dam
1 Snipe
2 Grey Partridge
20 Greylag Geese

Castle Carr Road
4 Twite in the field after the old railway cabins

Also - from Nick Dawtrey 2 Red Legged Partridge near Roils Head

High Royd

Very very short of water, including all but one of the back beds.

- 4 whitethroat, showing well
- 3 willow warbler
- 2 chiffchaff
- 2 blackcap
- 21 mallard, including 2 sets of duckings (x7 and x4)
- 2 grey heron
- 1 gs woodpecker

Singing Male Whinchat at Widdop

Undisclosed Site

Tawny Owl brooding at nest in Beech tree this morning

Garden warbler

Garden warbler, taken by Denise Shields at Cromwell Bottom, 11 May. Note heavy beak and prominent dark eye, and the solid look of the bird.

Undisclosed Site

Posting for Nick Dawtrey

2nd Calderdale site this year for Long-eared Owl this evening. Hunting at dusk and seen to catch a vole and head straight into a potential breeding site.
Also present at the site was 1 Tawny Owl and 1 Woodcock 'roding'

Also Ring Ouzel nearby

Various bits

Jumble Hole Clough - 2 woodcock roding, 2 tawny owl calling. 4 male blackcap, 3 willow warbler, 4 chiffchaff. 1 dipper, 1 grey wagtail.
My garden (also Jumble Hole) 1 blackcap, 1 chiffchaff, 1 bullfinch, 2 collard dove, 4 jays. Large raptor through yesterday pm being mobbed by a carrion crow. Raptor was c. 50% bigger, fought the corvid off with its feet, and was in partial moult. It stayed in total silhouette the whole time, so was very hard to positively ID, but marsh harrier was the most likely. Moved east towards Heptenstall.
Mytholmroyd - 2 dipper on Elphin Brook
Todmorden Sport Centre - 10 house martin, 16 swifts, 2 blackcap.

Luddenden Dean

Male Pied Flycatcher singing - still in usual spot but no sign of a female!

Brief song of probable Redstart this afternoon. It only sang once and dissapeared in an area upstream from Spa Wood and not relocated.
1 Blackcap
12 Meadow Pipits
1 pair Kestrels
c12 Linnets along Castle Carr Road
c 4 pairs of House Martins in and around Wainstalls Village

another

1 more starling nest found with some chicks in it-have heard them calling
the 1 in our roof has also got chicks
as has the one in the school kitchen

Cold Edge

Posting for Nick Dawtrey - unable to post on the blog

1 superb Whinchat behind the sailing club hut this evening
7 species of wader in the area including Snipe 'drumming'
No sign of the Grasshopper Warbler

Only one pair of breeding Lapwings along the route from Withens to Wainstalls! It's only a year or two since c14 pairs bred in this area. Evidence of a serious decline? Has anyone else noticed a similar pattern locally?

Heptonstall Pinfold Sunday

I had some time to kill so I sat in the Pinfold in Heptonstall and just watched and listened -Swifts screaming over head Robin displaying and singing. a blackbird sang for all the time I sat there but one unusual sight was a Juvenile Robin. This seems a bit early to me - anyone got any comments?

By the way last thursday in the woods near Beacon Hill in halifax -I experimented with my Mobile phone and an MP3 of a GSW drumming - and after a liitle while - a male GSW turned up to investigate this strange looking woodpecker - Cuckoo in Crimsworth dean next ?? (or is this cheating !!)

MIJ

The promised late picture of Willow Warbler at Blake Dean last week.

Scammonden

Sunday 8:30 - 10:15

2 grasshopper warblers reeling
6 chaffinch
2 kestrel
4 curlew
numerous willow warbler
1 grey heron
4 adult canada geese plus 4 young.

Met up with John B and as we were checking out one of the gropper patches he picked up 4 crossbill passing over. The circled around for bit before heading north.



(the best I could get)

EGP

Saturday am 8:30 - 10:00

1 reed warbler (about 10 mins after you left John)



3m reed bunting
4 whitethroat
3 garden warbler
willow warbler and chiffchaff
kingfisher on the river



willow warbler



1 common sandpiper on and just below the weir




2 jay plus usual blackbirds, tits, wrens, robins.

Fly Flats/Cold Edge/Ogden

Nick Dawtrey located a singing Grasshopper Warbler in Juncus this evening at 6.30 pm. I joined him later and after a few quiet and short bursts of 'reeling' it started to sing louder and for longer by 8 pm. Check with Nick for location.
Also around there
2 Oystercatchers
1 Snipe
2/3 singing male Reed Buntings
Moorhen and usual sp...

Fly Flats
1 S E Owl
1 Redshank
1 Snipe
1 L B B Gull
2+ Common Sandpipers
Red Grouse + usual sp...

Ogden
1+ Woodcock roding and a fox

Copley

We went through the woods this morning with Wood Warbler on the agenda (they used to be here not many years ago!) Not a sign of any, unfortunately.
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Tawny Owl
1 Nuthatch
6 Willow Warblers, 1 Blackcap and 1 Chiff-chaff
+ other usual sp...
Along the river were Kingfisher, pair of Grey Wagtails and Dipper collecting food.

Scammonden Grasshopper Warbler

No sign all week despite two visits till well after dark. Has anyone else been up and had any luck during the morning ?

Hello Everyone!

New starter here. I work in Halifax so have kept an eye on here for a while.

Went up to Warley Res after work last night and had a walk round the flats. Not too much to see, 4 twite, 2 Golden Plover, plenty of curlew and mipits. A Hercules transport flew over very low and a large corvid managed to fly along a ridge with only its top third showing for most of the time so no firm id possible. Managed to get a few nice pictures of an obliging Common Sandpiper

Photo exhibition

Well done to Andy Huyton for hosting last night's launch of his exhibition of photos at Nelson's Wine Bar in Hebden Bridge and also to Philippa for acting as a more than capable auctioneer! The exhibition continues for around six weeks, contains excellent photography and has already proved succesful with 7 of the limited edition prints sold, don't forget Andy has offered to donate half of the profits to the CBCG so please take a look.

Luddenden Dean

Nick and Steve erecting nest boxes in Luddenden Dean this evening.
2 Cuckoos also heard along with Green Woodpecker and a pair of Kestrels

White Holme 8/5

A Sanderling and a Ringed Plover this morning found by Alan Nuttall. Also 1 Wheatear and the usual LRPs and Common Sands.

Simon Hitchen

swifts

swifts at my school today screaming their heads off in history
i'm surprised nobody said "mrs, i think somebodys been murdered" :)

Hobby.

A Hobby today travelling high up roughly NE from Elland in the direction of Siddal at 4.20pm.

Charly Streets.

Crags nest box survey

The proposed date for the Hardcastle Crags / Crimsworth Dean nestbox survey is Saturday 24 May. 9:00am in the bottom car park. I reckon depending on numbers of surveyors, it should take no more than the morning. Please let me know if you will be attending so I can work out a plan, either by adding a comment or emailing me on the address in the header of the blog. The more volunteers we get means the more thorough a job we can do, so please try and make it (the photo is of the boxes put up early Spring 07)

Fly Flats

This afternoon
4 Common Sandpipers
1 Dunlin
1 Golden Plover
4 Wheatear
6 Swallows
and usual sp..

Up to 5 Twite (but not all at the same time)
First 3 - one ringed - pink on left BTO on right
Two others one with left down pink/greenish?/yellow
the other bird pink/white/then a dark ring looked black?

Elland G P

Hour and a half this morning.
c6 Garden Warbler
c10 Blackcap
3 Whitethroats
1 Reed Warbler
c8 Chiff-chaff
c12 Willow Warblers
4 Reed Buntings
1 Grey Heron
1 Kestrel
1 Shag - still on the ski ramp despite water ski-ers on the lake!
6 Bullfinch all adults together

Twite Survey

Found 3 pairs on territory's along with 2 pairs Stonechat,2 pairs reed Bunt,willow warbler,Common sandpiper and Grey wag

Elland G P

The Shag still present this morning on the ski jump along with a Cormorant for good comparison.

Various sites - late pm

Crimsworth Dean - Cuckoo on the wires (photo taken on mobile down my bins in a high wind!).

1 treecreeper

4 willow warbler

5 goldcrest

1 oystercatcher over

East of Crimsworth Dean

2 kestrel

1 pair pied wagtail

3 curlew

1 willow warbler

5 swallow

Shackleton Knoll

5 pair lapwing

4 pair curlew

5 singing skylark

1 meadow pipit

Cragg Vale

Weasel raiding a long tailed tit nest, built only 2' off the ground in brambles.

Broadhead Clough/Stoodley Pike/Withens Clough

Broadhead Clough
1 Tree Pipit at the top end of the wood
Lots of Willow Warblers
1 Blackcap

Sunderland Pasture (plantation)
12+ Redpolls (males in superb plumage)

Stoodley Pike
Lots of Skylarks including a Kestrel raiding a Skylarks nest
1 Wheatear

Withens Clough
1 Whinchat
1 Reed Bunting

Not a sign of a Redstart - looked in all the traditional spots!

Widdop Rd this morning

No sign of Spotted Fly reported yesterday but a possible Tree Pipit seen briefly in same spot as last year.

Also SEO flying high SE then probably the same bird flying NW but lower. Lots of Willow warblers (photo's to follow). Grey Wagtail male.

Ring Ouzel singing again in usual spot, relieved to see it as not seen or heard for over a week now.

Pair of Common Sand on the Res.

Out of area - just

A pair of great grey shrike reported from Drop Farm, nr. Leeshaw Rs', Oxenhope yesterday. No sign today. Redstart present there.

Undisclosed Site

On a walk this p m watched an adult buzzard being mobbed by a very unhappy crow. The buzzard eventually retreated with the crow the winner on points. we also saw curlew, lapwing wheatear and several stonechat togethor with the usual others.

5th May

Luddenden Dean
Out with DJP this afternoon (didn't take my camera or scope). Male Pied Fly showed well holding two territories also Cucckoo perched on a wall for 5 minutes. All the other usual species also present.
On to EGP where we were told the Shag was still present sat on the canal wall only some 15 feet way. There it was only my second one in Calderdale and so close with my camera safe in the draw back home. Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Blackcaps, Chiffs and Willows and a Sparrowhawk over.

Grapevine Reminder

See posting for Sat 3rd May for details of funds due -
Don't leave it too long please!!! Thanks

Shag

The shag has been living on a barge since saturday and its bee eating tinned sardines.

fly flatts

fly flatts for half an hour this morning:
3 twite-my first, i didnt realise how small they were
2 redshank
3 curlew
4 graylag geese
12 canada geese
2 mallards
12 mipits
1 skylark, although many were heard in the background
2 grouse heard calling

Midgley feeding station

A minimum of 13 twite at the feeding station this morning though all very flighty, most birds were paired up and some song, song flight and courtship feeding seen. Spent another three hours or so covering the NE side of the moor but no luck with finding birds on territory, perhaps its still a bit soon? Several Stonechat, two Wheatears, at least 3 pairs of Curlew, a pair of Lapwing, Stock Dove, Reed Bunting etc were reward for effort though. Good for the Atlas.

Reminder 8th May Fundraiser Nelson's Wine Bar Hebden Bridge

Just a reminder that this Thursday there will be a fundraiser at Nelson's Wine Bar in Hebden Bridge starting at 7:30pm. Tickets are Free and incl a Free glass of wine.
There will be an Auction to raise money also over the course of the Exhibition of my photo's which will run until 12th June 50% of the profit made on the Sale of the photo's will go to the Calderdale Bird Conservation Group. Tickets available at Tuesdays meeting or from myself.

Jumble Hole - 4:00pm

A quick walk with my noisy kids in tow

1 garden warbler
4 willow warbler
4 chiffchaff
1 blackcap
2 bullfinch
20+ swifts overhead
12 swallow
9 house martin
1 dipper
1 grey wagtail
1 grey heron

soil hill

brian!!!!!!
got brians text and was up there in a flash-but no brian again

seen on soil hill were:
no ring ouzel
1 lrp
and the usual suspects
plus a dozen wheatear =)

Fly Flats/Withens Gap

This afternoon in the drizzle!
1 Twite
1 Oystercatcher
1 Redshank
5 Common Sandpipers
(probable 2 Great-black backed Gulls - immatures >S)

Withens Gap
1 Oystercatcher
3 Golden Plover
1 Swift
1 Reed Bunting
1 Kestrel

Undisclosed site

A pair of little owls likely breeding near Bradshaw.
If Dishfish wants the location then please email me.

Fly Flatts

04/05/2008 am S>3 inc >5 Heavy rain by 0930hrs

15 Twite
1 Redshank
4 Common Sandpiper
6 Wheatear
1 Reed Bunt
2 House Martin >S
1pr Tufted
+ usual sp.
BS

Elland G P

0510 - 0840 E 1-2 very dull overcast

Shag 1 adult

Cormorant 1 imm

G Heron 3

Goosander 1 male

L Grebe 1 Pool

Kestrel 1

Sparrowhawk 1

Kittiwake 1 ad (missing p5 or p6 right wing) East at 0520

L B B Gull 1ad

Swift 11 East early then 25 over lake at 0830

Swallow 10

Sand Martin 1

Reed Warbler 1 singing

Garden Warbler 7 singing

Blackcap 13 singing

Whitethroat4 singing

Willow Warbler 10 singing

Chiffchaff

Scammonden 09.00 09.40

Grasshopper W 2 reeling
Blackcap 1 male

Garden Warbler 1 (only second I've ever seen here)

keep an eye on Elland its a Black Tern day

my garden

2 linnets seen this morning
1 stock dove =) a first for the garden

others of note:
pair greenfinch
1 male chaffinch
2 blackbirds
3 starlings
9 sparrows playing chicken on the road

Walsden
The churchyard was alive with birdsong this evening - Magpies notwithstanding - a blackbird on the gravestone is etched on the memory - the green of the lichen, the black and the yellow - an - almost perfect vision. On the pond this afternoon three drake mallard - a pair of tufties - a redshank, a canada goose. A hope of summer in the warmth and light.

Fly Flats/Withens Gap/Cold Edge

Fly Flats
1 adult Kittiwake came in from Oxenhope side with 5 B H Gulls. The gulls kept going >S and the Kit dropped in to rest on the res'r at 16.30. Still there at 17.30.
2 Common Sandpipers
No Twite
6 Swallows
2 Wheatears

Also most unusual - 3 feral pigeons came over one landed on the water!!! floated a few seconds for a drink then took off - never seen that before. Anyone else?

Withens Gap
2 Swifts >E
1 Wheatear

Cold Edge
9 Tufted Duck
1 Mallard with 9 ducklings
2 Oystercatchers
6 Linnet

Also checked High Brown Knoll (thats a hike) to check the site for Dotterel without success.

Castle Carr Road

2 Grey Partridge
4 Twite
8 Linnet
2 Kestrels

ogden

1 grey wag on the res
song thrush
mallard
graylag goose

EGP

Saturday 3rd May 7:30 - 9:45am

6 willow warbler
5 chiffchaff
1 cormorant on the ski lake - until the skiers arrived.
3 swift
1 swallow
5 garden warbler
3 blackcap
2 reed warbler
3 male reed bunting
8 whitethroat
Little grebe calling on the lagoon
3 bullfinch
Plus long tailed tit, great tit, blue tit and blackbird.

Some photos:

Luddenden Dean

1 Cuckoo yesterday singing in the upper dean.

GRAPEVINE

Just over 80 text alerts sent out since 1st Feb! Good value for some goood birds I think!

Please remember to send messages to Nick Carter in the mornings and to me pm. This avoids us getting confused!

Funds now due to Nick Carter, Nick Dawtery or myself as soon as possible please for AC, AH, BS, BH, DB, MB, MS, NR, NCD, ND, NO, PG, PJWS, RA, SG, SC, and WB

GD, JB, SJ, TW and SB all still a fiver in credit for this next round.
Please also let us know a s a p if you wish to come off the grapevine.
Many thanks - Dave

Undisclosed site

Notice the BTO ring on the right tarsus of the Pied Flycatcher(is this another Bolton Abbey bird I wonder - perhaps the returning male from last year?

Undisclosed site

1 pair of kestrel also breeding in a cavity in large beech tree approx 100 m away.

2nd May Roils Head

At last a good bird this spring at Roils Head a LESSER WHITETHROAT found this evening feeding in larches on the north west boundarie just to the left behind the goal posts at the opposite end to the large square house.Also 3 or 4 Willow Warblers present.

I have just bought two nest boxes from Woodlesford News Agents to put up for Pied Flys at Luddenden Dean. May I suggest that other birders donate a box each as soon as possible to help this species and the Redstart, both of which seem to be in decline in our area.

I am available in the afternoon Monday - Friday to put them up but would need help ie transport. Cheers.

EGP

11 male Blackcap
7 male Whitethroat
4 Garden Warbler
3 Willow Warbler
3 Chiff Chaff
2 Reed Warbler
30 Swift
3 Song Thrush
8 Linnet

Fly Flats

2 Common Sandpipers
5 Twite - still putting Nyger seed down
2 Wheatears
2 Swallows
2 Pied Wagtails

Ogden

This morning
1 Great Crested Grebe
Several Willow Warblers
c20 Swallows
1 Swift >NW

EGP 01/05/08

Quick visit 5:15 to 6:45 pm - just did the river and lagoons.
Goldfinch singing, long tailed tit flock x 2, robins and wrens.
4 chiffchaff, 3 willow warbler, 1 reed/sedge warbler singing (its been a while but I think it was probably reed).

1 male goosander on the river plus 5 canada geese.
Little grebe on the lagoon.

30 or so swifts over the canal by the ski lake.

c10 swallows with them and 4 house martin.

Great spotted woodpecker at the feeding station with 2 blackcap nearby.

1st May

Cold Edge Dams
6 Tufted Duck, 2 Goosander, 4 Stonechats, 4 Linnets, 1 Redshank, 3 Curlew 1 Reed Bunting.
Fly Flats
5 Twite, 1 Wheatear, 4 Greylag Geese.
Roils Head
3 Willow Warblers singing, 1 Wheatear.

Ive just dropped off my last ten 2006 Bird Reports at Woodlesford News Agents, Pellon / Mount Tabor.If you havn't already got one I suggest you move quickly so as not to be dissapointed. Alternativly you can still obtain a copy from Nick Carter via the post. Thanks to all people who have bought a copy so far, the bird club could not continue to produce an annual report with out your support.

sparrows

4 nests located on the sides of houses-under the side of the house tiles
good start to the year for this speices

Gadwall at EGP

Male present on lagoon 1 until 08:30 when it flew west. 2 Reed Warbler, 3 Common Whitethroat and 2 Garden Warbler also recorded.

Most impressive site however this morning was c150 Common Swift and large numbers of hirundines over the ski lake in the cool blustery conditions.