Ogden

1 Crossbill (female type) over by the 'Giants'Tooth' this afternoon
2 G C Grebes
1 Grey Wagtail
c70 Swallows
1 Siskin

halifax

peregrine there yesterday

also heard a herring gull over bradshaw
and saw 5 by the peoples park

Osprey

Not in Calderdale I hasten to add but I had my first ever close up views of an Osprey this morning on our drive back from Nefyn beach. The bird was actually sitting on a fence post !!! At first we thought it was a Buzzard as we drove past in the gloom but the jizz was all wrong. On stopping the car and creeping back there it was sitting as bold as brass on a fence post 20 feet from us. I only managed a quick look through the bins before the bird took off and disappeared over the horizon. To say we were shocked to see an Osprey in such a situation with no water in sight (except for the rain) is an understatement. I can only assume the bird was from the Glaslyn Osprey project, perhaps a young bird moving out on its own ?

Ogden Garden Bird feeders this week

Among the usual visitors this week are included at least four juvenile bullfinches.

Fly Flats

Early evening with Nick D
Millions of winged ants!
7 Wheatears
2 Whinchat
1 Willow Warbler

Ringstone Hide 12.00-1.20

Shelduck 12 + 12 over
Canada Goose 110
Mallard 22
GC Grebe 1
BH Gull 40+
LBB Gull 1 + 1 juv
Carion Crow 5
Peregrine 1 juv - chasing BHGs
Curlew 2
Oystercatcher 2 over
Snipe 6

More tracking info

For any who are interested there is also Highland Foundation for Wildlife site where Roy Dennis posts tracking information for three osprey as well as marsh harrier,honey buzzard and sea eagle. Fascinating stuff!

http://www.roydennis.org/index.htm

Loch Garten Osprey over Calderdale

Satellite tracking the 2 Osprey chicks from the RSPB's Loch Garten site has shown that the juv female (Nethy) has, in the last day or so flown directly over Bailiff Bridge and Brighouse (Armitage Industrial Estate)heading due south. Any Brighouse birders see her going over!!!?)
The latest update position is she is now near Cheltenham and her male sibling (Deshar)is on the south coast. We have not been able to get a time fix (or height of flight)on the web-site.

You can get an update (with a link to google earth)at http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/tracking/lochgartenospreys/index.asp

Fly Flats/Ogden

Wet and windy at Fly Flats this afternoon!
2 Wheatears
1 Mallard
3 Canada Geese

Ogden
2 G C Grebes
c400 B H gulls
c50 Common Gulls
2 Gt Sp Woodpeckers
c60 Swallows

E mail contact

Apologies to anyone who has attempted to contact us via the e mail address given at the top of this Blog, I was under the impression that this address was being checked regularly but it would appear not. Included in the unread mails were two from Nick Wilkinsion who has been working on twite in our area giving details of colour ringed birds that were reported on here, if anyone wants these details please e mail me at midgleybirder@yahoo.co.uk

raggalds

just seen an albino starling flying past with the normal starlings

Castle Carr Road/Cold Edge

Visit yesterday afternoon with Nick D
Castle Carr Road - No Twite
4 Ravens through >NW
1 Common Buzzard
1 Little Owl
3 Kestrels
2 Stonechats

Cold Edge
2 Whinchats
c3 Kestrels
Lots of Swallows about

White Holme Resr

Alan Nuttall reported a Grey Plover and Greenshank present at 12:30 hrs.

Ringstone Edge R & Scammonden today

Ringstone E Res

09.50 - 12.00 WNW2-3-4 sunny 50% cloud

Great Crested Grebe 1 ad

Cormorant 3 imms

Teal 1

Mallard 9 + fem with 7 week old ducklings

Kestrel 1

Lapwing 95

Com Snipe 6

Curlew 1

Bh Gull 130+

Common Gull 4 juvs 2 ads

Swallow 30+

House M 5

Sand Martin 1

Willow Warbler 1

Stonchat 2

Scammonden Valley

12.05 - 15.10

Kestrel 3

Swallow 25+

Tree Pipit 1 high overhead West + 1 probably landed in valley

Whinchat 2

Stonechat 6+

Redstart male + juv

Com Whitethroat 1

Willow Warbler 10+

Fly Flats

No Twite there this afternoon - probably all over Midgley!
6 Wheatear
6 Kestrels
1 Stoat

1 Common Sandpiper on Dean Head Res'r (upper)

Midgley feeding station

36 twite here this afternoon including at least 16 colour ringed birds, combos have been sent to the ringers. Earlier this week Dave and Jennifer Sutcliffe and I attended the feedback meeting for those involved in the Recovery Project's preliminary survey of breeding twite in the South Pennines, best estimate is that there are now only 100 pairs of twite left breeding in the S Pennines. As our area accounted for around 30 of these the importance of Calderdale to this threatened species cannot be over emphasised.

Hardcastle Crags and Walshaw Dean

Saturday am.
Quick (!) walk up through Hardcastle Crags to Walshaw Dean reservoirs.
In the woods - coal tits, great tits, 2 GS woodpecker. Not much else noticed.

Walshaw:
Kestrel

Linnets, meadow pipits, grouse.
2 female crossbills.
2 weasels.
2 tufted duck, 6 canada geese (more flew in), mallard. All 3 reservoirs are full so not much for passing waders.
6 wheatear

2 whinchat


3 pied wagtail
Small numbers of swallows also.

Lee Mount

1 Swift over this morning heading >SE

Another Swift over going >W at 4.20 pm

Bird Report

Copies of the 2006 report were delivered this afternoon to Todmorden Tourist Information Centre. Cost is £5 and well worth the read, full of interesting information on the birds of Calderdale.
The report is still available at Woodlesford Newsagents in Moor End Road, Halifax.
The bird club would be very grateful for your support.

Undisclosed site

With Nick Dawtery this afternoon
Flock of around 50 Hirundines - mostly House Martins
5 Common Buzzards
2 Peregrines
5 Kestrels
Just like Wales!

Warley

Winterburn Lane
c80 Linnets and c30 Goldfinch in the fields near the rugby pitches
Also lots of Swallows about

(1 Swift yesterday evening over Salterhebble)

Ogden/Fly Flats

Ogden
1 Teal today with the usual sp.. and Grey Wagtail

Fly Flats
6 Wheatear together + another c4 in other areas

Withens Gap
1 Little Owl
1 Wheatear
c50 Meadow Pipits came down after a heavy shower then quickly moved on

Sea watching & stuff

Hello all from Sunny (at last) North Wales. I am posting to ask for a little help. As most will know I am only a part time novice birder but as I have moved to an area which it is suggested should turn up some nice migrants and seabirds I thought I better brush up on tecniques. Can anyone recommend a good book or website with some tips on watching for seabirds ? I have never done much seabird watching apart from the seabird colonies at St Abbs Head in the Scottish borders where its simply a case of setting up the scope and wading (pardon the pun) your way through hundreds of birds to try and spot something different. I have no idea how one goes about watching seabirds apart from wader spotting whilst walking the beaches around here. Does one simply set up the scope in a suitable spot and keep watch ?

Not bothered with the Glaslyn osprey project which is nearby as I have been told its not very good for views unless one is very lucky on the day. But seen lots of other birds of prey and found at least two Buzzard nests with young. Buzzards are very common here and seem to escape persecution despite some areas having Gamekeepers. Its hard to believe just how rich and varied the bird life here is compared to Calderdale. Merlin's can be seen on most coastal or hill walks and one does not have to go far to spot Peregrines All the hedgerows are absolutely stuffed full of birds as its all small scale farms with small fields here so the hedges are left in place with just a trim in August. I have never seen so many House Sparrows in all my life, its hard to believe they are in decline in other parts of the country.We usually wake up to the sound of Ravens cronking around the site...and rain this month, we also get the occasional Chough passing overhead from their stronghold on the Pen Llyn. We had a Wrens nest around 6 feet from our front door earlier in the year and a pair of Robins nested around 6 feet away from my office window and managed to fledge 5 young in early July. If anyone fancies a trip down to North Wales you are welcome to call in. We don't have enough space to put people up but we do know some good reasonably priced local B&Bs and we are happy to supply some grub and booze should you require it :-))

Keep watch!

Lots of reports on BirdGuides of Ospreys moving through the country in the last few days. We were fortunate enough to see one going over Etherow Country Park nr Stockport today! So keep a look out in Calderdale in the next few weeks.

Roils Head

From Nick Dawtery - 5/6 Crossbills again this afternoon and early evening.
They seem to be feeding in the pine trees around the golf course and drinking in puddles along the track that leads from near the top of Paddock Lane along the wall that runs along the top side of the golf course towards Rye Lane.
Please do not go into the golf course land!

Identity?

Any thoughts on this bird seen in the long grass on Aug 15th alongside Castle Carr Road? On first site (head above the grass)we had it down for a Red Grouse! Then, on closer approach it did not flush but started contact calling and we located c6 3/4 day old chicks with it! Just didn't look quite right for a normal female Pheasant!!! Do keepers keep Black Francolins??? Any ideas.........?

Ryburn and Baitings Res'rs

Ryburn Res'r this afternoon
2 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
1 Willow Warbler
c30 Siskin in larches near the car park

Baitings Res'r
1 Great Crested Grebe
1 Grey Heron

Ringstone

This afternoon - No sign of the Yellow-legged Gull seen by Sean this morning
80 Starlings
12 Lapwings
14 Canada Geese
18 Mallard
15 B H Gulls

Barkisland

Pair of Sparrowhawks successfully fledged 3 young in woodland near to my home.
Redstart seen at Ringstone this evening. SEO hunting at Deanhead (Scammonden) 9.15pm.

Young Birds

Saw an adult and a juvenile dipper in the Calder (Walsden Water) at the end of Strines Street, Walsden last week.

Today, goldfinch feeding two young (I'm assuming a second brood) in tree near house.

Ogden

No terns here! Sean

1 Swift over by the wind farm
2 G C Grebes still
3 Gt Spotted Woodpeckers
Flock of c12 L T Tits/c10 Coal Tits/1 Godcrest/ 3 Willow warblers
c42 Lapwings in the fields between Ogden and Soil Hill

Fly Flats

Twite yesterday


The bird on the left had P/Y/B on left tarsus and BTO ring on right


(double click on left mouse button for a larger image!)

Fly Flats

Wheatear


This afternoon - very quiet two and a half hours intil the last half hour!

34 Twite on the embankment and around the feeding station on thistles. Lots of birds had colour rings but all very flighty so hard to get details other than off two birds ie 1) P/W on right and Y above BTO ring on left and 2) P/Y/B on left and BTO ring on right.

5 Wheatears
1 Whinchat
1 Pied wagtail
15 Meadow Pipits
1 Red Grouse
c6 Kestrels



Also 14 Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies (news report recently said they were in a drastic decline this year due to another insect pest eating their eggs and larva).

Ogden

Well done Daniel reporting the Oystercatchers there this afternoon.
Dipper again in Skirden Clough
5 Siskin
11 Swifts >S at 13.30 in the area between Soil Hill and Ogden

ogden

the waders have at last arived on the ogden mud:
7 oystercatchers with the black headed gulls this morning (computer been down since then)

coal tits presant
1 dipper flew up one of the 2 rivers
1 grey wagtail flew down the same river
plus usual speices

Surprise eggs.

Last week we trimmed the top of a Virginia Creeper to keep it off a roof, and whilst checking for birds' nests I saw one 20ft up with fresh droppings round it, indicating a recent successful brood which I missed.
Today, admiring my handiwork, I saw a greenfinch fly out. On getting the ladder, I was delighted to find a beautiful repeat clutch of 4 eggs.
It's important to check all creepers and hedges before trimming. Wet summers encourage pairs to try to keep on breeding, especially finches and thrushes.
As many birders know, if anyone fancies nest recording, the BTO provide guidelines and recording cards or you can submit electronically.

Willow Warbler in a large Saville Park Garden 7 days ago and a Chiff-chaff today at Blackshaw Head in bushes. (Neither singing.)
SB

Ogden

Late afternoon till 6.15 pm
220 B H gulls
34 L B B G's
12 Common Gulls
2 G C Grebes
4 Swifts heading north away from the storm brewing at 6 pm!
18 Swallows
1 Kestrel
2 Siskin
2 Treecreepers + usual woodland sp... including 4 Goldcrests

Fly Flats

Shooters on the Castle Carr Estate today -'Glorious 12th'!!
Visit late afternoon
Still 3 juv Wheatears by the boat house
50+ House Martins over the far end of res'r and heading down into Castle Carr area(Not one Swift or Swallow with them)

Cold Edge/Withens Gap

(Mon)light to heavy drizzle all afternoon.
1 Whinchat at Withens Gap
1 Wheatear at Cold Edge and that was about it!

Roils Head

Posting for Nick Dawtrey (Monday)
3 Crossbills there this afternoon in Larch trees along with several migrant Willow Warblers

Moth trap

I am off to Cornwall(pendeen) for 2 weeks on Friday if any body would like to borrow my (very bright)moth trap for two weeks they are more than welcome.Please leave a comment below.

Sun 10th August Rishworth Moor.

Pair of Whimbrel, 2 Merlin, 14 Twite, Grey Wag, Pair Dippers, 2 Peg, 48 Reed Bunt, 4 Stonechat, 4 Red Grouse, 2 Raven. Not bad for a crap day!

Fly Flats

Earlier today
1 Twite
1 Redshank
3 Wheatears - one of which (a juv) had a BTO ring on right tarsus

Soil Hill

14.30 - 15.30

1 Peregrine flew north.
2 wheatears.
several mipits and two twite flew west.
Gull movement west with several dozen BHG, 1 common and 1 LBB.
2 juv pied wags being fed by mum.
A large dark raptor drifted east between Thornton and Yeadon - very high, not identified!

Booth Wood Res'r

2 Oystercatchers in the fields with 68 Canada Geese this afternoon

Fly Flats

8 Twite today - similar colour combinations as a few days ago all on right tarsus RW/B, RW/Y, ?/?/G. Other birds were ringed but they were off before I could log them.
3 Wheatears by the boat house

Ogden

50 + Willow Warblers (and 1 Chiff-chaff)early this morning after an overnight 'fall' Lots were in Skirden Clough and also in the bracken area leading up to the 'giant's tooth.
Also a similar number of Coal Tits coming through but even more difficult to count! along with a few Goldcrest and L T Tits
40+ House Martins also through with 6 Swallows and 1 Swift

1 Siskin
2 G C Grebes
1 Grey Heron
1 Sparrowhawk

Undisclosed Site

With apologies for the quality but this juv Peregrine and the Red Kite were taken at a distance this morning!

Ringstone Edge Res'r

Yesterday (5/08/08)pm
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Great Crested Grebe
31 Lapwings
2 Reed Bunting
30+ Swallows

Ogden/Fly Flats

OGDEN
11 Siskin
2 Grey Wagtails
2 G C Grebes
1 Grey Heron
120 B H Gulls and 3 Common Gulls
Meadow Pipits still feeding young
Usual tit sp.. and 1 Treecreeper

Golf Course
55 Swifts, 2 House Martins and 33 Swallows passing through
2 pairs of Stonechats (one pair still feeding young)
1 Snipe

Withens Gap
86 Linnets
1 Curlew

Fly Flats
2 Twite (both with same colour rings - LEFT tarsus Red/White
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Curlew
1 Wheatear
Meadow Pipts still feeding young

Moorland Visit

Monday 7pm - 9pm
70 starling.
4 mistle thrush
2 goldfinch
4 curlew
1 oystercatcher

1 common sandpiper
1 stock dove
8 kestrel
3 common buzzard. They soared together and 2 of them landed for a few minutes but didn't appear to be eating anything.

2 short eared owl. One of them took exception to a kestrel hunting in the same area. It flew up behind and above the kestrel but before it attacked (assuming it was going to) the kestrel descended and then moved off. It didn't appear to have even noticed the owl.

2 tufted duck
30 canada geese
2 red grouse
1 meadow pipit

Right on my Doorstep...all this time????

Having believed the Grasshopper Warblers to have departed in a weather window I went out tonight to view over the valley, only on my midge bitten descent to be shocked to hear at least 1 reeling again. Went in search but didn't show before I was driven back my the midges, it begs the question when did they arrive? Matt had 2 and until recently most evenings I was returning home late and leaving in the morning in a car, so I do wonder if they have been here all summer long?? They maybe elusive but I still think it's a touch embarrassing, at least they didn't go completely undetected.
Pick is one of a bird taken elsewhere, just put it on to brighten things up.

Grapevine Reminder

Thanks to those who have sent grapevine money in so promptly. Still some outstanding ref the posting on 29th July.
Cheers
Dave

Twite ring information

Received from Nick Wilkinson (RSPB Twite field worker)

Details of the colour-ringed twite seen at Fly Flats on 2 August (Red-White is a split colour ring):

R leg combinations:
RW/B; RW/O (in photo, poss the RW/Y listed); RW/R were all ringed as pulli in the same brood from a nest at Fly Flats in June 2008. The bird ?/G could also be from the same brood.

P/WR could be one of three birds ringed as pulli at other colonies in the south Pennines this year. Otherwise, it could have been mistaken as RW/P which was also a pulli this year from Fly Flats.

Twite pulli are being colour marked this year as part of our monitoring work for the Twite Recovery Project. The colour ringing is being undertaken to build up a population of marked birds to be able to monitor the number of breeding attempts made in a season by individual females. Birds are ringed with a unique combination (to allow individual identification) using a scheme of a colour above the BTO ring on the left leg and two colours on the right leg.

Thanks for these resightings.

Recapture History

Many thanks to David Sowter for this info on the LBB Gull at clifton
Ring Age/ Capture
numbe Typ Date Init Details
Lesser Black-backed Gull
GN86248 N 3 08/07/06 LEA S. Walney Nature Reserve, Cumbria
S 3 Sighted 06/11/06 APB Moana, Pontevedra, Spain (1369 km, SSW, 121 days)
S 7 Sighted 17/07/08 UF4 Clifton, Halifax, West Yorkshire (101 km, ESE, 2 yrs 9days)

July.????/

1 Woodchat Shrike,4 Meditaranean Gull,2 Little Egrets and a Red Breasted merganser if this is July roll on October.Could we be lucky enough to get Two Barred Crossbill or even another Yellow Browed warbler.We must surely be due a Black necked Grebe or a Wryneck,good luck and get out there.

Fly Flats

10 Twite at Fly Flats today. At least 5 had colour ring combinations on right tarsus. Including
?/?/G,
R/W/B,
R/W/R,
R/W/Y
P/W/R







Also present
2 Kestrels
28 Swallows
41 Meadow Pipits (and still feeding young)
2 Curlew
58 Canada Geese
1 Common Buzzard at a distance

Woodchat Shrike NOT spotted!

Roy checked the site this morning 10.45 till 11.30 and we checked the area from 12 till 3 pm this afternoon without any success.
Just 2 Little Owls nearby with at least 1 juv
2 Kestrels, a few Linnetts, Swallows, Meadow Pipits and 1 Willow Warbler

Woodchat Shrike

Apologies - I thought directions had already been posted on the blog!

The bird was seen last Thursday. Get to Cottonstones Church(up Lumb Lane from Mill Bank) (or via Rooley Lane from Sowerby). Going south west from the church pass Alma Inn and go on Clay Pit Lane (about quarter mile past the church). Turn right on Wicken Lane and the bird was seen on land around Noah Dale Farm.
Nick and Roy checked the site tonight without success but very misty although habitat looks good! It could still be there???

Woodchat shrike

Woodchat Shrike

A birder has reported seeing a woodchat shrike near Halifax a few hours ago. This info was on the Bird Forum. He was wondering where to report it to. He's also posted a photograph of the bird. Nothing yet on Bird Guides.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=45989&page=85


Sandra

Jumble Hole / Underbank

6:45 - 7:30

- 1 wood warbler feeding. Probably grounded by heavy showers
- 1 unusual looking phyllosc' warbler skulking the scrub. Probably a juv' chiffchaff.
- 1 green woodpecker
- 1 nuthatch
- 1 treecreeper

Grasshopper warblers

Grasshopper warbler found by Andy Huyton outside his house (Widdop Common) at 6:50am.

I went up at 9:45, aand got two birds calling and showing reasonably well down to 10 feet. Still calling up to 10:45am.

GRAPEVINE

c60 text messages sent out in May/June/July.

Grapevine funds are due now please for;-
AC, AH, BS, DB, GD, JB, MB, MS, NR, NCD, NO, PJWS, RA, SJ, SB, SC, WB.

In credit still are BH, IS, NDawson, SG and TW

Fivers to Nick Carter, Nick Dawtrey or myself as soon as you can please
Thanks - Dave

Please let one of us know if you no longer wish to be part of the text service

Wheatley Valley

Yesterday afternoon on the former Birks Hall and Shroggs Tip sites. Bird life was very quiet (time of year I think) but the area has wonderful habitat on both sites.

Birks hall (access from Brackenbed Lane)is full of young trees including rosa, rowan, birch, alder, hawthorn, blackthorn, willow, oak and maple with an interesting understory including willow herb, nettles, blackberry etc. It looks a wonderful site for warblers, insects and later on wintering thrushes.

Shroggs tip site(up from B&Q and Dorlux)is planted around the edges with alder and birch etc and has a broad expanse of flat grassland in the middle. All the grasses are flowering and setting seed and there were hundreds of meadow brown butterflies and probably a few other interesting insects too.

Bird Report

Nick Dawtrey has asked me to remind everyone of the importance of bird report sales in ensuring the following years report can be financed, this year has seen a significant downturn in sales of the current report. Copies are still for sale at Woodlesford Newsagents on Moorend Road and are also available from myself or Nick (phone 01422 364228). Reports cost £5 each or £5-60 including postage. Pease help to support the archive as well as getting an informative and interesting read!

Fly Flats yesterday

25th July
Twite feeding on thistles


Golden Plover


Also present
2 Curlew
2 Common Sandpipers
2 juv Wheatears

Success???????

3 Buzzards seen soaring together today at 15:40 at undisclosed site, the birds were within half a mile of a suspected breeding site, only our 2nd in Calderdale. Hopefully this is a sign of successful breeding at the site, although the birds were only seen through bins and viewed from a hillside opposite. None of the birds appeared to be in moult so it was impossible to age any of them.

Warblers singing

Chiff-Chaff at the tree Nursery, Beardsworth's, last Wednesday 23rd on the A58 just before the Chain Bar junction.
Blackcap at Northowrham on Thursday.
Could be the good weather, I don't know. They seem to tail off singing before the longest day and then have a short song period later. Mostly I've heard Willow Warblers singing late.
Did anyone find a Wood Warbler this year in Calderdale, either early or late?

Thrushes anvil in a Northowrham garden. They were the common garden snails. I had seen Song Thrush there earlier in the year, carrying food, but the nest was in the next door garden, so I couldn't record it.

A worker at the Piece Hall, when I asked him to point out where they Peregrine chicks could be seen, pointed to the hole I (and Sean ) had identified Kestrel chicks. He admitted they were assuming they were Peregrines. I doubt if Peregrines could be in another part of the steeple.

First Garden Nuthatch

Popped home (Copley Hill) for lunch today and saw the first Nuthatch I have seen in our garden, I have seen them several times near the church in Copley so knew it wouldnt be too long.

Not a rare bird but I do like watching their antics - used to get plenty in when we lived up Berwick so nice to be getting them here now.

Leica binoculars for sale

Pete Gee is selling his Leica 8 X 32 BN binoculars, they are in mint condition, boxed as new and come with Optech strap, he is looking for £500 for them and can be contacted on lbcorsa@sky.com

Fly Flats/Castle Carr/Cold Edge

Male twite at Fly Flats this afternoon shownig pink rump and ringed colour combination on left tarsus.


Cold Edge -
1 pair of Tufted Duck

Withens Gap
c25 Linnets
c30 Goldfinch
c15 Greenfinch
30+ Meadow Pipits
1 Reed Bunting

Fly Flats
3 Wheatear (2 juvs)
3 pairs of Twite feeding on thistle heads near the feeding station
Colour rings top to bottom male pink/white/blue and another male pink/blue/yellow
1 Oystercatcher
2 LBBGs, 24 B H Gulls, 2 Common Gulls



Castle Carr Road
14 Twite - post breeding flock in the fields near the far end of the road by the old railway cabins

Never let the facts...etc

See http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/Peregrine-falcon-chicks-take-to.4313471.jp

Woodland birds

We have had a dreadful breeding season for many of our woodland birds (notably wood warbler - not sure that there has been a single sighting?) , but we are not alone
http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=1379

Undisclosed site - 6:45 to 10:45pm

- 4 short eared owls (2 adults hunting, 2 fledged young on wall and fence)
- 4 long eared owls (Known site. 2 adults, 2 young - one seen, another hunger calling.)
- 1 little owl
- 1-2 crossbill
- 2-3 siskin
- 2 common sandpiper
- 3 oystercatcher
- 2-3 sand martin, probably passing through
- 4+ kestrel
- 10+ red grouse
- 3 stonechat

Long eared owl hunger calling at second site on way home (again, a known site)

Ogden Garden

It seems to have been a good breeding season for garden birds. In the last month we have had young blue tits,great tits,coal tits,goldfinches,siskins,chaffinches, greenfinches robins dunnocks and great spotted woodpeckers [ at least three]at our garden feeders.

Callis Bridge sewage works - 7:00 - 8:00pm

Amazing site tonight, with a large gathering of hirundines. Minimum counts of

- 450 swifts
- 110 swallows
- 140 house martins

They all melted away suddenly at 7:50pm. I thought they would attract a raptor, but nothing in the time I was there.

Also, 12 pied wagtails, 9 of which were juvenilles

Merlins

Sue and watched a pair of Merlins displaying around a mountainside in Wales this afternoon. Would they still have young in the nest at this time of year ? The reason I ask is we want to walk up the mountain on a particular route tomorrow and would not wish to disturb nesting birds.

Callis Bridge sewage works

In the rain at 3:00pm, minimum counts of:

- 180 swifts
- 150 house martins
- 70 swallows
- 100 jackdaws

I've still never picked up a sand martin there, not even on passage.

Med Gulls Jay House lane

There was 1 adult bird there yesterday morning , but none today at 2.00.There was a ringed LBBGull yesterday it had a large black ring with bold gold letters WCBS .????? The med gull (2nd summer)the day before was ringed with a green ring on the left leg.There has obviously been a movement of gulls through our area from somewhere.?? Also present 3 Stock Dove,2 Skylark,20 Tree Sparrow,200 BH Gull,1 Sand Martin,100 lapwing,2 mallard,20 Linnet,18 Greenfinch,20 Common Gull,70 starling and 5 Pied wagtail.

Jay House Lane

Mediterranean Gull - photos from Nick Dawtrey

Med Gulls Jay House lane

This afternoon there were up to 4 Med Gulls showing,2 full Adults ,1 adult showing 3 black spots on primarys and 1 first winter type showing black mask and black primarys.Hope someone gets some photos as they are showing from the road by the broken down barn,also 100+ Lapwing,13 Greenfinch,LBB Gull,Common Gull BH Gull ,Stock Dove,Goldfinch and Tree Sparrow.

Halifax Peregrines?

Press release from Calderdale Council - I assume it is accurate though I haven't seen them myself.

http://www.calderdale.gov.uk/council/news/pressreleases/detail.jsp?id=16884&ref=index

Peregrine falcon chicks are taking their very first flights around the Piece Hall in Halifax.
The stunning birds of prey became local celebrities in May, when a breeding pair joined the growing number opting for urban living and nested in the Square Church spire next to the Piece Hall, central Halifax.
The proud parents hatched chicks, which have now fledged and can be spotted swooping down to the Piece Hall as they learn to fly and hunt for food.
Some fantastic aerial displays could be in store for Piece Hall visitors over the next few days as these magnificent birds teach their young the awesome hunting and flying skills that peregrines are renowned for.
The birds are easily identifiable by their striking black hood, black 'moustache' and flying speed of over 100 miles an hour - making them the fastest creatures on the planet.
Michael Devereux, Piece Hall Operations Manager, said:-
"The birds are a magnificent sight and now the chicks have fledged, we expect them to be gone in a week or so, once they learn to fend for themselves. The best time to spot them is in the early mornings or evenings in the Piece Hall, when they swoop over on the hunt for food."
Until recently, peregrines were purely associated with wild crags or sea cliff faces, but changing landscapes and a general increase in numbers mean they have adapted to living in more unlikely places and have broadened their options. To a peregrine, a tall building has the same benefits as a cliff face - its high, safe and has plenty of food in the surrounding area.
The RSPB will be keeping an eye on the falcons and is running a campaign to raise awareness about illegal killing of birds of prey like peregrines.
The RSPB's Matthew Capper said:
"It's fantastic news that peregrine falcons are rearing their chicks in Halifax. Not that long ago these awesome birds were very rare but the fact that they are now successfully nesting in towns is a great sign their numbers are recovering. It's just totally unacceptable that in some part of the UK these birds are still illegally killed."
Peregrine populations hit an all-time low in the 1950s due to pesticides in farming but they are increasingly thriving in urban areas. Breeding pairs dropped to just 360 pairs in the UK but the RSPB believes there are now 1500, making their appearance in towns and cities even better news. For more information on how to help birds of prey like the peregrine falcon visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdsofprey

Undisclosed site

The crossbill seen the other week were probably two different groups as I had a flockof 12 last night,male,female and juv present. Also LEO, SEO, merlin, plenty of siskin. Little Owl at two other sites.

Gamekeepers were fairly active yesterday, quite a bit of shooting when there wasn't anything really to shoot at.

Cross Stone, Todmorden

Juv' redstart on a dry stone wall on the Tod' side of Cross Stone, 9:30am

Jay House Lane, Clifton

A short evening stroll along the lane produced some 'goodies' in the nearby fields and especially by the 'muck stack'.
A flock of 75 Lapwings together in the field
14 Tree Sparrows around the old farm and the small muck stack
30 Swallows on the wires
6 Linnets on the wall
7/8 Goldfinch in the bushes and trees
8/9 Long Tailed Tits in the trees
2 juv Pied Wagtails by the small pools
and what looked like the back end of 2 weasels diving into the grass by the stack !

EGP - Saturday morning

It's been a while so I had a quick trip to EGP this morning.
Nothing on the ski lake.
Large flock of long tailed tits.
Willow warbler.
Chiffchaff.
Blackcaps, including a pair that seemed to be feeding young.
Reed bunting.
Reed warbler.
Whitethroat singing.



Lots of small toads so watch your step on the path across the lagoon.

Malta Raptor Camp

Yes, I know I'm on about it again but if anyone is interested in taking part in this years Raptor Camp please go to http://www.birdlifemalta.org/conservation/raptorcamp/ for full details. Several local birders have taken part in recent Spring and Autumn camps and can supply full details of what to expect plus photos etc. This is an excellent opportunity to take part in front line conservation work, strongly recommended.

Crimsworth Dean

2+ Treecreepers and usual woodland species.
3 Redstarts together at top end of woodland today - at least 2 of them were young birds! 1 Spotted Flycatcher also there along with c6 Siskin and 5 young Kestrels being fed by parents.

Undisclosed Location

A great night out last night, SEO out early at 1720. Also seen; two groups of crossbill, one 5 birds the other 6, could have been the same group though. Merlin, LEO, LRP, lots of stonechat, spotted flycatcher, Roe deer, melanistic rabbit.

Watched SEO do a food drop into the heather then later take another catch to a close but different location, could mean chicks are fledging?

Prob -Yellow -legged Gull

Last night about 7.10,I noticed a group of 14 LBBGull heading west,as I was watching/scoping a kestrel at the time I decided to have a closer look at the gulls immediately one stood out to be a grey backed gull, similar in shape to the LBBGull's,as it banked sideways the yellow legs could be seen.All though I am not 100% on this it is well worth looking at all groups of LBBGulls at this time of year for a Yellow Legged.!!!!Good luck

Ogden

Golf Course area
Grassshopper Warbler singing in a boggy area at the side of the course today
Also a pair of Reed Buntings
1 Great Crested Grebe still on Ogden Res'r along with 19 B H Gulls

Missing Parrot

I have been requested (via Sean Gray) to post an appeal for any sightings of a recently lost African Grey Parrot to be passed on to Jo via 07815 095 818

Redstart

Last week after careful checking there was no sign of a second brood we checked the box the Redstarts bred in to see if any birds had died in the nest. None - all gone just an odd slug and woodlice left in and that was it.
We cleaned the box out and also the box next to it where the front was dropping off -there was an old nest in that one similar to the succesful box so maybe the Redstarts bred in that last year?

Undisclosed site

Friday 7pm - 10:30pm
Checked 3 new sites for LEOs with Nick D. Nothing at the first 2 but we had success at the third. This makes confirmed breeding at 7 sites so far this year with probably 16 or 17 young in total.

At the third site we picked up the calls of 3 young followed immediately by a stange barking sound. An adult owl came out of the wood and flew towards us before perching in the tree above. It continued to make the strange call, presumably trying to distract us from the young further up the track. We moved back a bit and after a minute or 2 the owl disappeared off into the wood.



Also seen little owl, redpoll, linnets, meadow pipits, skylark, 1 snipe, 1 hare, 2 bats and approximately 5000 midges!

Buzzard = Kite ?

Hi all
A quick question. Whilst speaking with a local here in Wales this morning, we spotted a Buzzard wheeling overhead and pointed it out to him. Oh you mean the Kite ? We were somewhat surprised that a local could mistake a Buzzard for Kite, until he explained that it was a Big Kite due to its wide wings and "fingers" at the end of the wing, Red Kites were the small Kite and had forked tails so were easy to distinguish from Big Kites. As anyone else come across this name for Buzzards ?

Undisclosed site

Went out looking and listening for long eared owl with Andy H at a new site with huge potential. However, got no LEO's possibly due to fairly constant disturbance from motorbikes zooming randomly across the moorland habitat.

- 100+ swifts feeding
- 1 male reed bunting, looking as though he was defending a nest
- 12+ meadow pipits
- skylark calling
- 1 tawny owl calling
- 1 fox
- 1 short eared owl spotted from the car on the way over. Caught a small rodent, then sat on a fence post eating it (Andy - any pics worth posting?)

Fly Flats

Female Twite bathing this afternoon in the culvert


Juvenile Red Grouse

Jumble Hole area

Woodcock still roding on an evening (2 yesterday)
Nuthatch calling from the garden yesterday, which is unusual for summer in this area. A first for the garden as well.
Tern sp. over 2 days ago, but I wasn't quick enough to the bin's.
Blackcap, chiffchaff and garden warbler still singing from scrub on Underbank

last night

up on warley moor and res last night with david sutcliffe
2 twite (or one come round twice)
1 juvenile stonechat
a family of 6 juvenile kestrels plus 2 adults
1 sand martin at dean head