More Buzzard pics.

Our Garden

Buzzard watched yesterday while we were having lunch in garden.  Saw it on and off all afternoon and it was still there when we were having tea.  Last we saw was it sitting in a tree at about 18.00 and it stayed there for at least an hour.  The fields have been cut over the past few days which attracts certain birds.
House sparrows have gone from being a rare visitor to our garden to a thriving group of about 12.  Has anyone else noticed them in places where they are not normally seen?  

Ogden Golf Course

A common buzzard soaring over the course yesterday morning before drifting away in the direction of the Luddenden Valley

Broadhead Clough, Sunderland Pasture and Stoodley Pike

Broadhead Clough was dead ! Apart from 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 1 Siskin flyover and a Jay. 25+ Speckled Wood butterflies in the clough.

Not much better on the tops for birds but the weather was great, hot and sunny throughout.
1 Lesser Redpoll in Sunderland Pasture and a single Wheatear nearby. Small mixed flock of c25 Meadow Pipits and c30 Linnets.
A few Swallows
1 Weasel
4 Common Hawkers buzzing around the plantation.
Not a raptor anywhere - seems like Kestrels have taken a plunge !

First Siskin

My first Siskin of the autumn in the garden today at Skircoat. Did anybody note breeding this year, or probable breeding?

Red kite

A red kite flew past Jumble Hole this afternoon, from Todmorden towards Hebden Bridge. A flock of 45+ swifts were feeding over Erringden yesterday.

Withens Clough

Spotted Flycatcher near the reservoir earlier today from PG

Ogden golf course area and Swales Moor

Ogden golf course from late yesterday afternoon (Saturday 13th) - male Redstart still showing in the hedge near the bottom of the golf course and looking very much in molt and being quiet and secretive just showing once then hiding away. Looks like the same bird as the one there on 18th July.
Also on Hunter Hill yesterday - a Green Woodpecker headed off towards Mixenden plantation.

This afternoon on Ringby Lane - not a lot doing
1 Kestrel
10+ Linnet and c20 Pied Wagtails in 'the wagtail' field but no sign of the Yellow Wagtails now. Possibly one White Wagtail in the field today but they are tricky with so many juvenile 'pieds' about and adults in stages of moult. !
2 House Martins above Lee Lane
9 Starlings
2 Stock Doves
2 juvenile Little Owls nearby

 One of 2 juvenile Little Owls just a bit distant

 

Juvenile Pied Wagtail

Lee Mount
8 Swifts over this morning

13th august

Adult Whitethroat with at least 2 fledged young at Roils Head this pm, also 2 common Buzzards south at nearby High Road Well Moor. Still a few Swifts kicking around.

Lee Mount

A group of around 30 Swifts went through together this morning, feeding high above the park as they went >SE at around 08:45.
Also a female Blackcap eating honeysuckle berries later in the day

12th August

Swift still entering the eaves of a house at Rye Lane, Pellon,1 Willow Warbler at Roils Head then bingo, at last, my first Hobby of the year flew right over my head at Moor End Road and headed east towards Roils Head. Its been a poor year for Hobby in Calderdale with just 4 reports so far.

Lee Mount

Just 3 Swifts over >SW today and 1 House Martin

Swales Moor

On the top at Ringby lane late morning - pretty cool in the strong westerly wind though it did stay dry. The farmer was ploughing the field so all the good chickweed areas will be gone later today - these were the best areas for the wagtails ! With turning the soil over the site will probably stay good for the birds for a few weeks yet.
I went to check 'the wagtail' field with maybe up to 50 Pied Wagtails, predominantly juvenile birds so it is possible maybe unidentified alba's in amongst them. Not a sign of any 'flava's (Yellow Wagtails).
c10 Linnet and 6 or more Goldfinch in the field along with 10+ Meadow Pipits as well as a lot of corvids and a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls following the plough.
10 Stock Dove
9 Starlings
1 Swift high >S
1 Red Admiral sheltering behind a wall

Lee Mount

Still some Swifts about early evening just prior to the drizzle, with around 16 feeding over the trees above Shroggs Park.

Protests in Hebden this weekend

Early start Nick ;)

Hebden Bridge people will gather in St Georges Square at 9am on 12th and 13th August to protest the not-so-glorious 12th August, traditionally the start of the grouse shooting season.

It is widely accepted that mismanagement of the Walshaw Moor blanket bogs for intensive grouse rearing has contributed to three severe floods in Hebden Bridge over the last four years, and downstream in the Calder Valley.

Some households and businesses have still not recovered from the terrible Boxing Day flood last year, when the town centre was under up to five feet of filthy water.

Protesters are calling for Richard Bannister, the owner of Walshaw Moor Estate, to urgently take ecological conservation and restoration measures that will significantly reduce peak flow in Hebden Water.

Although as an EU Natura 2000 site Walshaw Moor has the highest possible level of environmental protection, the landowner’s agreement with Natural England permits so-called “cool burning of heather, as well as extensive track building and draining within 50 metres of the many grouse shooting butts gouged out of the peat.

Supported by £2.5m of taxpayer subsidies via Environmental Stewardship payments for “restoring” the moors,  the owner of Walshaw Moor, Richard Bannister leaves vast swathes of precious peatland scarred with vehicle tracks  and drained and burnt dry – although the permitted “cool burning’ is supposed not to damage the sphagnum moss that grows on moorland peat and is vital for the survival of the blanket bog.

This is all so that unnaturally large populations of red grouse can be nurtured as live targets for ‘guns’.

Leeds University research, led by Dr Lee Brown and published in 2014, confirms Ban the Burn campaigners’ criticisms of the Walshaw Moor Estate burning.

In all areas that the Leeds University researchers looked at over a period of five years, permitted cool burning destroyed the sphagnum moss and left bare peat.

It also lowered the water table so the peat dried out, oxidised and became a source of net carbon loss – rather than a net carbon uptake through taking CO2 out of the atmosphere and sinking it into the peat. This worsens climate change.

Dr Joseph Holden’s 2015 update to this research confirmed that the destruction of the sphagnum by permitted burning on blanket bog also increases the amount and speed of water runoff during the worst 20% of storms, so worsening the risk of flooding in areas below the moors.

In response to a complaint from local residents’ group Ban the Burn, the European Commission has started a legal process against the UK government for:

• the failure to carry out appropriate assessments on the Walshaw Moor  Estate in the South Pennines Natura 2000 site, and other Natura 2000 sites, as required under the EU Habitats Directive in relation to a number of management agreements
• allowing burning of blanket bogs within the Natura 2000 sites
• the failure to avoid deterioration of blanket bog habitats within those sites in England

The UK government had two months to respond to the EU Commission letter, which was sent on 29th April 2016. This is the first step in a legal process. But with the UK vote to leave the EU, Yorkshire and Humberside MEP Linda McAvan has said it is unclear whether the European Commission is following up the process.

Hebden Bridge residents are determined to keep up the pressure to protect and restore the rare and valuable blanket bog and in doing so, to reduce the flood risk to the town and the downstream Calder Valley.

Link to Mark Avery's site

Ogden and Hunter Hill

I came across this very obliging Brown Hare this afternoon along Hunter Hill. I think I was just lucky as I looked over a wall and managed to get the camera on it before it realised I was there !

Below - this Whinchat was down on the fence at the lower end of the golf course. I thought at first it was an adult male but from the photo's, the plumage, despite the bold eye-stripe, looks more like a juvenile or maybe it's the adult male in moult. A scarce bird in Calderdale nowadays though I expect there will be some autumn migrants coming through in the next few weeks from more northern areas.

Not a lot else about other than a few Swallows >W
7 Swifts >NW - they have really thinned out in the last few days with many now on their way back to Africa.
Meadow Pipits - a pair still feeding young
2 Willow Warblers
c30 Linnets feeding on thistles near Stodfold
Lots of Woodpigeons on the billberies !

One from the note book

Ringstone  September 1996 ...for those who do not remember 1 Curlew Sandpiper  , 11  Little Stints , 3 Ruff , 2 Wood Sandpipers  , Yellow legged Gull and plenty of common waders ..20 years since the last Wood Sand.......

Withens Head and Ovenden Moor

This morning doing a Butterfly Survey but tied in a bit of birding as well - of course.
1 Curlew high >W
3 Willow Warblers and 3 Wheatear in and around Moorlands Farm buildings and garden
40+ Swallows
4 House Martin >W
30+ Swifts >W
1 Reed Bunting
Pair of Blackbirds still feeding young
1 Little Owl but no other raptors
40+ Linnet and 30+ Goldfinch in the fields by the former Withens Pub

 2 of 3 Wheatears at Moorlands Farm

Soil Hill and Lost Lens Hood

        Went up Soil Hill after dinner but nothing to much to see,
        8 Meadow Pipits, 6 Wood Pigeon and lots of Crows,  I then
        lost my lens cap and adaptor so if any one finds it please give
        it to Dave Sutcliffe, Taylor lane had House Martins and House
        Sparrows at the bottom of the road. Pics are from Taylor Lane and
        Claremount Hill last week.

     

Swales Moor

Ringby Lane late morning. I went looking for the Yellow Wagtail but I couldn't find it. Just a few Pied/alba Wagtails today so it  looks like most of them have moved on overnight maybe (?)

A really nice surprise was and adult Hobby at around 12:35. All the corvids went up and I caught this smart falcon passing me low down about 30 meters away. Immaculate plumage detail but I had just put the camera lens-cap on so just viewed it in the bin's going at speed it went straight past me and shot down the hillside >W and I lost it somewhere over the top end of Boothtown. Always a great bird to see though we have had very few confirmed reports this year.

Just a few Linnets, Goldfinch and Swallows about + 1 House Martin, loads of corvids, a few L B B Gulls and a 'trickle' of passing Swifts - mostly very high >W

Swales Moor area

Ringby Lane late morning - 1 Yellow Wagtail juvenile still in 'the wagtail' field along with 30+ Pied Wagtails, mainly juveniles, plus c20 Meadow Pipits and a Skylark.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/PbDYowcccWg

Driven Grouse Shooting

A bit more on the campaign against driven grouse shooting.

http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/calder-valley-campaigners-leading-nationwide-11698076

Ploughcroft and Pepper Hill

I headed up towards Ringby to check on the wagtail field but heavy plant was using Ringby Lane so I changed course and went on Hag Lane instead. Good move as it happened in the shelter of the west side of Shibden Valley as the westerly wind was very strong and gusting.
Loads of House Martins were feeding in the shelter of the valley either side of Lee Lane. Maybe 70+ with just a few Swallows. Not had so many House Martins locally for ages though they are really scarce breeding birds in Calderdale nowadays. I guess these were maybe migrants including juveniles and non breeders (?)
30+ Swifts were heading very high >W along with a few L B B Gulls
1 Peregrine high over Claremount spooked the corvids in the fields at Pepper Hill, above Claremount.
Not a lot else other than a few Linnet and Goldfinch with a pair of Meadow Pipits still feeding young.

Swales Moor

Juvenile Yellow Wagtail - at least one still present today late afternoon with around 30 Pied/alba wagtails

Redstart

Redstart still in shelter belt at Roils Head with several Willow Warblers. Chiffchaff yesterday.

Baitings Reservoir

From Pete G this morning - a Sedge Warbler. A scarce bird nowadays in Calderdale.

Roils Head

First Redstart of the autumn this afternoon in the northern shelter belt.

Swales Moor

Ringby Lane this afternoon
2 juvenile 'flava' wagtails still present along with c20 Meadow Pipits, 1 Skylark and 35+ alba wagtails - mostly juveniles all round
4 Stock Doves, a few Linnets and the usual corvids and L B B Gulls

Photos below of just one of the Yellow Wagtails. They are so difficult to get anywhere near them - always going away from the camera !

Fwd: Natural England issues licence for Buzzard killing

Begin forwarded message:

Subject: Natural England issues licence for Buzzard killing

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=5829&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Gorple area etc

From Pete G today
1 Whinchat at Gorple Gate
77 Golden Plover
1 Little Ringed Plover

News from Alan T at Ringstone - shoreline showing quite well so it's well worth watching for passage waders. Lets hope it stays low for a while - like all of late summer and  autumn will do nicely !

East of Brighouse

Colnebridge. Sand Martin still taking food to one of the nest holes. juv Whitethroat. Bradley Hall Farm. Green Woodpecker - adult. 12+ Swallows including plenty of juvs. Kingfisher over the canal. 5 Mistle Thrushes including juvs. Whitethroat - adult. No sign of any Yellowhammers, unfortunately.

Swales Moor

Ringby Lane, on the top this afternoon and plenty of small birds along the fence line to the north of the muddy field.
Light drizzle - with 1 juvenile Yellow Wagtail still present but very elusive and it took some finding. Eventually found it in the longer vegetation with a single Skylark
35+ Pied Wagtail
35+ Meadow Pipits
1 Lapwing >NW
2 Whitethroat
1 Willow Warbler
1 male House Sparrow on the top
30+ Goldfinch
c10 Linnet
2 Kestrel
30+ Goldfinch
10+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls loafing about on the ridge
20+ Swallows
6+ Swifts

Willow Warbler - probably a juvenile judging by yellow on the entire underparts

Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult)

Fly Flats

This afternoon as the mist came down after heavy rain. Nothing doing over the water  other than Canada Geese.
1 juvenile Wheatear
1 male Reed Bunting
c35 Meadow Pipits came in after heavy rain

 Meadow Pipit

Meadow Pipit (notice the long hind claw!)

Swales Moor

Ringby Lane - 2 flava wagtails this morning confirmed by Pete S after BS suspected there might have  been two there yesterday evening. Plenty of Pied Wagtails and a few Meadow Pipits in the field as well at mid morning and 1 'flava' showing. (DJS AT)
NK confirmed both 'flavas' relocated and still there at 11:45.

Swales Moor

Ringby Lane this afternoon mainly in search of butterfly's but came up trumps with a bird !
Plenty of corvids, L B B Gulls and 1 Common Gull on the top.

1 Whitethroat below - poor shot as it dived off into a bush

2 wagtails along the lane one of which turned out to be a flava (Yellow) Wagtail juvenile with a juv Pied Wag. As I approached they headed off into the dried up muddy field where there were anything up to 40 wagtails, nearly all juveniles and all 'pied ' except one.!  I relocated the Y wag with some difficulty and eventually got one or two distant record shots which are probably not that good but will see if any are worth posting on the blog later.
It was still in the field when I left around 16:30 but it could be tricky to find in the muddy furrows and undulations.

Yellow Wagtail

Cold Edge

A couple of hours up there this morning but not a lot doing !
1 Little Owl
6 Lapwing
1 Curlew flyover >W
Red Grouse with large chicks
c40 Swallows
2 Mistle Thrush
2 Reed Buntings
3 x pairs of Linnets
A few Goldfinch
Song Thrush singing
2 pairs Blackbirds still feeding young as a few meadow Pipits are too
1 Common Buzzard over Mount Tabor on the way back

 Female Linnet

Male Linnet

Strangest Jumble Hole sighting ever

Not a rarity, but very much out of place - I was just outside in the garden at home (Jumble Hole) on the phone and a kingfisher flew through heading west, calling. It's the last bird I'd expect to see up here! Presumably post breeding dispersal. A garden tick I never expected.

Young birds

Loads of newly fledged birds in the last few days including:
- 1 young dipper on stream at Jumble Hole
- 3 young kestrels and an adult between Jumble Hole and Erringden
- 2 juv green woodpecker Jumble Hole
- 2 seperate nests of goldfinch on ivy either side of my house (Jumble Hole)
- lots of Siskin suddenly being heard around here at the moment, presumably some recently fledged
- 3 kingfishers today from the river bridge leading to Hebden Bridge train station (downstream side) - 1 well fledged juv being attended to by 2 adults (photo is taken on a mobile, hence the dodgy quality)

Baitings and Ringstone

From Pete G this morning - doing well this week Pete !
Ringstone Res'r - with just a little shoreline showing....
12 Tufted Duck
3 Common Sandpipers
1 Snipe

Baitings
Lesser Redpolls with 4/5 showing well in the clear-fell area parallel to the main road.
Also first thing, in the willow scrub near the car park, just over the dam wall. Chiff-chaff, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler and Whitethroat showing. They looked to be moving through, as a check later on found they had all gone.

Swifts: Walsden

The four swifts I've been watching above Walsden cricket field are now six. Lots of screeching this morning while my bus was making its time up. Does the screeching mean they have juveniles with them? If so, it's a poor result, isn't it?

Blackstone Edge and Baitings

From Pete G yesterday - a juvenile Yellow Wagtail. A rare sighting in Calderdale nowadays. !

From Pete again today  - an adult Hobby late morning over Baitings Reservoir >W. Also at Baitings today, lots of Swallows and House Martins feeding around the dam wall and 40+ Pied and Grey Wagtails with plenty  juveniles all around the reservoir. A good flock of Mistle Thrush and 3 Green Woodpeckers nearby included an adult and 2 fledged juveniles.

Ogden etc

Golf Course and Stodfold area late morning. Pretty quiet but what turned up at the lower end of the course was well worthwhile.
1 male Redstart showing on and off was looking a bit worn. Well done to BS for locating it again this afternoon, though briefly after sweating it out !!!
Also a skulking Whitethroat
1 Reed Bunting
2 Meadow Pipits
Lots of Ringlet and Meadow Brown butterflies in that area in this scorching weather today.

Plenty of Black- headed Gulls this afternoon over Lee Mount hawking insects, maybe flying ants. ?
A perfect afternoon for raptors moving through high on the thermals but couldn't find anything!

Yesterday's update

4 unidentified Terns flying over Northowram around 08:50 Sunday morning > towards Queensbury direction from AC

Also from Nick D at Walshaw Dean yesterday evening 3 Common Terns at the  reservoirs

Ringstone

windy up there this morning.7 tufted duck-5 great crested grebe-2 drake common scoter-pair of moorhen with 2 young.a few swifts passing through 4 l.b.b.gulls and a few b.h.gulls plus the usual corvids.

Lee Mount

60+ Swifts first thing this morning feeding high over the ridge at the top end of Shroggs Park. They looked fantastic, feeding high in the muggy and humid conditions. After 10 mins or so the majority dispersed. It's ages since we had a large flock like this over the house - all screeming so I guess some juveniles have already fledged (maybe)?
Another 3/4 weeks and most of them will be well on their way back to Africa.

Sparrowhawk in Garden

       Sparrowhawk in my garden today after just catching
       a starling.

Mount Tabor and Fly Flats

I checked the fields between Woodlesford and Mount Tabor this morning to see if yesterdays Mediterranean Gull, found by Nick, had returned. No sign of the bird though there were plenty gulls and corvids still feeding in the fields so there is a possibility it might return.
160+ B H Gulls
28 L B B Gulls
5 Common Gulls
c85 Rook with their juveniles
c40 Jackdaws and a few Carrion Crows
c35 Starlings
1 Skylark
15+ Meadow Pipits some moving through high >SW
2 Linnet
40 Woodpigeons
13 Stock Doves

Fly Flats
Barnacle Goose is back with the Canada flock
1 Tufted Duck
7 B H Gulls >SW
1 Redshank flyover at The Withens >NE

Linnets breeding and anyone familiar with this dragonfly?

I've put pictures over on the Calderdale-wildife blog.

Jackdaws

Just for the record, two juveniles with an adult in a small tree next to Todmorden Bus Station this afternoon.

4th Med Gull for Mount Tabor

Yesterday I noticed the local farmer was cutting the fields and that a couple of Black-headed Gulls had joined 5 Lessers to feed. So I returned today to find the place buzzing with Gulls. 30+ Lesser's 10 Common and some 150 Black heads. On closer inspection I found a stunning adult summer Med Gull in with the Black heads, my fourth for this site, unfortunately for some reason I had left my camera at home, but Dave soon arrived on site just in time to see the bird fly off to the west so hopefully he will post some photos later tonight.

Green Withens and Ringstone

From Alan T today - no sign of yesterday's reported White Stork but a drake Common Scoter there this morning and another, female/immature type at Ringstone Res'r this afternoon.
The Ringtone bird was distant,but still present this evening as I passed on the way home

Mount Tabor

Summer plumage adult Mediterranean Gull found by Nick on the Mount Tabor fields mid afternoon. A great find. I managed to get up there to view the bird for a few minutes before it headed off >NW at 16:10. It looked immaculate. In recent years July seems one of the best months to find them locally among the B H Gull flocks.
Will try get some photos on later this evening.
Also present in the newly cut fields were maybe 30+ L B B Gulls, 10+ Common Gulls and 100+ B H Gulls.

Mediterranean Gull - Mount Tabor

Green Withens

Report on BirdGuides yesterday of a distant White Stork over Rishworth Moor gaining height on thermals as viewed from M62 at midday. 

Nothing doing up there yesterday evening per TW. 

We occasionally get reports of White Stork in summer possibly from the Harewood House collection !

Blackstone Edge Reservoir

From PG - earlier today a good move of Swifts with a few Swallows 08:30 ish,  and later - a bonus bird for Calderdale nowadays - a single Common Tern >SW

Little Owls, Norland Moor

Just spent an hour watching the Little owls on Norland Moor, 2 adults and one fledgling, couldn't spot any more.

Its only a 5 minute walk from home for me, I've walked the path only recently and  didn't even know they were there.

Thank you Brian for the 'heads up' in an earlier post, I'll probably return later to see if I can get a few record shots, cheers :)

Ovenden Moor

Top end of Ogden, across Ovenden Moor and back by the golf course this morning
A solitary Whinchat was a prize worth tramping round for. Never a common bird in Calderdale but not an easy bird to find here nowadays though we do find a few returning birds in the autumn.
2 Reed Buntings
2 Linnets
A few Meadow Pipits still feeding young
2 Curlew
A few Swifts and Swallows
1 Kestrel near The Withens
Juvenile Wrens in the bracken

distant Whinchat

Mute Swans

The 8 juv Mute Swans are doing very well at Shibden park also 5 young  Coots and 2 juv Grey Wagtails....long time (if ever) I have seen 10 Mute Swans in Calderdale at the same time .....great news

Cold Edge

A bit noisy up there this aft with the water sports on the top dam  but I did manage 2 Little Grebes on the lower pond. Not a lot else other than 1 Curlew and a singing Willow Warbler along with a few Linnet, Goldfinch, Meadow Pipits, Swallows and Swifts.

Wednesday walk for those not at work

Hugh Firman has organised a walk on the moors with Moors for the Future this Weds 13.7.16.
It has taken a bit of setting up so they are hoping for a good number of participants from those lucky enough to be able to go mid-week.

Full details on the Calderdale Wildlife Blog. (Panel to the right of the posts.)

By the way, Hugh has chipped a bone in his elbow in a fall while out surveying, so is off work for a while.

If you need more details please email or ring Julie Swift   -    Julie.Swift@calderdale.gov.uk.

Also you're all very welcome to my talk on Tuesday - I have pictures of Striated Caracara, Tussac Bird, Falkland Thrush, Falkland Siskin, Cobb's Wren, "Puffing Pig" harbour dolphins, five species of penguin, Albatrosses, etc. etc. Also plenty of pics of fantastic plants, and of museum material on the extinct endemic canid, the "Warrah". Poster with details over on the Calderdale-wildlife.blogspot. (7.15pm Tues 12th July at Halifax Central Library in the basement meeting rooms.)

Ogden

Just an hour or so this afternoon at the lower end of the golf course and Stodfold area at the lower end of Hunter Hill.
1 Little Owl
1 Oystercatcher flyover >SW
Several Linnets, Goldfinches and Meadow Pipits
2 House Martins
1 Grey Wagtail flyover >SW
40+ juv Swallows with adults near Stodfold and 20+ juv Pied Wagtails along the very muddy lane leading to Mixenden Reservoir

For Info - from BL

http://henharrierday.org/2016-events.html

Cold Edge and Fly Flats

I was driving up Cold Edge Road by Nolstar when I spotted a wader coming over from Hunter Hill. Leapt out of the car  as it went right over at speed gaining height. Typical Godwit with fast powerful flight, larger than Golden Plover and Redshank with a very long bill. I just couldn't get any plumage detail as it disappeared high into the grey sky and it was gone heading >SW probably in the direction of Ringstone maybe (?)
Elsewhere - not a lot !

Withens Head - Curlew and Snipe calling and c40 Starlings nearby

Fly Flats
1 Kestrel
3 Common Sandpipers
1 Wheatear
2 + Curlew
2 Lapwing
c400 Canada Geese
6 Carrion Crow
Just a few Swifts high >SW
No gulls

Our Garden - Weds. 6th
Female redstart hanging around for at least an hour.  Pity about the quality of my pictures!
During the same period we saw one female reed bunting, one male linnet feeding on the ground under the bird feeders and a few meadow pipits including some juv. ones.  There seemed to be a lot of bird activity generally.

Swales Moor

Ringby Lane late morning. Not a lot to report other than a nice juvenile Stonechat along the lane at the top of the hill.
A few Meadow Pipits and Linnets along with a solitary Skylark.
A few Swifts and Swallows.
A few corvids and 10+ Lesser Black-back Gulls loafing around on the top near the processing plant.

Walshaw

Had a nice stroll up towards the plantation near Walshaw.  Lots of activity, spotted fly again same place as last year, oystercatcher behaviour suggests young, curlers, willow warblers etc. And hundreds of sheep streaming past where I sat.  Lovely day !

Norland

Spent an hour up on moor yesterday.

Plenty of pipits, swifts, swallows. Mistle Thrush. Greenfinch in hedgerow near car. 1 Little Owl.

Our Garden
Watched a buzzard on and off for about an hour yesterday while we were having our lunch.  A tractor was cutting the grass in fields across the valley and the buzzard kept coming to have a look but didn't land.  A carrion crow was trying to see it off.
Curlew flew over silently.
Young Pied Wagtails around.

Cold Edge

This afternoon, tricky up there on the strong and blustery westerly though it was sunny and hot.
1 Little Grebe on the lower pond
1 Moorhen on the top pond
No waders at all though a scattering of Linnets, Goldfinches, Meadow Pipits, Swifts and Swallows
1 Willow Warbler still singing
1 Grey Wagtail flyover >SW
Blackbirds still feeding young

All the photo's I got of this individual Swift this afternoon (and this is the best) show an enlarged throat - I wonder if this is just a full crop ready for returning to the nest ? I have never seen (or noticed) this before with Swifts - has anyone else ?

Apart from that, just 1 Small Heath butterfly and 3 Large Skippers on thistles by the small plantation

our garden

Gt. spotted W'pecker feeding juv. with sunflower hearts from our feeder.  Large family of great tits but only a couple of young blue tits.  Jackdaws eating all fat balls and wood pigeon and stock doves eating up seed which has dropped onto floor.  Curlew flying around adjoining field alarm calling - couldn't see anything obvious but grass is long as hasn't been cut yet so could have been a fox.  Hear little owl calling now and again.

Ringstone

Up at the hide doing some repairs this morning with Geoff S so not a lot of time for birding though at least 5 single Curlews went west along with a few Swifts. We were alerted by other wader calls around 10:50 and 2 Black - tailed Godwits came through, briefly flying around the reservoir obviously looking towards the possibility of dropping in to rest and feed. They looked fantastic in flight, still in summer plumage. With little shoreline to tempt them in they soon left going high to the west.
6 Tufted Duck
A few Swallows
 Meadow Pipits feeding young
1 Moorhen
1 Kestrel
Also with the help of Steve D we finished the task in hand and the hide is up and running again with just one or two minor jobs to finish off sometime.

house sparrows

For us house sparrows are a very occasional visitor (about once/twice a year) but this year they have nested nearby and I have seen about 11 regularly, including recently fledged.  Maybe not very exciting to most people but very unusual for us!
Two dippers and a grey wagtail at Mill Bank this morning.

Mytholmroyd

One of two juvenile grey wagtails regularly seen from the bridge onto New Road seems not to have any long tail feathers. Rather the outline of a robin!

Buzzards

2 buzzards over Erringden this afternoon. Also 3 whitethroat holding territories around Jumble Hole this year

Breeding Dipper

An adult and a juvenile were in the Calder at Todmorden Bus Station this evening at about 6pm, although I have no idea of the actual nest site. It is possible there might have been other juveniles further downstream, unfortunately I was not able to hang about to check.

Fly Flats

Weather was hot and humid, not often like this up there. There was even a bloke 'skinny dipping'!!
Also met up with Alan T having done the rounds at Cold Edge.
1 + Common Sandpiper
8 + Curlew
c30 Lapwings
c60 Rooks came in briefly to feed in the top fields but soon left towards Ovenden Moor or Thornton Moor.
2 Starlings (not often seen up here)!
1 Sand Martin went though >NE
2 Kestrel
No sign of any returning juvenile Wheatears yet and no Swifts feeding over the reservoir today.

Raptor Persecution - update !

https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2016/06/22/hands-off-our-hen-harriers-picnic-at-grimwith-reservoir-yorkshire-dales-national-park/



https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2016/06/18/henrys-picnic-sat-25-june-yorkshire-dales-national-park/

Colnebridge area

Sand Martins in and out of two holes under the Leeds/Brighouse railway bridge, overlooking the canal. Same site as previous years. Female Goosander and 4 juvs at the junction of the Calder and Colne rivers. About a dozen Swallows nearby, including juvs being fed. Grey Wagtail by the canal, Cormorant over the river, and Blackcaps calling in the undergrowth.

Ringstone

A report from Alan T earlier on today 10:00 ish prompted a call up there this afternoon in the rain for the 8 Common Scoters - which are right on queue for this time of year in our area ! They were still there at least up till 18:00 (Vicki J)

Distant shot 6 males and 2 immature/female type Common Scoters

Luddenden Dean

Yesterday afternoon - very quiet in the upper dean with hardly anything doing.
1 Chiff-chaff
1 Blackcap
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Grey Heron
4 Willow Warblers
2 Mistle Thrush
and a few other usual species

Mistle Thrush

Little owl

At least one newly fledged little owl chick near Jack Bridge. Colden. This has always been a reliable site, but nice to get proof of breeding this year.

Withens Clough and reservoir circuit

Overcast today though it did stay dry while we were up there. We were maybe hoping for one or more of these species - Stonechat, Whinchat, Tree Pipit, Grasshopper Warbler and Cuckoo but we drew a blank on all 5... That's how it goes sometimes ! Other birds made up for it though.
2 Siskin
4 Lesser Redpoll
1 Garden Warbler
3+ Blackcaps
2 Common Sandpiper (just a little shoreline showing)
1 Green Woodpecker
2 Curlew
7 Lapwings >W
104 Canada Geese
Distant common Buzzard but no Kestrels
Grey Wagtails seem to have had a good year for breeding success with 2 pairs and several independent juveniles seen.
Several Meadow Pipits, Swallows, Swifts, Reed Buntings, Linnets and Willow Warblers and a bonus with some nesting House Martins.

Male Linnet

Fly Flats

Nothing much new there from yesterday morning other than..
1 Herring Gull >N
c60 Lapwing
1 Dunlin
Still around 50+ Swifts feeding over the water though I guess numbers will increase dramaticacly in the right weather conditions over the next few weeks
The reservoir is now overflowing with all the recent rain
35 Rooks (including juveniles) came in from Ovenden Moor direction again to feed on the in-bye with the Lapwings and Curlew

Rooks

Jumble Hole

Cuckoo still calling this evening. 2 whitethroat calling. Newly fledged nuthatch in the woods. Green woodpecker heard, but not seen.

Fly Flats

Late morning with the reservoir filling up rapidly with all the recent rain and no shoreline left.
Still the usual waders showing but not a lot else other than c30 Rooks (an uncommon bird at this location) foraging in the in-bye with their newly fledged youngsters.
c60 Swifts - now building in numbers along with 8 Swallows making the most of hatching insects.
1 Red-legged Partridge
2 L B B Gulls

Oystercatcher

Calderdale Species Audit List

Has any one got a list of species in Calderdale with the relevant amber green and red codes on it ..??

Hardcastle Crags and Crimsworth Dean

Mist on the tops so had a go at Crimsworth Dean first but not a lot doing throughout the woodland so I gave from Midgehole to Gibson Mill a go -and was lucky enough to locate the  3 singing Wood Warblers  (all found yesterday by Roger R.).
I managed to get a few shots of one individual below.

Weekend !

Male Redstart and a Cuckoo in Luddenden Dean on Saturday and 3 Wood Warblers singing in Hardcastle Crags yesterday (RR)
Also Cuckoo (first report from Ogden this year) (BS)

Hen Harrier Rally

Anyone interested in this?  More details to follow

https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2016/06/12/hands-off-our-hen-harriers-picnic-rally-25-june-2016-north-yorkshire/

Baitings

Was just passing Baitings this lunchtime, and stopped the car for a 2 minute look. A male common scoter on the water made me glad I did.

Elsewhere, 2 avocet were reported this morning at Higher Chelburn Reservoir, just  out of our area our side of Hollingworth Lake (thanks to Nick Wilkinson). Could turn up at Whiteholme, which is a very short distance from there?
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?hl=en&mid=14SBlMNttRi-g95Ri42MSfoMID5Q

Well done the National Trust!

https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2016/06/10/national-trust-pulls-grouse-shooting-lease-in-peak-district-national-park/

Can I suggest people e mail them to congratulate them on this welcome move (as suggested in the article).

Hen Harriers

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/en-gb/169/787/736/stop-the-illegal-persecution-of-rare-hen-harriers-in-england/?taf=1

Pied Flycatchers

We have had some breeding success in a nestbox supplied by the bird group in woodland near Hebden Bridge. A pair have raised 6 young, who are now on the verge of fledging. The male is suspected of being a first summer, but is being a very attentive parent, which young males aren't always great at.

Steve Downing and Mike Denton ringed the chicks (both licensed to do so) so with some luck we may find out a little about their future, or at least whether they return next year to the same area.

Photos are 'record shots' - my camera and its operator are pretty poor.

Red Kite

1 north over midgley moor yesterday 

Wood warbler audio

A short audio clip of the wood warbler calling at Jumble Hole. Just phone recording, so obviously the bird cannot be seen.

Shibden Mute Swans

8 cygnets in the boating lake.

Jumble Hole

Wood warbler in full song today at lunchtime. Spotted flycatcher still present this evening, along with a cuckoo.

Broadhead clough

Lovely evening walk through the wood up to the moor and back home via daisy bank 

Wood warbler singing and a cuckoo no tree pipits 

RSPB Community

Thanks to BL for this link below

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/ourwork/b/investigations/archive/2016/06/01/proceed-with-caution.aspx

Migratory Birds

https://www.change.org/p/save-europes-migratory-birds-stop-the-wind-turbine-farm-in-eilot-now

This link is worth looking at and signing
Thanks to Nick Carter for the post link