30th April

A male Whitethroat back at Roils Head today. Last night 3 Grasshopper Warblers reeling at Scammonden and 1 reported at Soil Hill also.

Blackshaw Head and Jumble Hole

Did my early visit for the BTO Breeding Bird Survey at Blackshaw Head this morning and met a lady called Debbie who said she heard a Cuckoo down Jumble Hole on Monday.

Lapwing - 4
Curlew - 2
Linnet - 4
Meadow Pipit - 3
Skylark - 1
Swallow - 2
Reed Bunting - 2

Walked back down Jumble Hole and checked for the Garden Warblers that Matt reported but no sight or sound for me today. Lots of ChiffChaffs and Willow Warblers, a Grey Wagtail in the stream, and 2 Blackcaps singing as well. The highlight was a Willow Warbler that landed just 2 yards from me and started to sing - fabulous. Don't take the camera with me on BBS visits as I don't have enough hands to sort out pencil, recording sheets, bins and camera :)

Important Meeting re North Loop, Cromwell Bottom

On the 8th May there will be a meeting to discuss the proposals relating to the restoration of North Loop Closed Landfill Site, Cromwell Bottom. This meeting will provide a forum to input and discuss matters relating to the creation of biodiversity and access features on this unique development opportunity. The meeting will also provide further information and update on proposals surrounding the installation of a fish ladder and hydro-electricity option at the weir.

As usual, the meeting will be held at the Mulberry Suite, Brighouse 6th Form College, at 7:00pm on Thursday the 8th May.

FULL DETAILS HERE

Cold Edge and Withens Head

We went to do the BTO annual Breeding Bird Survey this morning in the mist and the day came out in glorious sunshine.
Nothing out of the ordinary though a decent mix of birds and a few butterfly's
Plenty Wheatears about including at least 12 in one small field opposite Nolstar Kennels.
A few Linnets about as well
1 Little Grebe
2 pairs Tufted Duck
A Greylag looks to be paired with a Canada - that could be interesting!
Several Reed Buntings, mipits and Skylarks plenty but not many waders other than the usual.
Still no Swifts and just a few Swallows
No raptors at all

Plenty Small Tortoiseshell butterfly's 100+
A few Peacocks and Small Whites and in one spot on Ovenden Moor 6+ Green Hairstreaks

Yellow Wagtail

JB sent me this pic of the Yellow Wag at Ringstone Edge yesterday, nice!!!!!

Roils Head

Sorry guys not a bird but I thought people might like to know, took this pic of an Emperor Moth at Roils ead at the weekend, its only the second one Ive seen on the ground. Lots flying around over the heather.

Whinchat

Digi scoped this Whinchat at Walshaw car park on 27th, also had Reed Warbler and Whitethroat at EGP and possibly Garden Warbler singing briefly 115.

Jumble Hole

2 garden warbler back on territory. Also 3 blackcap, 7 willow warbler and 4 chiffchaff. Green woodpecker looking like its building a nest  in an undisclosed location. 7 house martins around. Woodcock roding this evening.

Soil Hill and Mixenden Res'r

Soil Hill
A brief visit to check the top!
2 male Wheatear
Several Skylarks, mipits and a few Linnets and Swallows

Mixenden Res'r
c100 Swallows feeding low over the water
c6 Sand Martins but no House Martins
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Grey Wagtail
5 LBBG's on the water and another 13 >SW along with 2 adult Herring Gulls

Comic Tern

                     Comic Tern at Ringstone this morning.

Blake Dean to Holme Ends

BLAKE DEAN.
1 tree pipit
11 willow warbler
Dozens of chaffinch
Siskins heard
2 goldcrest
1 pied wagtail
1 grey wagtail

HOLME ENDS
6 oystercatcher
2 willow warbler
C. 8 curlew
9 lapwing
2 pied wagtail
Pair of blackbirds
2 siskin over
3 skylark
3 swallow
11 meadow pipit

Weystone Moor

I walked the tops above the M62 for a couple of hours around mid-day in the hope of finding special migrants in the moor! Nothing doing.
c10 male Wheatears
A few mipits and Skylarks
1 Red Grouse
2 Curlew
2 Golden Plover
1 Swallow >W
1 Raven over high heading towards Lancashire!

On the way back through Sowerby Bridge a Ring-necked Parakeet flew over the road and into trees near Crow Wood Park. Occasionally one has been reported in this area over recent months. There was one in the Shibden Valley as well a few years ago (PS) so they are not common around here, unlike some areas of the country and London parks !!

High Royd

This morning
c100 Swallows and c50 House Martins and a few Sand Martins feeding in a frenzy around the filter beds but no sign of any Swifts yet.
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Whitethroat singing
1 Blackcap
A few Willow Warblers
1 Chiff-chaff
Pair of Nuthatches copulating
c40 Carrion Crows on the filter beds
1 Jay
1 Sparrowhawk over high

Another murder mystery

Found these feathers up Jumble Hole today, but this time I don't know the victim. I have an idea, but don't want to jeopardise anyone else's suggestion. Any thoughts?

Ogden

In search of the Tree Pipits this morning but drizzle and fog was not a help so drew a blank!
2 Reed Buntings near the 'Giants Tooth'
15+ Willow Warblers in and around the plantation
1 Chiff-chaff
1 Blackcap

Golf Course
1 B H Gull >NE
4 Common Gulls >NE
1 Wheatear
Willow Warbler
Pied Wagtail
...and a few mipits

Elsewhere a Green Woodpecker excavating a nest hole

Other news

From today
An Osprey was seen heading north over Rishworth , Booth Wood Res'r at 6 pm today (TW) always a special bird wherever you are.

Migrants - a Whinchat and a Whitethroat at Scammonden / Dean Head earlier today and a few Green Hairstreak butterflies in the same area (SL)

Tree Pipits at Ogden and a Grasshopper Warbler heard nearby on Ned Hill (NK)

A Cuckoo heard near Mytholmroyd yesterday (AG, SB and NR)

A good number of Wheatears reported widely over the last few days

Cold Edge and Withens Head

An interesting late afternoon visit in overcast conditions and some heavy rain showers which probably contributed to a good number of birds on the ground especially with 30+ Wheatears - these were maybe Greenland/Icelandic birds as they nearly all looked really bright, large and stocky.
1 male Common Redstart around Moorlands Farm shrubberies was also a nice surprise as this has occasionally, over the years,  been the spot for Black Redstart!
1 Cuckoo singing
c50 Starlings
10+ Reed Buntings
1 Kestrel
5+ Willow Warblers
1 pair of Tufted Duck
1 Greylag Goose
20+ Canada Geese
1 Oystercatcher
20+ Lapwings
6+ Curlew
10+ Snipe both 'drumming' and 'chipping' gave a fantastic ariel display
1 Golden Plover
1 Redshank
20+ Swallows but no Swifts (maybe tomorrow)??
10+ Red Grouse
No Grasshopper Warbler, though conditions were perfect

Yesterday

2.30pm. Mytholmroyd.

 Buzzard flying west mobbed by corvids. It didn't hang around.

Condor Moment

At the court

Judge: Young man, it says here you shot and killed a California Condor. How do you plead?

Defendant: Guilty your honour.

Judge: GUILTY!? Don't you know how endangered these condors are? There are hardly any left at all.

Defendant: Yes sir, I know, but I had to feed my family, we're so poor.

Judge: That's no excuse. I fine you 30 days in jail. By the way, what does California Condor taste like?

Defendant: It's real good your honour, kinda like a cross between Bald Eagle and Whooping Crane! 

Ogden

1 Common Sandpiper on the Res'r edge this morning
1 Grey Heron
No gulls
Plenty of Willow Warblers
2 Chiff Chaff's
1 Blackcap

1 Cuckoo calling on the golf course
1 male Stonechat
Several Reed Buntings
2 Skylark
2 Curlew
Plenty of Meadow Pipits on territory