Mount Tabor

Went to look for early migrants but no luck.  Had the usual pair of Little Owls.  I have never been to the spot and at least one not be visible. 1 Skylark in display flight and song and Cormorant over pass.

  Yesterday 3 Golden Plover landed by The Withens just before dusk.

Other wildlife pretty good at the moment.  There is a herd of 6 Roe Deer about with at least one buck.  I couldn't get the camera to focus from the car through the branches though.  Also we have seen another Badger in the last couple of weeks in a different location to our first local one last year.

Shoveler

Met Pete S up there following Steves report of a pair of Shoveler at Ogden this morning - record shot !

Ogden and Mixenden

A pair of Shoveler there this morning from Steve L - they left about 10:30 leaving just a drake Goldeneye there and an adult summer Herring Gull with just a few B H Gulls and Common Gulls.
Also a drake Goldeneye at Mixenden Res'r but nothing else there

Tawny Owl possible nest

A Tawny Owl occupying a hole in an old Ash tree in Centre Vale Park reported by Philip Marshall on the Calderdale-wildlife.blogspot

I have his contact details.

While in Todmorden one winter night in about 2005 I remember a large number of hooting owls. (c.12)

WALSDEN

This is my first for Calderdale, though I know they have been reported regularly down the valley. A BUZZARD over Walsden. Low enough for OH to identify it immediately. So though I can't add it to my list, I'm confident it might be back! Sandra

Swales Moor and Soil Hill

Late morning not a lot doing at Swales along Ringby Lane other than a female Stonechat on the top and 13 Linnets and near the quarry and 6 + Skylarks and c20 Meadow Pipits
Little Owl at Ploughcroft

20+ Skylarks on Soil Hill, 20+ Meadow Pipits and 15 Filedfare but if the Snow Bunting is still there I wasn't able to find it. !  UPDATE.... NK found it around 12:45 so it's still there.

Eastwood sewage works

A total of 8 grey wagtails present. 5 on the filter beds, 2 on the river and 1 on the canal. Pied wagtail numbers around 33, but will probably build up further in the next few weeks.

Ogden Water

One whooper swan on the water at 8.30 am.

Fly Flatts and other news today

I only managed a brief outing today, late afternoon though Fly Flatts is not easy later in the day with the  glare of the sun.
4 Oystercatchers
4 Curlew
c10 Lapwings
No shoreline for passage waders yet and that's not looking too hopeful with the forecasts
c70 Canada Geese
4 Greylag Geese
1 Raven high >N
1 very distant Common Buzzard
2 Kestrels
Plenty Red Grouse
No sign of any Wheatears yet but they could turn up anytime now with a bit of luck (?)
No sign of yesterdays Stonechats at Fly

From NK - the Snow Bunting on Soil Hill was showing again there this afternoon. also plenty of Skylarks about up there and a big bonus with a Red Kite overhead - well done Nigel and from yesterday afternoon a single flyover Shelduck >S
Common Buzzard over Elland area as well this afternoon (SL).
No shoreline at Ringstone. We can but hope !

Buzzards

Common Buzzards seem to be everywhere at the moment, took these pics at a local watch point today. Its probably time we surveyed this species, so can birders make note of occupied territories and let me have the results at the end of the year or sooner.

Mytholmroyd buzzard

Common buzzard over the garden around 4pm drifted from hebden then up cragg vale 

Late post - Saturday

2 buzzards over the house at Jumble Hole on Saturday, including one whilst I was having a cup of tea in bed! A peregrine later in the day, plus male sparrowhawk and kestrel made for a a decent day.

Short Eared Owl at Soil Hill Sunday 8/3/15

We went up to look for the Snow Bunting on Sunday afternoon after the rain stopped. My partner Kathy has never seen one. She still hasn't, but we were lucky enough to flush this Short Eared Owl right in front of us on the east of the mounds, which flew a little way off and perched on a wall.   Time approx 16.45.

It was clear enough to see the White Horse of Kilburn way off across the Vale of York, but it came and went as light changed on the Howardian Hills.

Fly Flatts

Late morning surprise!
With a deterioration in the weather it was a a shock to find 4 Stonechats together feeding on the edge of a drain along the top road and then in fields perching on the stone walls - 3 adult males and a female. A Carrion Crow had a go at catching one several times but failed miserably (thank goodness)
1 f Goldeneye on the water
3 Mallard
2 Curlew
Most of the Canada's had deserted to either Cold Edge or Dean Head

Wild & Wet Soil Hill

                    Soil Hill late morning,no sign of Snow Bunting
                    or anything else for that matter,the wind was wild
                    and it was pouring down so don't blame em for
                    the no-show, but seen a nice Stonechat on the way
                    back down to the road.

                    Garden-:
                                 6 Goldfinch
                                 2 Greenfinch
                                 2 Chaffinch
                                 2 Collared Dove
                                 2 Blackbird
                                 1 Dunnock
                                 2 Blue Tits checking the nest boxes.
                     

Mixenden and Soil Hill

No sign this morning of yesterday's drake Gadwall
  The Barnacle Goose is there with 14 Canada's

Soil Hill - I found the Snow Bunting again briefly this morning with 2 Skylarks on the mounds to the east of the track. They were flighty and I wasn't  able to relocate, somewhere on the north slope!?

Migrants !

Whooper Swans should be coming through our area anytime between now and early/mid April as they travel north to breed in Iceland and the northern tundra - so its well worth checking local reservoirs (and the sky)!!

Not long now for Northern Wheatears - they are already being reported on the south coast.

Mixenden Gadwall

                   Mixendens Gadwall   Photos BS.

BS, DJS.

Cold Edge

This afternoon, blustery up there but fine and dry
4 Oystercatchers
10+ Curlew
30+ Lapwing
2 f Goldeneye
Pair of Tufted Duck
The single Pink Footed Goose was back with 4 Greylag Geese
60+ Canada Geese
1 Raven >N
1 Grey Wagtail
4 Meadow Pipits

Then I called back at Mixenden Res'r to see BS's single Gadwall - another good find for our area. Well done Bri.

Soil Hill Delight

                Visited Soil Hill this morning to try & spot the
                Snow Bunting that was reported by Brian and
                was well chuffed as I've not seen one before, so
                a big 1st for me, look for it I nearly stood on it I
                couldn't believe how friendly it was.
                                                    Kestrel, 2 Pheasant, Skylarks
                & Meadow Pipits also seen up there along with plenty
                of visitor's in search of the Snow Bunting, so hope
                they all got lucky.