Other news today

The Whooper Swans from yesterday on Mixenden Reservoir were still there this morning (MM) but they had gone at some time during the day before mid - afternoon though 21 Canada Geese there and 2 f Goldeneye still.

34 Curlew was a good number over Ogden this afternoon (AT)

Also at Ogden late afternoon, a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk, both hunting the clough below the reservoir.  Lower down the valley at  Lower Brockholes was 1 Little Owl near the golf course.

Female Blackcap still coming to the garden feeder in Lee Mount. It seems to come early on then must head off somewhere else for the rest of the day (?)
Also around 25 Redwings this morning in Shroggs Park - they seem to like the tree areas around the Park Lodge in Lee Mount Road possibly roosting in the thick holly bushes there.

Swales Moor

Ringby Lane. No sign of the Snow Bunting even for a first light visit from AH. Several other observers checked the site up till 12 noon and still no sign despite an extensive search on the top and the surrounding area. Looks like it's moved on (?)
Also reported up there this morning.
1 Stonechat
1 Meadow Pipit
2 Skylark
1 Linnet
Fieldfare early on
1 Kestrel
1 Common Buzzard
1 Pied Wagtail flyover >SW
60+ Common Gulls
Usual corvids

Swales Moor

Ringby Lane - Snow Bunting still in the top field late morning. Shows really well once found as it scuttles around among the clumps of grass, constantly feeding.
Also 2 Linnets around the quarry edge
1 Skylark
3 Meadow Pipits

Took these at about 1 'oclock today (AC)

And how about this photo of a summer plumaged male Snow Bunting. No - this was not seen in Calderdale.! It's a photo from David Crawshaw and was taken off the coast of Alaska in the Pribilofs close to the Russian border in 2015. It does demonstrate how much different birds can look in male/female plumages at different times of the year. Many thanks David.

Snow Bunting male - Alaska



Lee Mount

Female Blackcap still around and seen on the garden feeder first thing this morning and also later seen feeding in a Mahonia shrub looked to be picking small insects off the flowers.

Whooper Swans

13 flew over Ovenden low down at around 09:25 this morning and arrived on Mixenden Reservoir shortly after - found there at 10:15 (NK). I guess they may stay around today until the weather clears up !
UPDATE (via BS) - they all left Mixenden Reservoir around 5 pm

Mute Swan update.....

Update from Judy on the Mute Swan found by Robin as reported earlier in the week
 
376 Y - "She has been at it again. We went down this morning with a view to checking the sailing/skiing lake where all the swans had been in case they were causing or having problems with the fast boats. Before we got there though we came across a cygnet on Elland Road. Luckily the traffic had stopped and we were able to chase her off the road and catch her. No prizes for guessing the ring number. She is now back on the canal between Aireys Pond and Brighouse, for how long is anybody’s guess."
Well done Judy and co.

If anyone does come across any further issues with the swans then please keep the blog updated or email the blog address. Thanks

Swales Moor

Ringby Lane - Snow Bunting re-found by BS on the top field again this afternoon and showing well down to around 10 meters in the rough grass. Also there this afternoon MW, DF, NCD with weather deterioration by around 4 pm though the bird was still feeding among the tussocks when we left.

Upland tree planting

Does anyone know if there are considerations for ground nesting moorland birds (curlew, dunlin, twite, lapwing, golden plover etc etc) in these plans? Also, if there are 'wetlands' being established, the sooner the input from the bird/wildlife groups to help steer the design, the better.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/39075031

Swales Moor

Ringby Lane - on the top, the Snow Bunting was still there in the rough field on the west side of the track till at least 09:45. Looking good though as we left it went down in the vegetation at the top of the west slope near the small puddles.
Also at various times this morning were Dave B, AT, VJ, NK, Larry. Dave P just arriving as we left.
1 Skylark
1 Curlew high >W
1 Kestrel
Lots of Common Gulls loafing along the ridge with corvids
1 Blackbird
1 Redwing
1 Meadow Pipit
2 Stock Doves

Swales Moor

Ringby Lane this afternoon strolling around on the top looking for - well whatever might turn up.
Started off with distant Common Buzzards, 1 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk - not a bad start.....
1 Snipe flushed off the top
3 Skylarks
1 Meadow Pipit
c20 Herring Gulls >NW
2 Great Black-backed Gulls >NW
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull >NW
c40 Common Gulls loafing along the ridge
2 Stock Doves
usual corvids.
About to stroll back - "what's that skulking about in the tufts of grass" ? Ah Snow Bunting - "what a beauty." Put the word out and BS came after half-hour or so after a dash from Fly Flats. Well done Bri great to see you up there. Hope you've recovered ?
Nice to bump into JL as well on the way up as I came down.
The bird was still there at 16:30

Also check Brian's blog - 'West Yorkshire Birding' - always an interesting, informative and amusing read !

Snow Bunting

Cromwell Bottom

We suspect the Mute Swan found in the field on Thursday is now back on the lake there.
6 Mute Swans there this afternoon along with 1 Whooper Swan (AW, DF, AT)
One of the Mute Swans has a red ring 377Y (AT) + a metal ring which we assume is the BTO ring.

Mute Swans

We had a report last week of a dead Mute Swan at Cromwell Bottom, possibly the victim of a Mink attack (?)

Today we had another report (RD) of another Mute Swan, near the same site, looking as if it might be injured - perhaps sick/exhausted or maybe even after a collision with overhead obstacles ? - we don't know. The bird was able to walk but did not fly when approached.
It also has an identification ring so we are hoping we can identify the bird.
Someone is checking the site in the morning so lets hope it recovers.

UPDATE Thursday 11:30
No sign of the tired/injured swan this morning so let's hope it's ok. From the ring number, 376Y, it has been confirmed by Judy Hogg that the bird is 2016 male bird from Shibden Park.
Please report any further sightings of this or any other ringed bird if you are able to get the ring number.

Also the dead Mute Swan seen on the canal bank last week by Mike H et al also had a ring number 366Y was a 2015 female cygnet, also from Shibden Park.

National Nest Box Week

https://www.bto.org/about-birds/nnbw

As part of our contribution to our local area 10 new boxes were installed in the Luddenden Valley this morning with AT (after seeking permission from the landowner last year) - thank you.
Nearly all H & S adhered to !!
We just hope for some good results this summer as most of the previous boxes are well past there sell-by date.

Not a lot of time for birding this morning though a great looking Green Woodpecker was fantastic to see close to. Also a few Brambling along with Nuthatch, Bullfinch and Common Buzzard over near Jerusalem Farm area.

Thanks to CBCG for funding 4 of the nest-boxes and the other 6 funded through grapevine funds so far received along with 10 more boxes already on order  to be used in other areas of the valley.

Thanks for all the support.

 

BUZZARDS

After all these years I've finally seen a buzzard in Calderdale. Watched huge bird flying towards our house over Walsden rec from the direction of Bacup Road and thought it was a heron.  Really big wings.    It veered off over the garden centre towards the canal where it was joined by a smaller buzzard which must have been already in that area and they were mobbed by a jackdaw.  By now I was looking out of the front of the house and lost track as they flew off towards Lanebottom. 

And this really was my first sighting - I've lived here for 50 yrs! and began to think these were the figment of someone's imagination. 

'Pinkies'

Several calls this morning around 11:15 with Pink-footed Geese on the move WNWseen  over Brighouse,then Northowram and Beacon Hill. Think possibly one flock (?) This one below came over Lee Mount at 11:20 and a count of 111. Thanks for the calls (MH, DF, AC, PG)

Today

Mytholmroyd, Scout Bottom area am

2 great  spotted woodpeckers drumming.

1 m sparrowhawk.

Crow Hill area

11 lapwing
15 fieldfare
c200 starling
1 m kestrel
5 mipits
2 pied wagtail
2 goldcrest

Plus usual species

PM Cragg Vale

1 gs woodpecker

Jumble Hole nestboxes

Thanks to the bird group for providing the extra nestboxes for Jumble Hole, targeting pied flycatchers and redstart. All these 9 have gone further up the valley this time, well off the beaten track. I have tried some variety, as it's all something of a test and learn strategy. I have varied tree species, height, distance from the valley bottom, grouping in 2's and 3's, etc. Time will tell. Roll on May! I can't wait to see if any get used by target birds.

Woodcock

A colleague in Mytholmroyd's cat brought this unfortunate woodcock in last week.

Cold Edge

This afternoon
2 Barnacle Geese in the area one of which is colour ringed (AR)
c80 Canada Geese
c15 Greylag Geese but mobile some flying towards Fly Flats
1 Little Grebe
Drake Goldeneye on the top main dam
Masses of Starlings and Fieldfares in one field this aft. Will get a guestimate count from photos later.

Just trying these 'doctored' photos to try demonstrate how many birds there were in 2 large flocks which included c300 Fieldfares and most of the rest were in excess of 1,700 Starlings.
Click on the photo's to enlarge

Goldie Silhouette

Best I could do from the aforementioned Plover bonanza.