Soil Hill

 After a weekend at Spurn I made a short trip up to Soil Hill yesterday evening for the last couple of hours of light. 

• Outstanding to find this Jack Snipe, typically relying on its camouflage and not flinching at all even when I was close. First time I have seen one on the deck here, normally I just flushed them.

This morning produced little in the way of VizMig in strong winds. 

• A burst of 93 Woodpigeon was the highest count of any species this morning

• Passerine totals were limited to 84 Meadow Pipit, 4 alba Wagtails, 4 Chaffinch, 3 Bullfinch, 1 Linnet, 17 Goldfinch & 6 Siskin, all south between 07:30 - 09:00. Hopefully more to come in the next few days as the wind drops. 

• Two Teal on the NK Pond (one drake)

In total managed 39 species this morning, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S120371897

-Jack Snipe

Shibden Park

This is the only Mute Swan here today. I think it is an adult female.

Also 1 Little Grebe and a Dipper.

 

Soil Hill

 Strong winds kept birding generally quiet this morning, but still a few nice bits and surprises.

• A skein of 61 Pink-footed Geese flew over heading east at 08:39. They were quick in the wind so I only managed a few photos as they powered through. A quick check of the photos showed the front three birds clearly had dark throats contrasting with their white bellies, making them Barnacle Geese. The fact they are migrating with Pinks presumably makes them the real deal, and not part of any local feral population. 

• A single Swallow was blogging before it headed off northwards.

• Yesterday two Teal were on the Ned Hill Pond. 

In total managed 41 species this morning, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S120044211

-Barnacle Geese with Pink-footed Geese

I also did a check of Whiteholme Reservoir hoping for Rock Pipit but sadly nothing doing. 16 Golden Plover was just about it.

Ringstone

 Ringstone this morning.

Golden Plover C80

Lapwing C100

Snipe 8

Ruff 1 on the shoreline at the side of the road.

 

Withens Clough

 Reservoir area, plantation and top end of the clough this afternoon.

Went in search of the Black Redstarts again and managed a fleeting view of one on the old barn soon after I got there. Tried hard to re-find it but nothing showed so went to check the shoreline and then the small plantation. Returned to the res'r embankment for another check but no show until I headed down the track towards the car park. Both Black Redstarts were together on the fence line lower down the concrete overflow channel, then they disappeared again and I failed to re-find them. Still very pleased they are still there - first seen on 1st September but a deterioration in the weather might move them on soon ?

1 Wheatear

5 Tufted Duck (drakes)

14 Lapwings

3 L B-backed Gulls

Goldcrests, Coal Tit and a Treecreepr in the plantation

 Little Stint at Ringstone this morning.

It is possible to clearly see the white "braces" on this juvenile and the less prominent white stripe along the side. The Black Headed Gull gives a size comparison. Apparently the Little Stint is smaller than a House Sparrow. 

Soil Hill

	SW	NE			SW	NE
PF Goose	-	63		Mistle Thrush	1	-
Cormorant	-	1		Grey Wagtail	3	-
Snipe	-	1		alba wagtail sp.	36	-
Stock Dove	1	-		Meadow Pipit	341	-
Rook	2	-		Chaffinch	21	-
Skylark	2	-		Greenfinch	1	-
Sand Martin	1	-		Linnet	10	-
Swallow	27	-		Lesser Redpoll	9	-
House Martin	7	-		Goldfinch	13	-
Blackbird	1	-		Siskin	10	-
Redwing	17	20

Very enjoyable morning VizMig on Soil Hill today 07:00 - 10:30:

-Nice late passage of Hirundines today, with a surprise Sand Martin flying south with the Swallows. Certainly my latest ever here.

-Just a single skein of 63 Pink-footed Geese which flew east to the north of the Hill at 08:42, but sadly no more followed it. 

In total managed 48 species this morning, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S119819785

Ringstone

                            Little Stint and Ruff at Ringstone today.

Cold Edge

This morning - not much doing at all though it started off well with 4 Pink-footed Geese high up struggling >W in the strong blustery wind. Thought it might have been the start of things to come but it didn't materialise.

90 Canada Geese (nothing different with them ) c60 Meadow Pipits 'blogging', 20 Lapwings, 1 Cormorant and 2 Fem/juv Tufted Duck and usual species.

Two very good finds for DF at Ringstone this morning with an immaculate Little Stint and a Ruff. No pictures from me - Stint too distant when we were there this afternoon but maybe someone will post some shots later.

Cold Edge

Stonechat 10, Reed Bunting 2

Great White Egret

 Great White Egret flew above Hardcastle Crags , over Blake Dean ,Walshaw Plantation ,onto Widdop and then into Lancs at about 4.15 this afternoon. Also around Washaw Plantation today attracted by masses of common finches and Meadow Pipits, 1 Hobby , 2 Merlin , 1 Red Kite , 1 Hen Harrier , 1 Marsh Harrier , 5 sightings of Barn Owl and  1 Little Owl , 3 Redwing and a Ring Ouel made for an excellent days birding......

Soil Hill

Lively morning on the Hill. Although the number of passage passerines dropped from previous days, excellent numbers of Geese flew over.

• Counted 662 Pink-footed Geese in 10 skeins from my vantage point on Soil Hill. From these flocks, only 222 passed into Calderdale, the rest passing well to the north. Full breakdown of flocks here;

08:15	Headed E over Keighley	c.70
08:29	Down the Ogden valley heading SE	50
08:38	Down the Ogden valley heading SE	34
08:44	Straight over the Hill heading SE	58
08:59	Straight over the Hill heading SE	22
09:23	Headed E over Keighley	151
09:28	Down the Ogden valley heading SE	71
09:38	Down the Luddenden valley heading SE	c.45
09:48	Headed SE over Keighley	111
09:52	Headed E over Keighley	c.50

• Also first Jack Snipe of the autumn flushed from almost under my feet

• 213 Meadow Pipit flew south, 1 Redpoll, 2 Siskin and 13 Swallows

• Still 3 Teal on the NK Pond

In total managed 49 species this morning, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S119379628

-Pink-footed Geese

Lee Mount and Withens Clough

Pink-footed Geese continue there September movement. This morning (08:55) a call from BS at Fly Flats 'pinks' coming your way ! True to form  (08:59) - high over the house 102 (from camera shot counts). Ta Bri.

Pink-footed Geese

Later in the day we went to check out Withens Clough to see if the two recent Black Redstarts were still there. We met a young teenager, with grandparents, eager to see the birds He was elated as  grandma found one on the rocks by the reservoir overflow. Then a few minutes later it was relocated on the roof of the old barn. He was thrilled to bits, especially after getting a decent photo (much better than mine)!! We were thrilled for him as well.

An hour later we found both birds on the barn roof but failed again to get a shot of the two together..

This is the best I could do.

Also 25 Pink-footed Geese went overhead towards Whiteholme direction mid afternoon.

6 Tufted Duck

7 Mallard

1 Snipe flew over >N

Family group of 6 Stonechats

22 Swallows went straight through, low over the water then across the moor >E.

Cold Edge, Leadbeater dam

This looks like a Ferruginous x Tufted hybrid. The overall impression is of a 'Scaup face' female Tufted. Unlike the Scaup 2 days ago, it has a 'bump' on the nape. The eye is yellow.

BUT there is a white triangle at its rear, as is seen on Ferruginous ducks. And it is hard to see any black on the bill: Ferruginous (like Scaup) has a grey bill with just the nail black, whereas Tufted has more extensive black at the tip.

Soil Hill

Absolutely fantastic morning on Soil Hill, with good VizMig again, plus a few nice surprises.

• At 09:09 a flock of five waders flew west reasonably high but directly above me on the North Slope. They did not call at all. Photos revealed they were two BAR-TAILED GODWIT and three GREY PLOVER, although I couldn't see the distinctive 'black armpits' on the plovers when I first checked. These are both patch ticks for me! Absolutely brilliant stuff!

• Four Golden Plover flew south before u-turning over the Hill and heading back north.

• A walk around the wetter areas produced five Common Snipe. Four more flew north distantly and at the end of my watch, another five dropped in.

• There were still at least three Teal on the NK Pond.

• A Great-spotted Woodpecker flew east

• Once again VizMig was good this morning. Between 07:00 - 08:00 I counted birds heading south whilst I checked the bushes, before between 08:00 - 09:30 I put my focus entriely into the VizMig; 
• 344 Meadow Pipit went south, with many flying straight over the North Slope, but also many cutting down the Ogden valley.
• 2 Lesser Redpoll flew south calling
• Additionally all south; 1 Skylark, 2 Grey Wagtail, 4 Pied Wagtail, 3 Chaffinch, 1 Linnet, 11 Goldfinch & 1 Reed Bunting

In total managed 46 species this morning, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S119313439

-Bar-tailed Godwit & Grey Plover

-Golden Plover