Castle Carr Road

 An interesting walk on a lovely afternoon.

2 adult Herring Gulls on the top of two telegraph poles just after Bridge Terrace. There were two last year on and off even through into spring 2024 so suspect they are the same two - we will never know !!!

Nearby  - 2 Stonechats, 2 Kestrel, 2 Meadow Pipits and Buzzard and pleased to find the pair of Little Owls down the hillside. Also some distant Redwings.

Also some 20+ Redwings reported from NK near Brookhouse, Ogden.

Soil Hill

 The forecast of early morning fog was fortunately incorrect, and although VizMig was quite slow there was decent variety of birds moving over the three and a half hours spent watching. The highlight on passage was six Brambling, with a flock of four and then two singles. 

  It has been a good autumn so far for Jack Snipe on Soil Hill, with the first individual recorded on the 24th September and then being seen on four dates before today, although many days I have not checked for them to reduce disturbance. Today was the first day I used my thermal imager to try to find them, and it was also the first day with two individuals. 

-Jack Snipe

In total managed 43 species today, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S200673369

Trektellen count here; https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/767/20241029

1st winter Caspian Gulls.....

Nick has asked me to post these photos of Caspian Gulls located at the Fly Flats gull roost last week on 21st and 22nd October by him and Andy. Three individuals photographed. 

Another one suspected but not fortunate enough to get any photos of the fourth bird. 

Nick would welcome any comments.

Caspian 1 - one photo above of the center bird 

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Caspian 2 - 2 shots - above centre, 

and below centre right)

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Caspian 3 (below 4 shots)

 above-  showing underwing

above left - in flight showing wing bars and black tail band

above - centre front showing white underwing

above - centre front facing left

Cromwell Bottom & Ringstone Edge

 With heavy rain in upland north Calderdale I headed to Cromwell Bottom for the morning, and struck lucky with a Little Egret on the River Calder near the Avocet works. It then flew off, heading upstream and appeared to land, but I could not refind it. 

-Little Egret

  After I headed up to Ringstone to see if the weather had brought down any wildfowl. On the reservoir were a few gulls but otherwise only Mallards. Despite the terrible conditions, I did pick out a Wigeon flying over which is presumably the same bird present here yesterday found by PD. It did not stop, continuing into the gloom.

-Wigeon with Mallard

Cromwell Bottom

A quick visit this morning to check the ski-lake, though viewing is still frustratingly limited, I did mange to pick out a drake Common Scoter, a first for the year for me !

A Little Egret was present in the woodland overlooking Brearley wetlands this afternoon (MartynH)

Fly Flats

I went up to see if the 3 Twite were still present from the last couple of days. No show unfortunately. Looks like they have moved on. I did go armed with some Nyger seed which I scattered about in an attempt to encourage them to stay awhile if they do return. A Wren was in and out of the juncus there !

A lovely bright sunny morning with a good breeze. Didn't find a lot else other than 3 Red Grouse flew across the road, 3 Stonechat still at the north end and 280 Woodpigeons went >SW while I was there.

A  few Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gulls  were loitering on the water.

Shibden Park

Tufted Duck: adult male moulting out of eclipse, (bright yellow iris, adult bill pattern)

Fly Flats

Prompted by a sighting from AC and NCD last evening of 3 Twite at the north end of the reservoir I headed up there this morning. Poor conditions with fog/ low cloud and visibility not good at all. Fortunately all three birds were still there feeding on the 'weedy' embankment. Quite approachable, given stealth, I managed a few shots in the poor light. These are the best I could do of 2 of the three.

Formerly a common site on local moorlands and it's fringes in years gone by. They suffered a catastrophic decline in the south Pennines and I would certainly class them as a rarity in Calderdale nowadays. My last previous record at Fly Flats was at the same spot with just one bird on 19th Oct 2018.

Not a lot else in the conditions other than 3 Stonechats, 2 Meadow Pipits, 12 Carrion Crows, 1 Jackdaw, 1 Red Grouse. Visible migration was also evident with 650+ Woodpigeons passing through in several groups via 'The Nab' - they seemed to know the direction they were heading.... but who knows in that fog !!!

Lee Mount and Hardcastle Crags

Just an hour of VisMig in reasonable conditions between 8:30 and 9:30 this morning over Swales Moor. Mainly on the watch for more Redwings. A trickle of them >S with one larger group of 80 and ended up with a total of 170 and not  a lot else.

Late morning into the afternoon in Hardcastle Crags. A noisy flock of Pink-footed Geese went over-head >W but unseen whilst we were in the woodland just after 11:00. 

The whole woodland was so quiet for small birds. We did make an effort (!!) to spend some time on top of 'The Crag' (up the hill beyond Gibson Mill). More birds from there with 300+ recently arrived Redwings regularly getting spooked, appearing anxious in their new surroundings though still fantastic to see in such large flocks. Also a Green Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Buzzards along with 2 Ravens getting hassle from the local Carrion Crows.

Soil Hill

   After two days of solid fog, it was nice to actually get back up the Hill and see more than 100 metres! In the preceding days, quite a few Redwing seemed to have arrived with myself and JJL hearing plenty passing over us on the night of the 15th.

  So, I was hoping for a good passage of Redwings over Soil Hill today, with 1866 going south between 07:30 and 11:00, although DJS comfortably bested this total just over the Hill. There were a few other species on the move as well, notably my latest-ever Swallows at this site, with six going south during the morning. 

  A few notable totals from this morning, all south;

1866	Redwing
263	Woodpigeon
208	Starling
33	Chaffinch
22	Siskin
8	Lesser Redpoll
6	Swallow

-Redwings

-Swallow

In total managed 47 species today, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S199202682

Trektellen count here; https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/767/20241017

Hebden Water, Hebden Bridge

Dipper

Cromwell Bottom

The day started off with interest....Whooper Swans on the move being reported passing over Calderdale in small groups as well as skeins of Pink-footed Geese (DJB, SiB, AR et al) and a Little Egret over Northowram (AC).

I met up with AT at Cromwell Bottom. had a good catch up and a good look round to see what we could find around the reserve. The site was really quiet for small birds other than a few Robins, Great Tits and a Wren etc. A Little Grebe and Moorhen were just above the weir along with a Grey Heron, a Cormorant flyover and later Jays were calling. A Dipper on the river and Mute Swan on the canal.

The ski-lake was a nightmare to get any sort of view at all but we did find an early returner with a female Goldeneye along with a pair of Tufted Duck. Just a few gulls including 1 adult Herring Gull and adult LBBG.

Later on in the day we had a report of a single Whooper Swan on the ski-lake (MSh) - another good find.

Whiteholme

1 of 8 birds here today - 5 Crows, 3 Meadow pipits