Ringstone Edge

Whitethroat singing

Willow Warbler singing

Great Crested Grebe: pair immediately after mating

Tufted Duck pair

Ringstone Edge

Oystercatcher 2

Mallard with 2 young

Soil Hill

  A very pleasant morning, with bright, sunny and quite still conditions. There was plenty of birdsong to enjoy and good numbers of migrants, including 8 Willow Warblers and 12 Whitethroat seen at various locations around the site. The highlight was the return of the Soil Hill Sedge Warbler which was in good voice but not especially showy. Given this species' scarcity in Calderdale, it's always good to see the territory reoccupied each spring.

  At 07:36, an adult female Marsh Harrier flew low over the North Slope, circling directly overhead but sadly also directly into the sun. It eventually flew off, heading SW down the Ogden valley. I record this species here just about annually, so it's always good to see. 

-Marsh Harrier

-Sedge Warbler

In total managed 39 species today, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S234856114

Ogden area

At least one Great-crested Grebe on Ogden this afternoon. 

Woodlands very very quiet other than a singing Blackcap and 1 sighting of a Goldcrest

4 +3 Swifts >NW -straight through

Cold Edge

 2 singing Whitethroats

Stonechat male

Wainstalls

Red Grouse male

Fly Flatts and Ovenden Moor

It was touch and go this morning where the best local spot might be. Decided that Fly Flatts might be a decent bet especially with the recent dry spell and water levels dropping making migrant waders a distinct possibility. I usually scope from the top road - not ideal but always expectant that something might turn up. Managed a pair of Reed Buntings and a male Stonechat then the news came through from BS about the number of waders on site. Quick phone call to Bri's watch-point with his impressive list including a Ruff and a Wood Sandpiper - though both species were being very elusive.

Decided to leg it over to the north bank and after some time I managed to catch sight of a wader in flight landing on the east shore - Ruff - (not sure what my pictures are like from distance as not checked yet.) Tried very hard for the Wood Sandpiper but I failed to find it - there is a mass of shoreline on this permit only site so it could have been there or maybe moved on.

Dunlin, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Curlew and Common Sandpipers all in attendance or nearby. Along with a Wheatear, Meadow Pipits and an occasional Red Grouse. A great mornings birding ! Ta Bri.

Cold Edge

Mallard: 11 juveniles, including 1 albino

1 of 3 pairs of Tufted Duck

Ringstone Edge

Tufted Duck male

Great Crested Grebe

Ringstone Edge

1 of a pair of Swallows

4 of 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Ringstone Edge

Great Crested Grebe

Ringstone Edge

1 of 5 singing Willow Warblers

Female Tufted Duck. With 3 males

Wren