Dean Clough Chimney!

Peregrine on the top south facing ledge of the chimney (out of the wind) feeding on prey between at least 2.30 and 3.30 this afternoon.

Halifax Town Centre - Bull Green 29/11/05

Lots of Pied Wagtails roosting in the shrubs between the roundabout and car park last night as I drove round it!! No chance of counting but there were a lot diving into the bushes. I think we had this a few years ago in winter with lots of P Wags roosting in the Woolshops area shrubberies. Will have a closer look as soon as I get chance! Anyone else seen them in town centre areas recently?

EGPits

Cold and misty

19 Cormorant
3 Goldeneye
30+ Goosander
40+ mallard
1 Kingfisher
2 Grey Wagtail
4 Tufted Duck

Ogden/Fly Flats 29/11/05

Not much about today - very cold but sunny!

White Carrion Crow still about in the Mixenden valley area. It's been about for several years now - there used to be two of them!

Ogden - 6 Grey Partridge in fields east side of Res'r also Green Woodpecker and m Sparrowhawk . No waterfowl of note.

30+ Red Grouse on Ovenden Moor and Fly Flats area. 1 Kestrel and also a falconer with dogs and f Peregrine flying near the windfarm - bit hazardous I thought - for the bird! Quarries checked to n/w of windfarm for Snow Buntings etc but nothing doing. 1f Stonechat at the Withens was toughing it out a bit in the cold!

2004 Bird Report

The Halifax Bird Report is available NOW!!! for £5 (£5.50 incl postage), to obtain your copy contact Nick Carter via email MIDGLEYBIRDER@YAHOO.CO.UK

More Photo's

Bit of a cheat as this was taken on our trip this Saturday at Pennington Flash.

EGPits(all from roadside)

17 Cormorant
25+ goosander
20 Coot
7 tufted Duck
3 Mute Swan(2adults +1 juv)
8 Moorhen
20 Mallard
1 LBBGull

2004 Bird Report

Sadly no birding for me this weekend but I contacted the printers on Friday re the bird report and received an answerphone message tonight from Matt to say the report will be ready to collect from the printers on Monday. Full details of how to obtain your copy will be posted on here in the near future.

Roils Head Road, Norton Tower 27th November

Stonechat still present, also 60+ Fieldfare over and c100 Lapwings over Mount Tabor.

Ringstone 3.00

3 Gooseander,3 Snipe ,!7 Golden Plover ,2 Mistle Thrush,! Stonechat,7 Fieldfare,1 Kestrel and 20 Starling

Elland Gravel Pits

Not much about really, 12 Cormorants on Ski lake, 5 Bullfinch, 1 Reed Bunting, small numbers of Blue tit, Great tit, Long Tailed tit, 10 Goosander on the River and 1, possibly 2 Little Grebe and 1 very charming Robin.

Ringstone

Another very grey day at Ringstone with heavy sleet and high winds.
5 Bewick's Swan
1 Goldeneye
3 Teal
3 Mallard
5 Greenfinch
2 gooseander

Testing

testing

Roils Head 23rd November

Apart from thick fog, 1 Stonechat and 15 Golden Plovers over.

RINGSTONE 12 - 14:30

Photo's of some of todays feeder visitors.

HARDCASTLE CRAGS 11AM-2PM

Without really venturing far from the car park recorded, Great,Blue and Coal tits, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Male Sparrowhawk, Mistle Thrush, half dozen Redwings, Nuthatch, Treecreeper. Spent most of time photographing several grey squirrels and the dozens of Coal tits near a feeding station over the other side of the river close to the houses.

Donna Nook Twite details

I have now received the following E mail from Andre Raine who is co-ordinating the Twite colour ringing project...

Glad you guys managed to pick up the twite flock at donna - you've bagged
the largest confirmed flock this winter - the others are only at the
30mark. however, there are rumours of a flock of 300 in norfolk which im
hoping to catch up with when i return from kenya.....

info on your sightings (all 2 colour birds are cohort combos. triple
ringed birds will have individual data included):

> Pink/Black white - light hazzles bird ringed in post breeding season 2004.

> Red/ Black white - cant clough bird ringed in post-breed 2004

> Pink/White orange Green/BTO - this bird is a bit of a problem. i had
this bird at walberswick, suffolk, on 11/11/2005. now last year we had
a similar incident, around this time, with 2 birds at walberswick flying
the 163km back north to donna nook (and one subsequently heading back
down to walberswick later in the winter) - i have no idea why!!
anyways, are you guys SURE this is the correct combo as there is a
Pink/w-o bto/dark green combo as well, so it could possibly be mixed up.
pete said he was sure of it - if you can confirm then we will accept it
and this will be the third odd-ball winter movement of a s pennines
twite!!

> White/Pink black BTO - no idea what this is, as there are no white/pink
or pink/black spilt rings (at least none we use). there is a pulli
combo white/pink darkblu/bto, but that doesnt appear to be what youve
written. also, of course combos of white/black pink and pink
black/white.....

> Red/White orange - bird ringed at cant clough in postbreed 2005

> Red/Blue orange - bird ringed at c clough in postbreed 2003

> Red/Yellow - one of the old school! bird ringed at c clough in prebreed
2003, making it a contender for the oldest known twite. any birds w
this combo at the beginning of next year will beat the longevity record
for this species....

> Dark blue/Orange Green/BTO - great resighting! bird ringed in the nest
at cupwith moor in 2004, wintered in donna nook last year as well (in
fact i think it was you guys who found it there last winter!). shows
winter site fidelity.

> White black/Pink - bird ringed in postbreed 2005 at light hazzles

> Red/White orange - BTO/Black white - bird ringed as a 3female (first
year bird) at c clough on 05/08/05. not seen since.

so, great stuff! cheers for going to have a look at them - i will try to
come along on your next foray in the new year. and please do pass this on
to local birders - we would really like to get people to check these
flocks as regularly as poss to get a handle on how long birds are staying
at wintering sites and if there is any between site movement in the winter
(ie the weird donna-walberswick connection).

I need to double check the Pink/White orange Green/BTO bird with Andy and Iain but as far as I remember this was correct. Not sure what has happened with the White/Pink black BTO perhaps we were mistaken with this bird or I misinterpreted what someone called out. I am sure the Andy and Iain will agree that birds feeding in Sea Aster were difficult to get good views of!

Nick

Heading West

Following 2 successful trips to the East Coast in the last 5/6 weeks, this Saturday I'm planning on heading west(yes I know snow has been forecast!) Myself, Iain Greenwood and his girlfriend are taking up 3 spaces which leaves 1 more for anyone who'd like a lift or more if someone wants to join us and drive. There is also the possibilty that Iain's girlfriend won't be able to come along due to work commitments. The exact site/s to be visited are yet to be decided, open to suggestions.

ROUND THE BENDS TO HEBDEN AND BACK

Set off this afternoon up by the side of the Railway station in Mytholmroyd and onto Brearley then back along the Canal and on through to Hebden before returning via the Canal. Good mixed tit flocks incl Long tailed, Blue, Great & Coal along with Goldcrests in woods along the side of the railway also Tawny Owl heard. Down by the Cricket club a single Female Bullfinch. Passing the sewage works upto 5 Redpoll in trees by the canal bank opposite side to the tow path, also small numbers of Goldfinch.

No sign of Kingfisher by Railway Bridge in Hebden, 1 Grey Heron in the river though, on our return Male and Female Goosander on the river close to Walkley Clogs Mill flew towards Hebden. No sign of Redpoll as we returned to Mytholmroyd.

Whiteholme 19th November

Martyn Hayes reports a Snow Bunting, 32 Twite, 2 Raven and 8 Wigeon at Whiteholme on Saturday. Several of us went off to Donna Nook on Sunday to look for colour ringed Twite amongst the flock there. A total of at least 11 ringed birds were seen, I will post further details when I receive the info back from Andre Raine.

Roils Head 21st November

1 Stonechat, 1 Reed Bunting and 2 Goldcrests.
2 Bullfinch at Ovenden Wood.

High Road Well Moor, Mount Tabor 20th November

Peregrine Falcon flew east, putting up 50+ Lapwing, circled for 2-3 minutes over Illingworth before moving off to the east.
7 Golden Plover and a Hare present in fields.

Cold Edge and Fly Flats 19th November

1 Goldeneye and a Grey Heron over Fly Flats.
2 Goldeneye, 1 Tufted Duck, 5 Greylag Geese, Kestrel, Wren, good numbers of Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, 50+ Common Gull at Cold Edge.
Goldcrest, 2 Mistle Thrush and Pied Wagtail at Wainstalls.
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers at Moor End Road, Pellon.

West End Golf Course

8+ Redpoll at north end of Golf Course PM.
16 birds flying south over Pellon at dusk may have been Waxwings???

Wainstalls/Fly Flats/High Brown Knoll/Luddenden Dean

Lovely day for walking but pretty quiet bird-wise except for 34 Golden Plover along Wainstalls-Withens Road. 1 pair Stonechats at the gate to the sailing club. One drake Goosander on Fly Flats. c20 Red Grouse over the moor to High Brown Knoll. Another pair of Stonechats at Wainstalls just past the terrace houses on Castle Carr Road. Not one raptor today!

Also (as yet) an un-identified parrot flying free at the head of Luddenden Dean with Chaffinch/Greenfinch etc feeding under oak trees.

Bird Report

Birdwatching at Cromwellbottom/EGP is now out and for sale at 7.oo(7 quid) per copy.Please send a cheque made payable to Friends of Cromwell Bottom.-
Andrew Cockroft
9 Hedge top Lane
Northowram
Halifax
HX3 7 ER
or Telephone 07724320999(to order your copy) 

Elland Gravel Pits

2 possible shag reported flying towards ski lake.
Awaiting further detail and confirmation

Luddenden Dean

4 yellow billed - (probably) Whooper Swans over the Dean at 11.15 am today flying down from Fly Flats area going south. No chance of hearing any calls as the wind was so strong!

Not much else found in the Dean because of the wind - other than one mixed flock (35 - 40 birds) of Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed Tits and Goldcrests. Also 15 Redwings feeding on holly berries. One Little Owl and 2 Kestrels at Wainstalls.

No sign today of any flocks of Woodpigeons as the Dean is normally a very good place for large winter flocks with big roosts at Castle Carr.

Elland GP 13th November

No sign of possible G N Diver ???, but winter plumage Great Crested Grebe present !!!, also 4 Goosander, Kingfisher, G S Woodpecker, 5 Siskin 2 Bullfinch and numerous Long-tailed Tits present.

Hen Harrier reported at Walshaw Dean, midday.

Hebden Bridge

Female wood duck on canal at Hebden Bridge Marina.

Kingfisher now a regular on the river as you pass over the bridge walking towards the train station.

Northowram /early November

30th Oct- 2 Nov
At least 5000 Starlings west
5th Nov
1 Cormorant west
7 Pinkfeet west
7th Nov
104 Pinkfeet west
10th Nov
2 Whooper Swans west
Anyone had any large numbers of Woodpigeons yet?

Ringstone

It was a grey day,howling wind and driving horizontal rain.perfect for -
2 Bar - tailed Godwits
7 Teal
100+ Golden Plover
150 + Lapwing
1 Meadow Pipit
150 B.H Gull
30 Fieldfare
30 + Redwing
1 Mistle Thrush
10 Greenfinch
4 Common Gull

Walshaw Dean - 1:00pm

150+ fieldfare
6 pairs of stonechat between lower and upper Walshaw res.
4 meadow pipit
2 f. pheasant
6 red grouse
Blackbird at Middle Walshaw
Robin at car park
2 kestrel

Lumbutts Area

Monday 7th Nov 10am - 1130
Lee Dam
1M Blackcap feeding in conifer
2F Goosander, flew off SE at 10:10
2M, 1F Pochard
Flock of Long-tailed Tits, few Chaffinch.
Also, in fields to SW, large flock of mixed thrushes and Starlings.

Longfield Dam and near Shepherd's Rest
More good flocks of Fieldfare and Starling, there seemed to be slightly less Redwing. One flock had well over 100 Fieldfare and probably 200+ Starling. I suspect there could be at least 3-400 Fieldfare scattered around the fields.
Also at the dam:
6M Tufted Duck
35 Black-headed Gull
1 Common Gull
1 Lapwing
65 Canada Geese
c25 Mallard and hybrids
1 Meadow Pipit heard

Wainstalls/Luddenden Dean

5th November. 2 Sparrowhaws probably immatures working together above Jerusalem Farm area chasing small birds as lots of tits/finches and Redwings about. Not much else found in the Dean other than 15 Long-tailed Tits.
One pair of Stonechats together near cottages in Castle Carr Road and 2 Female/immature Kestrels.

Ringstone 8:00 - 11:00 5/11/2005

Newly seeded field:-

10 Grey Partridge
60+ Lapwing
16 Golden Plover
3 Meadow Pipit

Feeders

Greenfinch in good numbers
Great tit
Blue tit
3 Bullfinch (1 female)

Res

34 Black headed gull

Top field

30 Golden Plover (NB On taking flight some of these may have formed the 16 in the newly seeded field - lost sight of the flock as the flew off NE)

Lower Gorple & Widdop - 3pm

Gorple - Pheasant, meadow pipit, bunting sp. (probable f. reed bunting)
Widdop - 3 ring ouzel between car park and dam wall.

Volunteer required!

I've had a request from the Alternative Technology Centre in Hebden Bridge. This weekend is their Big Green event, and they did have someone booked in to do nestbox making with kids. Just basic stuff. However, they've had an accident and can't do it.

I can't make it as it's my sons birthday (excuses, excuses), so if anyone can spare some time, ideally 11-4, this Saturday or Sunday (either would do), it would be hugely appreciated. Also, it's helping the next generation of birders get interested.

If you can help or know anyone who can, please contact Susie or Polly at the ATC on 01422 842121

Roils Head 2nd November

1 Stonechat (3 present yesterday) 5+ Goldcrests

Walshaw Dean

Reported from Walshaw Dean today House Martin and juv Ring Ouzel (Pete Grice)

Cold cold Edge Dams

8.15 - 10.30
Rain and black cloud improving to clear blue sky strong wind.
247 Redwing west
40 Fieldfare west
15 Meadow Pipit s/w
60 Lapwing South
35 Woodpigs west
3 Herring Gull north
100 starling west
6 Reed Bunts south
Other
1 Tufted Duck
3 Teal
2 Stonechat
4 Greylags
1 Blackbird
27 Mallard
2 Kestrel