Roils Head 31st August PM

Redstart still present. 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Willow Warblers, 53 Pied Wagtails and 2 Goldfinch.

Roils Head 30th August PM

Another Redstart, 1 Whitethroat, 4 Willow Warblers, 43 Pied Wagtails and a Swift.
Heath Hill Road, Little Owl and 3 Kestrels, 2 Wheatears at High Road Well Moor.

Roils Head 29th August PM

1 Spotted Flycatcher still present, also 1 Willow Warbler, 10 Pied Wagtails and a Goldfinch.

Egg Collector dies

Just back after a few weeks away in Europe and interested to read this:

"BRITAIN’S most notorious illegal collector of rare birds’ eggs has fallen to his death after losing his footing as he climbed a tree in a Yorkshire wood ... "

Times Online

Ringstone

Just to let everyone know I have removed the hide log sheets for April to July in readiness for passing onto Nick Dawtrey for inclusion in the Calderdale records. The draft copy of "The Birds of Ringstone" is still in the hide should anyone wish to add comments etc Andy Cockroft plans to remove it at the end of the month so you haven't long left! many thanks to those who have left comments so far.

FLY FLATTS

28/08/06 0745-1015hrs Cloudy, light showers , strong NW>4-5 some sun.
2 Juv Common Tern > N 0940hrs
1 Gt Crested Grebe on water all a.m. unusual for here.
17 Twite --- all appeared to be unringed.
1 Common Sand.
1 Kestrel
1 Grey Wag by overflow.
Sev Swallows and House Martins >W , less than yesterday
DCB again had 2 Swift from his watchpoint. BS. 

Roils Head 27th August

1 Spotted Flycatcher still present. 1 Willow Warbler, 4 Bullfinch and 6 Pied Wagtails. 1 Stock Dove at Heath Hill Road.

Looking out to sea.

Not really,just another rough morning at Fly Flatts. Not to mention quiet.
27/08/06 0730-1000hrs. Cold and showery WNW>4-5 Some sun.
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Red Grouse
1 Pere.
No Twite or Wheatear.
Swallows started coming through fast and low after 0915 >W 78 in 45mins
DCB had at least 2 Swift from his Oxenhope watchpoint. BS 

Roils Head 26th August.

 
2 possibly 3 Spotted Flycatchers(poor picture)1 Chiffchaff, 5 Willow Warblers, 10 Pied Wagtails, c 100 Starlings. 10 Goldfinch at Heath Hill Road and 3 Wheatears at High Road Well Moor. 

Soil Hill

Soil Hill top looking almost level.As NK says , what a good spot for a scrape.
26/08/06 1800-1900hrs
2 Stonechat
2 Linnet
12+ Grey Partridge
1 Cock Pheasant
1 Skylark
28 BH 15 Common gull. BS 

High Royd

Called in at High Royd last night to check if there was a Swallow roost, nothing doing I'm afraid.

25th August

Roils Head, afternoon.
8 Willow Warblers, 9 Pied Wagtails, juv Bullfinch and a Greenfinch. 9 Goldfinch and 3 Linnets at High Road Well Moor.

Cold Edge Dams,evening.
1 Greylag Goose, Moorhen, Kestrel, 2 Snipe, 3 Whinchat, 4 Stonechat including 2 recently fledged juvs,Reed Bunting and Goldfinch. 3 Blackbirds, 3 Blue Tits and a Willow Warbler in garden of hillside farm. 1 Short-eared Owl near Withens Hotel.

More Cold Edge pics 24th August

 
 
 
  

Cold Edge Dams late evening 24th August

 
 
 
 

1 Greylag, 1 Curlew, 1 Snipe, 1 Kestrel, 5 Pheasant, 4 Stonechats, 4 Whinchats, 5 Wheatears, young Swallows, 2 Reed Buntings etc.

Earlier at Roils Head, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Bullfinch and a Stock Dove. 

Common Buzzard Elland GP this AM

 

Mike Sharpe photographed this Common Buzzard drifting over Elland Gravel Pits this AM 

Roils Head 23rd August evening

Another soaking was on the cards. Before I arrived a bird flew over calling, du du du du du du du du du du
this was repeated twice more but the bird could not be seen (probably a Whimbrel but my luck with this species in Calderdale is poor). A Redstart was located on the walls at nearby High Road Well Moor with a Whinchat also there. The Redstart was probably the same bird as the one this afternoon and yesterday at Roils.

Roils Head 23rd August

Yesterdays Redstart still present, the forth for the year and third for the autumn at this site. Also 3 Willow Warblers, 3 juv Bullfinch and 7 Pied Wags.

Roils Head 22nd August PM

After a couple of blank wet days an afternoon walk produced Roils Heads 4th Redstart of the year and 3rd for the autumn. Also 4 Willow Warblers, Goldcrest and 2 Coal Tits.3 Roe Deer on the home was a bonus.

An evening birding with DJP produced 4 Spotted Flys at Luddenden Dean, Short-eared Owl, Twite, Reed Bunting, 2 Grey Herons and 9 Pied Wags at Baitings. At an undisclosed site we had both Long-eared and Short-eared Owl with a large bat species over head and a Hare in front of the car on the way home.

Midgley

Evening walk after return from Birdfair produced a single Swift over the village.

Foggy Fly

Fly Flatts at 0900hrs this morning.
Forgot to mention 2 unringed Twite on seed. BS 

Mixed weather morning

FLY FLATTS 20/08/06 0730-0930 Bright start W>3-4 then rain and thick fog by 0900.
38 Red Grouse together. Probably moved from shooting moor to avoid sadmen.
14 Wheatear around waters edge
1 SEO
Few Swallows >W.

COLD EDGE DAMS 0940-1030. slight rain W>2 brightening.
1 Heron
145 Swallows >W in 30 mins
Plenty blogging Mipits.
BS 

Thanks to D J Prestt, hope it works

  

Yet another photo test

  

Roils Head 2pm 19th August

Another soaking. 2 Wheatears, 3 Willow Warblers and 4 Pied Wagtails was all that was present.

PS Can anybody please tell me how to get my pictures to come out bigger on the blog. No matter what I try they all come out the same small size, see below curlews.

Picture test Curlew

 
  

Photo test

  

Cold Edge Dams 6.30 - 8.15pm

 
 

All the usual suspects present, Barnacle Goose, 5 Stonechats, 2 Wheatears, 1 Curlew dropped in, 3 Willow Warblers and 2 Reed Buntings in the plantation area. A bird flushed below the bottom dam was a pleasant find, a Whitethroat. On a sad note the lone duckling was found dead, probably due to the bad weather over the last few days 

Bird Fair

I know its (very) short notice but a group of us are off to the Bird Fair tommorrow, if anyone wants anything collecting or checking out let me know.

Fly Flatts

Quick visit to Fly Flatts to replenish nyjer seed, only three Twite present (unringed) but at least nine Wheatears and two Short eared Owls brightened the walk

Roils Head 3pm 18th August

16 Pied Wagtails in the Horse Field but no sign of yesterdays White Wag. Still c10 Willow Warblers present + a Spotted Flycatcher was new in.

Roils Head 6.30 - 8pm 17th August

Returned to Roils Head after heavy rain and found another Chiffchaff in with the Willow Warblers. 50+ Meadow Pipits had arrived with 15 Pied Wagtails, one of which I am sure was an adult White Wagtail, odd time of year I know but the winds had been easterly all day. The black cap was clearly definned at the nape and contrasted with the grey mantle which was obvious. Has anybody else ever had one at this time of year. Will return tommorror with my camera !!!!

Roils Head 6.30 - 8pm 17th August

After heavy rain I returned to Roils Head to find another Chiffchaff in a different area with a few Willow Warblers still present.50+ Meadow Pipits had arrived with 15 Pied Wagtails, one of which I am pretty sure was an

Roils Head 17th August 2 - 3 30pm

Finally got good views of a Chiffchaff this afternoon, also 9 Willow Warblers present and a Swift over but not much else.

Lee Mount Swifts

Swifts have gone - well just about! After c40 daily throughout the summer over Lee Mount and lower Ovenden, the vast majority have gone. Only two left over the last two days. There will be others passing through I suspect for a week or two but always feel a bit of sadness when they go. Will look forward to seeing them again next year. Numbers in the summer around the area seem to be consistant with recent years which would suggest they are just about holding their own locally.

Also of interest - Peregrines seem to be passing over almost daily, mostly in an evening and probably going to traditional roosting sites.

Cold Edge and Fly Flats 16th August

A quick visit to Cold Edge with Gordon before a site meeting at Fly revealed just 1 Snipe and the usual Stonechat.
30 minutes at Fly Flats produced 1 Raven, 1 Short-eared Owl, 2 Wheatears and a Willow Warbler.

Roils Head, another first 16th August

At last a long awaited Blackcap found this PM, first winter / female type, also 15 Willow Warblers and a possible Chiffchaff seen briefly in the conifers.
6 Swifts moved over the Luddenden Valley.

More from the Garden

Moved the hide to try and avoid the white sky effect fortunately the birds didn't mind at all and it worked a treat, I even had 1 sit on my knee for a while and when I wasn't using it one of the woodpeckers perched there,(wouldn't want them using it with me under the cover, not with those feet.)

Also took some shots of the 15 or so Chaffinch's which come to the Nyjer seed i've put down, fingers crossed for the later winter months. Historically I have had Twite although I couldn't tell you when I last saw them in this neck of the woods. The Woodpeckers at one stage today were all in the garden together with 3 on the fence whilst one occupied the feeder, unfortunately I was inside at this moment.

Fly Flats and Cold Edge 5 - 8.30pm

Fly Flats
Thought there might be a chance of a good wader tonight, but I was wrong, only 1 Common Sandpiper present.19 Wheatears were counted around the reservoir most on the muddy banks. Also 1 Whinchat and a Reed Bunting.
Then walked down to Cold Edge Dams, which was little better, 1 Snipe at the dams, 2 Whinchats, 1 Stonechat, 2 Reed Buntings and the usual Barnacle Goose and Grelag Goose.

My little migrant trap, Roils Head 15th August

 

Only 8 Willow Warblers remained from yesterdays influx. The Tree Pipit was still present and 2 Redpolls flew over. 

Cold Edge 14th August

 
 
 

Cold Edge Dams 6 - 8 pm
Barnacle Goose, Greylag, 1 Redshank (only one leg)possible Whimbrel drowned out by power boats, Heron, Kestrel, Moorhen, Whinchat, 4 Stonechats, 2 Wheatears, 3 Reed Buntings, 1 Willow Warbler. 

Couple of Garden Photo's

This Great Spotted Woodpecker and his family are regular visitors to my fathers garden on Widdop Rd, the family consists of 2 juv's with also the adult female visiting. Hope to get shots of them all in time.

Roils Head 2 - 4 pm 14th August

Over night rain brought a fall of migrants to Roils Head with over 40 Willow Warblers counted. Usually in mid August I would expect to see 3 or 4 Willow Warblers at this site but todays count is by far my highest.In with the Willow Warblers was a Redstart and a very fine Tree Pipit. 2 possible Chiffchaffs were seen very briefly, other birds included 5 Long-tailed Tits, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, 3 Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits.

Walshaw Dean PM

Myself and Steve Cummings had a walk up Walshaw Dean and bumped into Darrel.
Nothing special doing, but had good views of a juv female Peregrine eating prey at top walshaw. Also 3 Kestrels, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Curlew, 1 Stock Dove 2 LBBGs, 1 Common Gull, 1 Grey Heron, 1 or 2 Spotted Flycatches, 6+ Willow Warblers, Reed Buntings 2 Coal Tits and several flocks of Goldfinces.

Atrocious Weather. Cracking Birds.

FLY FLATTS
13/08/06 0730- 1000 Heavy showers, wind N>5-6 vis. good
33 Twite on and around seed + 2 by top gate.
2 LRP SE shore
3 Linnet
3 Wheatear S end + 5 Wheatear NW corner
3 Common Sand.
sev Mipits . BS