Calderdale Birds: Callis Bridge

Monday, June 25, 2007

Party of 22 lesser black-backed gulls moving slowly east along the valley during torrential rain this afternoon.

Steve Blacksmith said...: I usually get a daily movement of them, plus a few other large gulls, over Copley, so on level with me here at Dudwell, but always going WEST.
Usually starts later in the year. Remember seeing it at least 30 years ago at Elland, also westward.
Often wondered where they are going.
Steve Blacksmith; 8:51 pm
David Sutcliffe said...: Back in the 70's and 80.s, when the lanfill sites were in operation in the Wheatley Valley there were regulary, in the summer, up to 200 or more L B B G's feeding on the tip.

In the afternoons most of them headed off west and could often be seen passing through Fly Flats or Walshaw Dean. Word had it at that time there was a big moorland nesting colony in Lancashire. I wonder if this is still going?

Maybe with the closing down of many landfill sites in West Yorkshire in the last 2 decades I wonder if the gulls are perhaps heading out from nesting colonies to Morecambe Bay or the Ribble estuary - or perhaps the colony is no longer there - or much reduced??

My highest count this year (May)has been a group of 12 at Fly Flatts - nothing like the numbers in 70.s/80's!; 11:39 pm

Calderdale Birds