Tripping around Calderdale yesterday PM

Picked Nick C up and we headed off to High Royd where we bumped into Pete Atkins and other than c12 Teal several Pied Wagtails and a Couple of Grey Wagtails, Grey Heron and some Mallard nothing else.

Next stop EGP here we bumped into Paul Talbot and his wife off out for a run (mad), Chiffchaffs singing all over the place, a few Longtailed Tits, a single BH Gull on the water ski lake and a pair of Coot on the lagoon nothing else.

Still not dis heartened we headed to Avocet wood in search in Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, not a peep!, we did get one Great Spotted.

Despite the constant on off showers and lack of birds we thought Bradley Hall would surely give us something, but with only brief views of 2 Yellowhammers (both males) it did little better than the other sites.

On to Jay House Lane where worringly not a sight or sound of any Tree Sparrows.

So we called it a day and headed back relived at least to have seen Yellowhammer.

As we passed EGP I told Nick to keep and eye open for fast low flying objects, "STOP" he yelled as we approached the layby "Swallow", diving out of the car we were treated to the sight of 5 Swallows as the flew around before heading West straight over our heads, first of the year for us both.

Reinvigorated we headed to Ringstone and had Greylag Goose, female Goldeneye, Grey Heron and 3 Mallard but the real stars of the show 300+ Golden Plover in fantastic summer plummage some being of the Northern Sub species with the full black face, bib and belly.

We headed home via Blackmoorfoot and finished the day with 3 Male Wheatears in fields near the farm with the sheep dogs chained up on the road side.

A typical day in Calderdale really, many hours and miles to be covered but you always turn up a gem somewhere along the line.