RE: lee mount

i took this on Saturday morning from Norland and did not notice the geese until today when i connected my camera to my PC, wonder if these could be the pink feet?

Swales Moor

Checked the site at around 1.30 pm but no sign of Thursdays Snow Bunting although it was cold enough! 3 Skylarks, 1 Pied Wagtail and c16 Meadow Pipits on the top

Waxwings

On Friday followed up recent sightings of waxwings on Burdock Way roundabout; they were still there (probably the same group as previously) Also 2 blackbirds and 2 mistle thrushes valiantly trying to defend their trees but when they failed were seen to be eating as many berries as they possibly could force down.

Lee Mount

Small flock? of Pink-footed Geese heading over >W? at 11.00 am in the fog - heard but not seen!
c30 Redwings feeding in the holly trees in Shroggs Park along St George's Road this morning

ogden

not much there this frosty morn
1 goldeneye was out in the middle of the res, male
usual suspects besides that

2009/10 Raptor Calendar

The CBCG has recently entered into partnership with Rishworth and Heathfield School in a fund raising project to raise money for raptor protection in Calderdale. Thanks to the efforts of Tim Walker and Steve Downing plus the enthusiastic support of both the School and the PTA we are planning a fund raising day in February next year (more details to follow). To start the project off the school has generously financed the production of a superb high quality calendar covering an 18 month period from January 2009, each of these magnificent calendars features breathtaking, full-sized, high-resolution, rich-colour photographs of raptors (supplied by Sean Gray amongst others). All money made from the sale of these calendars and other associated fund raising events will go directly and specifically to raptor conservation in Calderdale. The calendars make ideal Xmas presents, cost £10 and can be obtained from myself via midgleybirder@yahoo.co.uk or Tim Walker at timeatonwalker@msn.com

Copley/Norland

Copley - 1 (possibly 2) Water Rails making a racket today in the reedbed adjacent to the River Calder upstream from the former Sterne Mills on the south side of the river.

Norland - c290 Lapwings in fields to the south of Norland Moor
5 Reed Buntings at the junction of Norland Road and Turbury Lane
c40 Redpoll over the hillside looking east, near the top of London Road. Lots of thrushes also there along with Jays and Woodpigeons

Bradley Hall Farm 28/11/08

c40 Redpoll there this morning feeding in silver birch near railway crossing.






A pair of Goosander on the canal surprisingly.




Nothing else of note other than 1 Grey Heron, 1 G S W and 3 pair of Bullfinch around. Whilst down there I had an interesting conversation with a guy who lives in the vicinity and seemed to know his stuff birdwise and he has had Willow Tit annually in his garden since moving to his present house in 2000. His garden bird list is 85, I thought I was doing ok on 57, can anyone out there beat 85?

Taking of garden birds a female Blackcap has taken up residence in my garden in the south of the Halifax Birdwatchers Recording Area, it was first seen on 26/11/08 which equals my earliest ever date in the winter period since moving here in 1991.

Redpolls at Bradley Hall Farm

Fieldfares & Redwings

On a brief trip back to Halifax this week I was taken out on a "industrial history tour" by a local historian. The only relevance that has to this post is the almost complete absence of Fieldfares & Redwings seen on an 8 hour walk around a large part of Calderdale. We walked along the canal from Elland to Salterhebble, along the Hebble Trail to Halifax, though some minor backroads and paths I never knew existed to Rowntree Macs, then back up Southowram Bank to the Magna Via, up to Beacon Hill, down to Shibden, then to Sunny Vale, back up to Southowram and thence along the hills to Park Wood and Elland. In the whole walk I saw ONE small flock of around 15 Mixed Redwing and Fieldfare near the Farm shop at Southowram in a hedge feeding on Hawthorn Berries. Is this a particularly poor year so far for these species or was I just unlucky ? I would have expected to see far more numbers of both species in the largish area covered in a days walk.

I was particularly keen to see some flocks of these two birds and they are only around in very small number near my home in North Wales and I had hoped to see them in their usual numbers in Calderdale as I particularly like these two handsome species.

Roils Head area

Posting for Nick Dawtrey;

2 Waxwings in trees at the top of Rye Lane today (near the turning circle at Rushton Hill)
2 Stonechats at Roils Head playing fields

c27 Lapwings off Heath Hill Road (5 Golden plover also there recently)
c70 Starlings and 1 Herring Gull

Soil Hill

1 SEO on the northern slope at 4 pm
c12 Meadow Pipits on the top
Also NK had Jack Snipe and Woodcock there earlier today

Swales Moor (habitat)

First photo below shows an area of landfill topsoiled over to return to grassland

Photos below show some of the existing habitat which is, at this altitude, exceptionally good for migrant and wintering birds ie. Snow Bunting, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits etc.. (Shorelark from 26/12/06 to 26/03/07) Snipe and possibly Jack Snipe. Also summer visitors such as Twite, Linnet and Goldfinch
The soil is poor and produces a crop of low growing plants suitable for birds such as Snow Bunting in winter. This type of terrain is very valuable and wonder if it can be retained as it is rather than topsoiling it over to grassland - which we have no shortage of!

This is one of the items discussed at the CBCG meeting earlier this week and other similar sites may be suffering the same fate at Soil Hill and Cold Edge.

Boothtown - Square Park

4 Bramblings reported by Sean Gray on a feeder at the back of Chester Road (Square Park) at lunch time!

Swales Moor

Male Snow Bunting this morning on one of the old landfill sites, on the most exposed bit (same area as the Shorelark in 2006/7) - very windy and difficult to hold the camera still through the binoculars, but still very rewarding. This is the habitat we are trying to retain as it is and will post some further photos of the site for comparison.

5 Skylarks and 7 Meadow Pipits also present.

Halifax Town Centre

60 Waxwings still this morning at 08.45 on Burdock Way roundabout. Best viewed from back of Great Albion Street high rise flats.

EGP

Always at its best at this time of the year ,keep thinking a Ring necked Duck will turn up.So keep a close eye on the lake
34 Tufted Duck
4 Great Crested Grebe
1 Grey wagtail
1 Kingfisher
3 Cormorant
10 gooseander
1 Goldeneye
1 Little Grebe
Coot,Moorhen and Mallards
2 Waxwings flew n/w over Northowram school at 3.25

Halifax Town Centre

c12 Waxwings today still by Albion Court flats/Burdock Way at 9.0 am then others reported from Andy with c30 by the Police Station and on Burdock Way roundabout at 11.30 am. None at Warley Road - checked at 9.30

Halifax birding - the way forward?

Following a well attended Calderdale Bird Conservation Group meeting last night the issue of the existence of both the CBCG and the Halifax Birdwatchers Club alongside each other was raised, it was suggested that with the advent of the proposed Calderdale birding website this would be a good time to consider merging the two groups together. As several birders who submit records to the Club were not present we need to seek their views on this idea, with this in mind Nick Dawtrey has offered to contact as many contributors to the report as possible. If anyone prefers to pass their views on by e mail please contact either myself on midgleybirder@yahoo.co.uk or Nick D on halifaxbirders@connectfree.co.uk or alternatively leave a post.

New Mill Dam, Todmorden

5 F Goosander & 1 Kingfisher there at 3.40

Also my neighbour tells me she had a Sparrowhawk in the garden today. One turns up quite regularly (always when I'm not about unfortunately)

Ogden/Fly Flats

Fly Flats (0.5c and blowing a blizzard at 1.30pm)
1 Stonechat by the wind farm car park and that was it!

Ogden (warmer at 2.0c !)
1 Redpoll over the plantation
1 f Goosander
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Grey Wagtail
2 Jays

Halifax Town Centre

c60 Waxwings reported this morning 9.30 am from SG. c12 still there there at 11.30 feeding in rowan trees outside Albion Court high rise flats and flying into trees on Burdock Way roundabout but very flighty - probably getting disturbed by traffic!

Warley Road

More Waxwings from Warley Road taken last Friday

Roils Head

14 Herring Gulls and 1 Great Black-backed Gull >NW over Pellon/Roils Head this afternoon. Also 1 Stonechat at Roils Head.


Not for the faint hearted this posting for Nick Dawtery who found this severed head of a badger at Highroad Well Moor. It seems badger baiters are still operating in Calderdale? The remains are being sent off for analysis. This is the third badger found dead in the last couple of years in this area.

Warley Road

About 50 waxwings reported - still at the bottom of Warley Road today.

Cromwell Bottom area

River-- 5 Goosanders, 2 Little Grebes, and 2 male Bullfinches on the riverside
Canalside - mixed flock of Siskins and Goldcrests
Lake - 8 Goosanders, 3 Little Grebes, single Great Crested Grebe, Heron, 2 Cormorants,
Kingfisher, c150 BH Gulls and an impressive 26 Tufted Ducks.

Best view of whole lake seems to be from the back of the 'Casa del Lago' pub where there are some handy walls for Scope support !

Crimsworth Dean

One Buzzard and a Raven this morning but very little else!

Soil Hill

2 Snow Buntings reported by Nigel on the top at 11.30 am today

Waxwing Again

Not quite in the same class but here was my best shot,

Waxwings at Warley Road

Saturday 8:30am to 12:15pm

49 waxwings at the Allan Fold. Spent an interesting morning with Sean watching him ring.
Also saw a couple of herring gulls by People's Park and 70 pink foot over heading west.

Waxwings Still There

Don't know if anyone's still interested but forty odd Waxwings still at Allan Fold this aft. Even my wife was impressed she thought they looked like Cockatoos! None at Wickes I assume they are the same birds that have moved up.

Starlings

Quick question. Is it possible to tell migrant Starlings from indigenous ones ?

Rochdale Canal

Between Luddenden Foot and Hebden Bridge
1 Kingfisher on the River Calder at Luddenden Foot and at the same place on return
1 Dipper at Hebden bridge on the Calder at Calder Holmes Park
1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Kestrel over
Several Redwings and Mistle Thrushes along the canal eating berries in thorn bushes
c150 Canada Geese
Surprisingly no Redpoll or Siskins in the canal side alders - yet!

Bottom of Warley Rd, King Cross

36 Waxwings there at 1.45pm

4 Goldfinch on my apple tree at lunchtime

Luddenden Dean

During a walk along Castle Carr Road battling gale force winds we disturbed a grumpy looking grey heron and saw a pair of stonechats sitting it out on a fence! I spotted and David identified a meadow pipit as we descended into the calm of the Dean.
c 30 redwings
20+ fieldfares
8 mistle thrushes
1 male kestrel
1 sparrow hawk and various woodland birds
Following the message on grapevine we headed off to the bottom of Warley Rd where we saw the 36 waxwings reported by Mick.

Fly Flatts/High Brown Knoll

We walked round the res'r and on the catchwater drain to High Brown Knoll (443m) today as we thought about the possibility of Snow Buntings on the tops - nothing doing. Lovely day but very quiet for birds apart from 30+ Red Grouse on the moor.
2 Reed Buntings
1 Wren
1 Kestrel
1 Carrion Crow
11 Starlings over >N
17 B H Gulls

Halifax Town Centre
No reports today of any Waxwings although Wade Street and Winding Road were checked around lunch time by AH

Mytholmroyd - sparrowhawk

Going for my bus today at 1.15 in Mytholmroyd - had just come over the bridge to wait in front of the toilets opposite the Dusty Miller. In front of me with a bemused look on its face was a beautiful male sparrowhawk (must have been a male as it was so small and delicate) just sitting on the pavement. I think maybe it had tried to catch one of the numerous pigeons that are always pecking about there (but not today!) In any case it must have been only half the weight of a pigeon. We looked at each other for a few seconds then it wheeled round and flew over the road behind the pub. Lovely moment.

Buzzard Feeding

Just a quick note from North Wales. Just had my best ever view of a Buzzard around 30 feet from the kitchen window. The bird (juvenile) has just spent 20 mins plucking and eating one of two dead Magpies I bagged from the local farmer yesterday. I chucked these out into the field last yesterday in the hopes a fox or badger would come along last night for me to watch, but nothing appeared and the dead birds were untouched this morning. Just as I was making my lunch today in the kitchen the Buzzard glided in and after a quick wary look around started to pluck and then scoff one of the Magpies no more than 30 feet from me. I had fantastic views through the scope of its plucking behaviour and feeding, all rather clumsy due to the bird being a juvenile I assume ? The bird tried to stand on the Magpie but kept falling off when it tugged at the feathers :-)) Surprisingly to me it started on the head and back of the Magpie rather than the breast which I would have assumed it would start with first. The bird also consumed quite a few feathers deliberately with no meat attached this I assume is for roughage ? The bird eventually took off clutching the Magpie in one foot as some live Magpies where starting to mob it. A question on this, do Buzzards have a favorite plucking post like some other birds of prey ?

Its all very strange round here with the farmers and wildlife (or at least the ones I have spoken to so far) most kill every fox on their land as most have sheep and free range chickens so I suppose its understandable even If I don't like it. Most of them also blast any Carrion Crow or Magpie they spot, not as might be thought because of possible stock losses but due they tell me because Crows and Magpies take the small birds they like to see nesting on their land. But unlike most gamekeepers they seem perfectly happy to live and let with birds of prey which is great. The local farmer I got the dead Magpies off yesterday asked me to tell him if any foxes appeared but was perfectly happy if Badgers or Buzzards took the dead Magpies. At least I don't have to tell him any porkies about no foxes appearing.

Ogden

1 f Goosander
1 Green Woodpecker
c20 Greenfinch
1 Sparrowhawk
c180 B H Gulls and c30 Common Gulls

Halifax Town Centre

28 Waxwings down Winding Road this morning at 10.15 (Wickes car park area) from PJWS. None at Raglan Street (9.0 am) djs

Halifax Town Centre

15 Waxwings below the bus station opposite the RSPCA this afternoon - I just passed there at 4 pm- they were trilling away in the tops of a tree then left towards Sainsbury's/Wickes - presumably to roost. Not many berries left there now but plenty down Wade Street and a few in Sainsbury's car park!

We also had a report of c360 Pied Wagtails roosting in the trees outside WH Smiths in the town centre (traditional winter roost there in the last few years)

Pickwood Scar

1 M Kestrel
3 Bullfinch
Mxd Tit flock
20 Woodpidgeon

Hollas Bridge

Fantastic view of Kingfisher on the river
Kestrel

Milner Royd

c150 Geese flew over >S at around 10.30am Sorry, no positive id. Pink feet?
1 Grey Heron
Flock of mxd Tits
Kingfisher
6 Goldcrest
1 M Bullfinch

Gorple and Walshaw Dean etc

Gorple from the track leading up from Blake Dean to lower Gorple this morning

I got a bit of a shock when I came across this juv Goshawk sitting on a fence post at Blake Dean this afternoon. Something odd when it just sat there then flew onto the next post 'with rings on her fingers and bells on her toes' so to speak. Bells and jesses - then the falconer came down to collect it. Buzzard size with some nice plumage details.

Also in the area

1 Peregrine juv on the moor

2 Redpoll over at Walshaw Dean plantation and Chaff's going to roost there

c200 Fieldfares and a few Redwings and c400 Starlings all going >W

Gorple plantation, just below the lower res'r, this morning had a good number of small birds including Blue, Great and Coal Tits. 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Reed Buntings and mixed flock of c50 Chaff's/Greenfinch/ Goldfinches and Meadow Pipits nearby

7 Whooper Swans came in from the west to roost at Gorple (lower) last Wednesday evening and flew off on Thursday morning.

Scammonden this evening

From the footpath along the dam wall of Dean Head Reservoir. 14.00 -16.45

Short-eared owl 3

hunting at the top of the valley at dusk some fantastic fairly close views perched and in flight. Two birds were flying from 14.15 coming up the valley one picked up over Scammonden Dam perhaps suggesting a movement into the valley this afternoon.

Lond-eared Owl 1

Hunting the southern valley slope and often perching on the fence posts at the side of the footpath. Came incredably close hovering only 10 m away

Brambling

1F - just been watching the first of the season on the feeders at home along with the Chaffinches & Greenfinches. The latter being far the most abundant.

Elland/Rastrick

1 Waxwing this morning at the top of Lower Edge. It was feeding in a rowan in a garden next to the road between Booth Royd Lane and Nunnery Lane - there could have been others in the Field Lane area but non found!

Help !

Hi all

A quick bit of advice needed from a novice in North Wales. Amongst the Chaffinch flock frequenting my feeding station at the moment is a bird which I think is a Cock Brambling but I have my doubts as it does not quite fit with the description on Collins bird guide. The main thing thats making me doubt Brambling is that the bird does not have a white rump (nor tinged yellow) and it has white tips to the end of the tail feathers. I know its not much to go on but can anyone suggest something else it might be other than a slightly odd Brambling ? I think it probably is a Brambling but I hate to shoehorn something into a definate as its the nearest fit. The bird is very agressive and shifts the Chafinches from the food if they come anywhere near. Its most distinctive feature is the almost "punk" like markings to to either side of the head and the rear of the neck which resemble a heavy black dotted line down from the top of the head, down the neck almost to its wings. The bird, I think its a cock due to its very bright colour, is roughly Chaffinch sized, but more heavier in its body. Its neck is grey and this comes down in a clear line from the base of its bill and from the front looks like a judge wearing wig ! Sorry this is all a bit messy but I have no what all the technical terms are for bird features

Twite supplementary feeding

Roy Taylor (RSPB/twite recovery project) has e mailed those interested in the issue of supplementary feeding and especially whether to do so in winter or not, his e mail gives sound advice for the way forward. I have attempted to forward it on to all those I know who have or are involved in feeding twite, if you haven't received a copy and want to know more please contact me.

Ogden

Very misty there today!
1 Green Woodpecker
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Redwing
2 Treecreepers
19+ Goldcrests
11 Coal tits plus usual woodland sp...

Yesterday

From PJWS at 2.57 pm c275 Pink-footed Geese >SE over Soil Hill.

Also yesterday 7 Waxwings were still opposite the RSPCA office at 9.0 am but no update since then.

Merlin

Above - 2 shots of a female Merlin last week on our local moors - it was quite a distance away and I got it through the digiscope. In comparison (top) - what about this photo of a male at Orefordness (Suffolk). It was sent on from David Crawshaw a former (and still occasional Calderdale birder). The male Merlin was ringed as a chick in Yorkshire in 2005 and controlled at Orefordness in the last week or so. Many thanks David.

For sale

I saw a pipistrell Bat flying around a church spire in brighouse today.It reminded me that i had a new Bat detector still unwrapped from last X-mas.Its a CIEL CDB 301 which is a good make ,if you want it or know someone who would like an excellent X-mas present please leave a comment below and i will get in contact with you.

EGP

Managed a 10 minute walk along the canal.
1 Brambling
2 Bullfinch
2 Grey wagtail
8 Cormorant
Redwing,Fieldfare,Great Spot and LTTits

Ogden

Reserve closed this afternoon due to high winds - very wise!
2 f Goosander sheltering in the NW corner, a few Black-headed and Common Gulls and home!

Halifax Town Centre

7 Waxwings at the bottom end of Halifax bus station reported by Andy Cockroft this morning, opposite the RSPCA centre. Still there till at least 12.30. Non found at Raglan Street this morning or the bottom end of Warley Road (a traditional spot) but 2 Redwings there.

Various sites

Checked Ryburn Res'r and woodland this afternoon with Nick D
1 Cormorant
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Kestrel
c80 Fieldfares and c300 Starlings nearby


Baitings
c60 B H gulls and c20 Common Gulls started coming in to roost
1 G C Grebe

Withens Clough Res'r
c800 Starlings >E
1 Kestrel

Wheatley Valley
1 Goosander over >NW this morning

More Waxwing - Halifax Town Centre

Monday 12:30pm

7 waxwings in trees by the Halifax bus station (opposite RSPCA on Winding Road).

crane??

saw it between wolsden (near todmorden) and littlebourgh
it was standing in a cricket/football feild (i think)
what made me think it was a crane were:
its posture-not at an angle
its head height of the ground and neck length
its short bill
its size
no pattern visible although it was from a distance
i only saw it driving past so i dint get a good view
it was only after i had left it that i though that it could be a crane
please could somebody check it out

this morning-ogden

birdlife very good:

2 jays

numerous robins, dunnocks and chaffinches

1 female goosander

the usual suspects-black headed gulls and mallards

1 roe deer too

absolutly smashing view deep in the forest as it climbed up one of the river banks

incredible

yesterday

10 waxwings at raglan street
smashing birds
very bold

Waxwing Update

15 at Raglan Street this morning

Shroggs Park

A few Bramblings (3or 4?) heard in the trees around the Park Lodge this morning. Also Redwings, Mistle Thrushes and Goldfinches nearby feeding on holly berries.

Waxwings

Unfortunately not the best of conditions, poor light and very windy.




And a fieldfare that also visited the waxwing tree.

2 barred crossbill

does anyone have the details about the 2 barred crossbill at oxenhope
i know it was only one report but it would be my first ever vagrent
thanks

Waxwings

Dave Sutcliffe reports 12 Waxwings in Rowan Trees outside 44 Stansfield Close Hanson Lane now (9 am)

Re: the White Crows in Halifax. There is a picture of a white Jackdaw in last quarter's Birds (RSPB mag.) I think it's Gilbert White (coincidently) who writes about white Rook squabs being occasionally found during the annual harvesting of them for food back in the 18thC.

Fly Flats/Ogden

Fly Flats this morning (in the mist)
1 f Goldeneye
1 f Tufted Duck
1 Raven
1 Golden Plover
Lots of Red Grouse getting vocal now

Ogden
1 f Goosander

Sparrowhawk Attack

Just a little note of something that happened yesterday. I was having some work done to the outside of my house when Pete ( the Builder) called me , saying there was a bat flying around the top of the house. I went outside to have a look and while we were watching , a Sparrowhawk suddenly appeared and chased the bat for about 10 seconds , before disappearing into the distance. We presumed it might have thought it was a small bird , but it failed in its attempt to secure its evening meal .The bat reappeared about 16 minutes later non the worse for its encounter Has anyone else ever seen a similar thing with a bat?

Mount Tabor

Posting for Nick Dawtrey. 2 unidentified swans near Mount Tabor this afternoon at 3.45 pm in poor light heading west. Any pointers to help identification anyone as the bill colour is difficult!

Elland GP and Clifton

6 Little Grebes, 2 GC Grebes, 12 mallard, a single Wigeon, 11 Blackbirds, 7 Moorhen, Cormorant, Heron, 10 Tufted, 14 Goosanders, 7 Coot, c250 BH Gulls

c 250 Lapwings and 50 Golden Plovers at Jay House Lane

Great views of a female GSWoodpecker attacking a nutholder in the back garden.....

Ogden Garden

Male and female Brambling on the ground feeder this morning

Ogden/Sunny Vale

Miserable place in the mist and drizzle this morning - nothing of note.

Went down to Sunny Vale in Shibden Valley
6 Goosander - 2 of them were taking turns trying to swallow a very large fish, they gave it up as a bad job! A Cormorant or a Grey Heron would have made short work of it.
2 Grey Heron
1 Kingfisher
1 Little Grebe
27 Blackbirds
52 Redwing
2 Siskin

We also checked Crossley Gardens (near Pellon Lane) for possible Waxwings, apparantly a lot in the north-east! In one rowan were c12 Blackbirds, 2 Redwings and 1 Mistle Thrush.

RSPB Twite Project Officer vacancy

Just to let you know that the funding has been achieved for the RSPB's Twite recovery project and the vacancy for a Project Officer has been advertised, see


http://www.rspb.org.uk/vacancies/details.asp?id=tcm:9-201590

Volunteer vacancy

There is an opportunity for a 16 to 25 year old to volunteer with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust in the Aire/Calder valley if you know anyone who might be interested follow this link:

http://www.environmentjob.co.uk/index.cfm?page=viewad&ad=16445

Ogden Garden

A small mixed flock of redwing and fieldfare landed in a tree in the garden this morning. Estimated number circa 20. The light was poor in pretty misty conditions.

Wheatley Valley

2 white Carrion Crows still present in the area
1 frequents the area upstream from Mixenden flats and the other is half a mile up the valley still around Whitegate in the fields by Shaking House Farm.

Ogden

Vis mig 10 till 2 pm
All birds heading >north
166 Fieldfares
417 Starlings
14 Mistle Thrush
32 Redwings
1 Grey Heron
4 Pied Wagtails
4 Meadow Pipits

Also present (including some moving through >N)
27 Blackbirds
51 Chaffinch
32 Greenfinch
3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
1 Green Woodpecker
1 Kingfisher
12 L T Tits
21 Robins
10 Wrens
7 Goldcrest
12 Coal Tits
3 Jays
2 Stonechats

Fieldfare - Colden

120+ fieldfare in the lane leading away from The New Delight pub, Colden Clough, nr. Hebden Bridge. They're in the same group of trees every year.

thrushes

1 thrush was on the pylons outside my house at 3pm today
i dont know what it was
it flew of east by south east making a noise like a ringed plover
it was blackbird sized
please could somebody help

November Swallows!

2 Swallows at 12.50 today at Outlane from GD. A really good record this one Gordon.

Fly Flats

This morning
3 Ravens high over Nab Hill
1 female Merlin chasing down a single Meadow Pipit over the moor - outcome unknown!
12+ Red Grouse
c70 Fieldfares >E over the moor
1 Greenfinch >S (a bit of a surprise over this site at this time of year)
2 pairs of Stonechats and 2 Wrens
1 Black-headed Gull
No Twite

Also 1 female Goosander on Ogden

Ogden Garden

A small flock of fieldfare and redwing landed on a tree in the garden and stayed for about two minutes. Estimated number about 15.