Friday, January 17, 2014

Wheatley Valley and Swales Moor

I checked the former landfill site this morning but it was a bit quieter than the last visit. The large grass area was soaked and didn't have the 'wellies' on ! So, I stuck to the tree belt areas.
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Song Thrush
10+ Bullfinch - they must love this area
10+ Redwing
3 Jays
A few other usual finch sp. and a few tits around but no sign of Goldcrests

Without the car today so I legged it up to the top of Swales this afternoon in the hope of some 'pinkies' on the move - just my luck recently !!!! too late for Andy's 70 over Northowram about 11:00  and too early for Sheila D's (via NK) c200 over towards Ogden around 15:30

18 Linnet and 1 Twite - just in the weedy area at the top of the lane from Ploughcroft but they were soon off and I couldn't re-locate them.
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Kestrel
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Pied Wagtail
A few Common Gulls roaming around the tops and the usual multitude of corvids
c40 Lapwings were circling over towards Beacon Hill area. They must be feeding in the fields somewhere up Southowram area as they settled back down having probably been spooked by a raptor (?)

2 comments:

Brian Sumner . said...

Good to know it still produces Twite up there, might be worth giving it the Nyjer treatment as the days lengthen.

David Sutcliffe said...

I have put some Nyger down with other seed but the corvids just went for it and cleared the lot. Nyger on its own is probably a better bet. Will try again!