Lumbutts

Lee Dam:
c45 Canada Geese in fields to E.
c20 Starling around the chapel.
3 (poss 4) Mistle Thrush, very noisy in keeping the Starlings away from their berries.
No waterfowl visible, although a Moorhen heard from the lower dam.
Usual woodland stuff in small numbers.
Good number of House Sparrows heard calling from the farm just to the W.

Longfield Dam:
3M, 1F Tufted Duck, but unusually no Mallard here either.
1 Lapwing feeding in fields to E.
15+ Meadow Pipit feeding in field just E of dam, most flew off S.
Several Carrion Crows feeding, one of which was seen mobbing a Kestrel as I drove off.

Cold Edge/Ogden

Tried for vis mig again this morning for nearly 2 hrs but light drizzle in among and a strong gusting wind on the tops made it difficult to pick birds up so tried at a lower elevation with a little improvement - all birds >W or SW
85 Meadow Pipit
28 Swallow
18 Goldfinch
5 Chaffinch
1 Lesser Redpoll
5 House Martin
8 unidentified finches

I gather from BS and AH that there was much better signs of movement looking to the east, probably with birds taking a more sheltered route >S (??)

Luddenden Foot to Mytholmroyd

Late morning - 2 Kingfisher sightings along the River Calder - one by the bridge at Luddenden foot and 1 at Brearley.
1 Dipper in full song also on the river
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Chiff-chaff along the canal
c20 House Martins feeding high above the bridge at Luddenden Foot

Swales Moor

Swales and Ringby Lane - tried for some vis mig first thing but the low cloud and intermittent drizzle didn't help !
83 Meadow Pipits, 9 Linnet, 1 Goldfinch and 1 Chaffinch all >SW

Apart from that c30 Linnet and c30 Goldfinch around the site and in the 'wagtail' field were 32 alba Wagtails
Also nearby 2 Red-legged Partridge, the usual corvids and c20 L B B Gulls

Red Kites

A reliable friend of mine saw three flying over Mill Bank last week.

Ovenden area

Vis mig from AH 07:35 to 08:20
213 Meadow Pipits >SW
17 Swallows >SW
2 Goosander >W

Ogden

This morning doing a woodland search....
Plenty Blue, Great and Coal Tits along with..
1 Treecreeper
2 Nuthatch
1 Green Woodpecker
1 Great spotted Woodpecker
5 Siskin
c10 Goldfinch
7+ Goldcrest
1 Chiff-chaff calling then with very brief song
1 Willow Warbler
20+ Chaffinch
1 Jay
27 Canada's over the plantation towards Cold Edge
2 Cormorants
Black-headed, Common and 2 L B B Gulls
1 Swallow >S

Burning at Walshaw

New Durham University study finds ANY burning on Walshaw Moor Estate increases flood risk in Hebden Bridge | Upper Calder Valley Plain Speaker.

http://www.energyroyd.org.uk/archives/15838

Castle Carr Road and Luddenden Dean (upper)

Pretty windy today with a strong >SW increasing in strength - thought maybe an odd raptor might be moving through !
1 Common Buzzard heading down the dean but not a Kestrel anywhere !
1 Sparrowhawk showing an interest in the flocks of Goldfinch and hirundines
c35 House Martins and 30+ Swallows feeding in the sheltered area of the upper dean
1 Green Woodpecker
2 Nuthatch
2 Jays
c100 Goldfinch feeding on thistle heads along Castle Carr Road
2 Little Owls in different locations
2 Common Hawkers over the pond by the 'catty' pub

Listen out for one of these over the weekend..there must be one about....

http://www.xeno-canto.org/335732

Ogden

Gave BS's 'passerine alley' a chance for some 'goodies' early on this morning. Plenty of birds in the bushes around the circuit including a Blue, Great and Coal Tits and 2  Long-tailed Tits, 3 Tree Creeper together, c10 Goldcrest all in one bush, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, 1 female Blackcap, 1 Chiff-chaff, 3+ Nuthatch, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker , and 8+ Goldfinch.
Also nearby
1 Grey Wagtail
2 Cormorant
2 Kestrels

From the 'Giant's Tooth' watch-point (09:45 to 11:30) almost everything going >SW including - 329 Meadow Pipits, 75 Swallows, 3 Skylarks, 16 Chaffinch
1 Great-spotted Woodpecker >E
2 House Martins >N
1 Stonechat, 10+ Red Grouse on the moor with a flock of around 60 Goldfinch feeding on thistles
An interesting morning!

Our Garden

Weds. 21st 

09.15-09.40 one male and one female kestrel preening on top of electricity pole.  I'm not very familiar with plumage of young birds so don't know if these were siblings or adults but it was obviously a male and a female.  Eventually a carrion crow saw them off.

19.10 Little owl calling but I didn't see it.

BIRD REPORT 2015

The 2015 bird report has just been dropped off today. It will be available from the usual shop at Woodlesford News, Go Local store at Pellon in the next few days price £5.00. It contains a full species account and 16 photos in the centre plus a few more articles in the back. I also have several back copies available at £1.00 each if anybody needs one.

Ring-necked Parakeets.

Two flying north over Bolton Brow yesterday morning judging by their very vocal calls and long pointed tails.

Fly Flats

4 Common Scoter there this morning and still there around 12:00 - 1 drake and 3 female/immatures types
Also, 1Raven, 3 Wheatear and a few Swallows >N !!
One Golden Plover flyover >NE

 Common Scoter

 Raven

Pen-y-ghent in the distance from Fly Flats

Jumble Hole

A single buzzard was soaring over Erringden this afternoon, being mobbed by a peregrine. A great sight to see from the garden. Another large raptor was in the background at the same time, but very distant and very high.
A chiffchaff was in the garden. Swallows and martins noticeably less apparent this weekend.

Rishworth Moor and Parrock Nook

Unsurprisingly quiet on the tops, but I did encounter:

plenty of meadow pipits,
two wheatears,
plenty of swallows still,
a lone skylark,
a snipe, near Dog Hill and a
chiffchaff in the churchyard sycamores of Parrock Nook Independent Union Chapel.

Regards, Chris

Hunter Hill watchpoint

I went to check for any visible migration for a couple of hours or so this morning though things were pretty quiet. Not had a full count up yet but around 60+ Meadow Pipits, 3 Skylark and a few Swallows - all >SW.

Also around the hill and along Cold Edge Road
Flock of around 120 mixed Goldfinch and Linnet on thistles
1 Green Woodpecker
1 Little Owl
1 Kestrel
1 distant Common Buzzard
1 Wheatear

Green Woodpecker - rather distant shot !

Fly Flats

Late morning with moving birds high and >W including a number of Meadow Pipits and Swallows in small groups. Also 13 Golden Plover, 17 Lapwings again high >W
14 thrushes looking Mistle Thrush types were also heading high >NE
1 Black-headed Gull >S
6 Canadas and a Barnacle Goose left towards Comd Edge.
Best of all - a group of at least 9 Grey Partridge including juveniles at the north end sitting on a wall and very vocal.

Ogden and Mixenden

The Teal, male Gadwall and female Shoveler had moved on from yesterday.
Just 2 Little Grebe, 6 Cormorant and 2 female Goosander along with the usual Mallard this morning. BS's passerine alley was quite productive at the top end with at least 10 Goldcrests and 6 Siskin in and around the pines along with a Nuthatch and Blue, Great and Coal Tits in the bushes.

Mixenden was dead apart from a group of around 35 Swallows high overhead and drifting >SW

Whinchat

Gave it a couple of hours at Mount Tabor watch point but very little happening due to hazy conditions, just 3 Sparrowhawks and 40 Linnets. Moved on to Roils Head and found just one Whinchat.

Ogden

A very nice combination of duck at Ogden Water from NK this morning with female Shoveler, Teal and drake Gadwall.

Ogden golf course

I checked the lower end of the course this morning but it was fairly quiet for birds
1 Stonechat
1 Little Owl
Just a few Swallows feeding as they moved >S
1 phyllosc' dived into thick cover but I couldn't get enough on it to determine Willow Warbler or Chiff-chaff

Mount Tabor Marsh Harrier

After last weeks Red Kite and a possible Gos on Sunday I gave it another couple of hours today at the Mount Tabor watch point. First 90 minutes was very quiet with just 2 Ravens and 2 or 3 Common Buzzards one of which is very pale (so look out for it). Was just about to give up the ghost when I picked out 2 raptors over Castle Carr, one was a Buzzard the other a cream crown Marsh Harrier. The Harrier slowly gained height and was joined by two Kestrels before drifting over Cold Edge towards Fly Flats.

Our Garden

Heard buzzard calling whilst gardening 11.55am.  Shortly afterwards, two flew leisurely overhead fairly low.  This is the first year we are regularly seeing and hearing buzzards. 

Cold Edge, Withens Head and Fly Flats

Yesterday it was really hard work finding anything it was so quiet birdwise !! It was a lovely day for a good walk though.
1 distant Raven
1 distant Common Buzzard
1 Kestrel
Hardly any Swallows, Linnet, Goldfinch or Meadow Pipits
3 Wheatear at Fly Flats
2 Little Owls at Withens Head
15 Red- legged Partridge at Fly Flats

Swales Moor

Ringby Lane this afternoon - very quiet.
1 Green Woodpecker
2 Stock Dove
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Swallows
7 L B B Gulls and the usual corvids
No sign of the Linnet or Goldfinch flock

Cold Edge area

This morning
1 Little Grebe, 3 Tufted Duck and 19 Mallard were the only waterfowl and not a wader anywhere !
3 Wheatears near Withens Head
2 Little Owls near Moorlands Farm
2 Skylark
A good number of Linnet and Goldfinch feeding on thistle heads
Loads of Swallows and Meadow Pipits moving high >W  as well as lots of grounded mipits after overnight rain - both species impossible to count but probably 300+ of each species then as the morning went on they mostly disappeared having moved off as the day improved.
Not a raptor in sight and no other migrants other than 1 House Martin
Red Grouse on the moor

Ogden - Back Lane area

A couple of hours on the moor this morning - target - migrating Osprey - nothing doing on that score !
3 Cormorant >W
1 Common Buzzard >SW
A constant trickle through the Col (towards Foreside/Denholme Clough) of Swallows (c100) and Meadow Pipits (c80) all >W along with 2 House Martins.
2 Skylark
1 Green Woodpecker
1 Kestrel

 Cormorants

 

Stoat

 

I heard some faint squeaking from the wall and a small Stoat ran across the track in front of me which I guess was a 'kit' of the above adult female. There may have been others but she alarmed and all went quiet till she peeped through the wall in front of me !

Lee Mount and Swales Moor

Top marks to Nick for picking out the Red Kite this afternoon. Direction of the bird spot on as a few minutes later high over Lee Mount - a spec in the sky.... Red Kite - fantastic.

Red Kite - silhouette the best I could do at that height

 

Prompted me to go up Swales Moor for an hour or so along Ringby Lane. Worthwhile for a few 'bits and pieces' !

1 Grey Wagtail >NE

c40 Meadow Pipits on the 'wagtail' field along with 2 Pied Wagtails and the corvids

1 Skylark

30+ Linnet and 20+ Goldfinch feeding on thistle heads

1 Little Owl

2 Common Gulls, 6 B H Gulls and 3 L B B Gulls

20+ Swallows and 2 House Martins >SE

1 Stock Dove

 

Mount Tabor watch point

Had 2 and half hours at Mount Tabor watch point this pm. A few Common Buzzards about + 2 Curlew/Whimbrel mobbing one Buzzard, they moved off towards Ogden. Then at 14.00 I picked up a large raptor over Cold Edge Dams, scope strait on it, a superb Red Kite. Phoned it in to Dave and followed it right over head and then towards Lee Mount where DJS saw it from his garden. Also had 2 Ravens, 2 Kestrels, 2 Sparrowhawks and 9 sightings of Common Buzzards. On to Roils Head where I found a male Redstart in the shelter belt.

Lee Mount etc

Heard Curlew flying over in the dark last night probably >SW while checking the moth trap around 10:30. Also Tawny Owls very vocal both from Shroggs Park and in the Wheatley Valley.

Mytholmroyd evening

sitting out researching my next trip to spain in october raven 2 sparrowhawk 1 grey wagtail 2 chiffchaff 1 house martin 26 swallow 6

Swales Moor

Ringby Lane late morning - hot and humid even up there with a >W F3 blowing on the top. An interesting hour or so....
Painted Lady butterfly along with 1 Red Admiral along the lane
1 Wheatear
1 Raven >N
1 Sparrowhawk - chased a goldfinch but failed !
1 Kestrel
2 Stock Doves
45+ Swallows and 1 House Martin all >SW
c40 Linnet and 20+ Goldfinch on thistles
5 alba Wagtails in the ploughed field along with loads of corvids and 4 L B B Gulls also in the field

 Painted Lady

 

 Raven

 

Wheatear

Buzzards

3 buzzards (1ad and 2 juvs) near to Jumble Hole - looked very much like the juvs were on training flights. They were in and out of one patch of trees, which is why I've withheld the location, as I strongly suspect breeding is likely.

Earlier in the week, 4 raven were over the house.

Lee Mount

As the rain got heavier across mid-day both a Whitethroat and a Willow Warbler appeared in the bushes in the back garden

Fly Flats

Gave it a try late morning though the rain arrived the same time as I did so I stuck to the top road !
Not  a lot doing in the conditions. This unfortunate Stoat looked like it had been dragging a dead Rabbit across the road and got hit.
Body length around 12" + 5" tail

Stoat - unfortunate road-kill

 

6 Red Grouse

5 Wheatears together

2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls looking for road-kills the same as 2 Carrion Crows !

1 Tufted Duck

7 Mallard

No Canadas !!!!

 

Lee Mount

One Swift over >SE this afternoon - that might be our last one over here for this year ! Spotted by KS our eagle-eyed daughter and avid Swift watcher !

Swales Moor

Ringby Lane - fairly quiet up there this afternoon with a c30 Swallows, 3 House Martins and a Grey Wagtail all >SW
15 or so alba Wagtails in the ploughed field with loads of corvids
Distant Common Buzzard
1 Kestrel
5 Linnets

Kirklees Hall & Sunny Vale

Kirklees Hall 100+ House Martins over the fields. 2 Little Owls on the usual barn. A single Yellowhammer calling. A Buzzard calling in the distance. Sunny Vale A Little Grebe on a nest in the middle of the lake, and another adult coming to the nest. 2 Herons. 8 Moorhens including juvs. The lake area is now a 'Fishery & Activity Centre'. Let's hope they don't start water ski-ing as well...

Lee Mount

Earlier this morning - 9 Cormorants high >SE

Hag Lane and Pepper Hill (above Claremount)

31st August afternoon - pretty windy from >W though bright and warm. Not a lot doing with distant Buzzards to the east.
1 Wheatear
1 Jay
c20 Starlings
2 Bullfinch
Plenty of Swallows around the hillside fields
House Martins, maybe 30+, feeding in the shelter of Shibden Valley
A few Goldfinch's feeding on creeping thistle heads