Haifax Bird List

Link to the Halifax Bird List
Halifax Bird List

FREE BEER

Always the best headline for getting people's attention. But it's also true.....

12 months ago at the start of 2017, we didn't know we'd add great white egret and confirmed baird's sandpiper to the Calderdale list (did I miss any?). As we approach 2018, who fancies guessing what the next new addition will be?

If it's a bird we've never had before (even historically) the person who guesses correctly will get a 9 pint mini keg of beer from Slightly Foxed.

So who fancies an inland red-breasted flycatcher? A very lost dartford warbler (they have made Castleford this year) or a red rumped swallow? Rose coloured starling? Pom' skua? All still up for grabs, or anything else you think we're well overdue.

 I'll start things rolling with a left field shout of white tailed eagle.

Lee Mount

Garden watch today on and off during the snowy conditions !!
2 Nuthatch
1 Great-spotted Woodpecker - loves the fat-filled half coconuts
Blue, Great and Coal Tits
1 Wood Pigeon
c12 House Sparrows (on careful watch in case a Tree Sparrow drops in )!
2+ Chaffinch
2+ Magpies
5+ Blackbirds
Several Redwing flyovers over the park trees
1 Kestrel - a rarity for Lee Mount in recent years
A few Black-headed and Common Gull flyovers

Local male Blackbird - taken through the window

Swales Moor

Yesterday and this afternoon
100+ Common Gulls in freshly manured fields both days with 3 B H Gulls this afternoon with them. A trickle of Herring Gulls were going through very high >W today with 2 adult Great Black-backed Gulls.

Small birds were almost absent yesterday afternoon apart from 2 Redwings >SE though this afternoon (much colder) fared better.
The former manure stack field produced c20 Meadow Pipits, 7 Pied Wagtails, 1 Goldfinch and 2 Starlings. They are such wary birds up there they are really difficult to get to grips with and move off at the first sign of approach. Definately no buntings with them though !

Looking West from Ringby Top at around 15:20

Mixenden and Stodfold

Mixenden Res'r
1 f Goldeneye
4 Mallard
1 Cormorant
1 Kestrel
1 Grey Wagtail
2 Jays
A good mix of B G Gulls and Common Gulls and 2 Herring Gulls

Stodfold area towards the lower end of the Golf Course
Pair of Stonechats
1 Redwing
1 Green Woodpecker
27 Canada Geese
1 Kestrel
1 Mistle Thrush

Jackdaw at Stodfold

John Dale

Very sad to hear via social media that John Dale (Huddersfield Birdwatchers Club)  passed away just before Xmas, older Calderdale birders will remember John for his invaluable work both at a local level and also via the YNU. Details of the funeral are yet to be announced.

Wainstalls and Castle Carr Road

An hour or so along the top this afternoon. Very dull and overcast with a brisk >SW. A few birds about, more than I'd expected.
A pair of Stonechats braving it out looking for food in the shelter of the stone walls.
2 Mistle Thrush
c60 Fieldfares, c30 Redwings and c30 Starlings in one flock pre dusk.
1 Little Owl
1 Wren scrabbling about in the gorze bushes.
2 Kestrel
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Common Buzzard - a very pale bird - rounded off the afternoon nicely !

Enjoy Christmas everyone.

Mixenden, Stodfold, Ogden golf course and Ogden

Quite an afternoon.......
Headed down towards Stodfold from Whitegate and scanned over towards Mixenden reservoir from a distance - pair of Goldeneye diving and a Cormorant on the buoy, 2 Mallard types and also 18/19 other large duck sp. unidentified.When I got to Mixenden Resr they were gone !!!

I headed off up towards the golf course (Green Woodpecker calling) when a call from BS alerted me to Pink-footed Geese heading down the valley from Ogden. Moments later they were over me (good timing Bri) - 43 of them towards Mixi res'r, they veered off towards Mount Tabor (where Nick D also got them a few minutes later)

 Pink-footed Geese (43)

Stodfold > towards Ogden

 

Another call from BS - 16 Wigeon, pair of Shoveler and a Teal had arrived at Ogden - looks like they moved there from mixi but they didn't head further in the misty gloom at higher level. So off I went over the golf course at a pace. Got to the top of the hill, catching my breath ..... Red Kite over head moving >N at 14:55 over the eastern ridge of the course. Hurried phone call to BS as the kite turned >NE over the plantation. He got it disappearing in the  gloom putting everything up on the res'r, including the Wigeon and Shoveler and they had gone when I got down there, spooked by the kite probably.

What an afternoon - I love it !!

 

See BS's West Yorkshire Birding blog for Brian's report and photo's of the duck on Ogden

Mixenden Reservoir etc

Drake Goldeneye on there late morning to join the female. Also 1 Cormorant, a few of the usual small Gulls, 1 ad LBB Gull and 2 ad Herring Gulls >W

Also from BS at Ogden this afternoon. Pair of Teal and a Little Grebe.

And from AT earlier today 5 Mandarin Ducks 3m 2f on River Ryburn near Ripponden.

Jayhouse Lane

15 Tree Sparrows by the feeders today

Nesting Instinct

I have a pair of Collared Doves at Barkisland with new nest, no eggs yet. This mild spell might induce them. It's in a big evergreen shrub; their usual site. (Update - 2 eggs at 11.30am on 23rd Dec. two is their usual clutch size, in common with most dove species; I  have seen three, but this could have been a case of  egg "dumping" by another female.)

Starlings aren't common in my garden, but a chattering coming from round the side of the house prompted me to look and there was one just coming out of the box, and his/her mate up on the troughing. This box was first used by them last summer. I'm not aware of them nesting unseasonably, but they're obviously booking their spot for later.

Not nesting but feeding, I had a Goldcrest in a large Norway Spruce in Hanson Lane yesterday, one that was probably a Christmas tree many years ago. The bird seemed out of context, among the terraced streets.

Soil Hill

Gave it a try up there late afternoon - still hoping for Snow Bunting (or Jack Snipe)!
It took me ages to find anything at all other than a passing Kestrel.
Fog banks to the west and sunshine to the east over Bradford

 Soil Hill looking towards the top end of Ogden plantation and Ovenden wind-farm

 

Looking east - Soil Hill towards Bradford - what a difference !

 

I managed to find, at a distance, c100 Starlings and c100 Lapwings down on the north slope fields as well as a good number of Common Gulls and a few Black-headed Gulls on the move and one adult Herring Gull >W.

In the fields on the way down, alongside Ned Hill, 3 Redwings were feeding in a field along with 13 Fieldfare and 2 Raven went over calling >N. Not a bad finish to the afternoon as the light faded.

Mixenden Reservoir

Just a quick check there today with the mist drifting in from the west
2 Cormorants -  both doing some successful fishing !
1 female Goldenenye
15 Herring Gulls (mostly adults) >W
c70 B H Gulls
c40 Common Gulls - though these latter two species were coming and going all the time
Small tit flock including Blue, Great, Coal and L T Tits as well as at least 1 Goldcrest and a Wren

Distant Cormorant with a good sized fish - down in one !

Jumble Hole

A single buzzard has been around again this week, after an absence of about a month. A stunning male sparrowhawk was perched in a tree in full view. And a kestrel is a regular in front of the house this winter.

I made a start cleaning out nest boxes yesterday, and the one that had the failed pied flycatcher nest in looked to have been disturbed. The eggs were still there a few weeks ago, but all that is left now are a few bits of shell. Presumably a mouse had got in and got a free meal.

Twite - equipment theft...

Have just received this from Nick Carter - thanks Nick.

See below this link - Jamie Dunning has being doing a lot of Twite work in our area as well as further afield. If anyone can support him after this unfortunate incident I'm sure he will be very grateful.


https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/twite?utm_id=60&utm_term=mzwnVP4Nk

With grateful thanks to those who have supported Jamie. His target has now been surpassed (however we reckon he will still be 'short of a few bob' to replace all the expensive equipment he lost.)

Swales Moor

Ringby top this afternoon - still well frozen over up there and very cold on the ridge.
The Meadow Pipit flock is still there, feeding in the field opposite the long metal fence with at least 28 birds there but I couldn't find anything different with them.
2 alba wagtails
1 Kestrel
1 Fieldfare
6 Herring Gulls >N
A few Common Gulls loafing along the ridge and the usual corvids in abundance
A large dark looking dog Fox crossed the path in front of me but it was gone as I lifted the camera !

 Ringby top fields on 9th Dec looking towards Soil Hill (L) and Queensbury (R)

 

Ringby top this afternoon looking east towards (I think) Drax (L) and Ferrybridge (R) power stations

Lee Dam

Just 1F Goldeneye on main dam at 1530, very quiet in the wooded areas too. Top dam frozen.

Mixenden Res’r

3 Cormorants and 1 female Goldeneye this morning.
1 L B B Gull looked like an intermedius and 2 adult Herring Gulls with the N H and Common Gulls
1 Meadow Pipit was unexpected.

Mixenden and Ogden Res'rs

A wet, cold and miserable afternoon with black ice underfoot though the fresh air was exhilarating !!
Mixenden
2 Cormorants
1 female Goldeneye

Ogden
2 Goldcrest dropped into the nearby bush as I chatted with JL
1 Kestrel - must be struggling for food out hunting, hovering on the hillside in the pouring rain.
Not much else other than the usual Mallard and a few B H Gulls and Common Gulls moving through.

Peregrine

                Peregrine with a fresh kill this morning in Brighouse.

Ogden

Rain with pretty treacherous ice underfoot this morning - we did the 'round'
1 very smart looking adult great Black-backed Gull on the ice at the top end with Common Gulls and B H Gulls
2 adult Herring Gulls out in the middle
Not much else other than c120 Mallard at the feeding area.
Nothing down the sluice at the lower end of reservoir as YW workmen were down there checking the plant - so no Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail or Dipper today !.

Work opportunity GFB

Calling local birders (West Yorkshire - South Pennines) or naturalists with practical skills. Opportunity in our Elland Bridge workshop making exciting nature conservation products. Flier here or see Twitter @GFutureBuilding

Pink-footed Geese

Just on dark got a call from AC at Northowram - c100 noisy 'pinks' heading my way (just about due >W)....heard them but unseen as the light had gone. Thanks for the call !

Cold Edge

The site surpassed it's name this afternoon. Freezing cold but it was nice to be out though not a great selection of birds with no sign of any geese in the fields - they've 'legged it' !
1 Fieldfare scoffing berries on a garden Cotoneaster.
1 f Stonechat near the top small pond - a struggle to find food in this weather.
c20 Goldfinch feeding on the alder tree seeds
20 Mallard on the ice - both large dams totally frozen over
Red Grouse on the moor were pretty vocal
3 Wrens in the small plantations - they will struggle up there if this cold spell continues
A few corvids including 5 Rooks chasing about around the former rookery - hope they settle to recolonize that site this year. Also 2 Ravens heading over >E

 Track heading past the top dam (Haigh Cote) out of site up the banking on the left

 

Sunshine in the haze late afternoon reflecting on the iced over lower dam Leadbeater Dam

 

Also in the tree and shrub areas around Wainstalls Village

Several Blackbirds, 18 Collared Doves, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Goldcrest and 7 adult Herring Gulls >W

Unfortunately there was nothing doing near 'The Delvers' which has traditionally been a reasonably good winter site for Brambling - though there don't appear to be any feeders around there now !

 

Lee Mount etc

 c70 Pink-footed Geese over > W at 12:05 today and from BS first thing this morning at Ogden - 5 Shelduck flyovers >NE around 08:40 - a nice winter record.

Swales Moor etc....

After an abortive attempt to get up there yesterday in the freezing conditions I decided to park in Boothtown this morning and walk up there rather than get stuck up Ploughcroft again (as I did yesterday ! )
Enjoyed the walk on to the top of Ringby Lane to check the top fields (seeing as it is Snow Bunting weather). Nothing doing on that score.
2 Meadow Pipits
2 Common Snipe - though how they were feeding on the frozen ground must have been a struggle !
Not much else up there other than 1 adult L B B Gull and the glut of Carrion Crows. The usual Common Gulls had deserted as had everything else.

Earlier today a flock of Pink-footed Geese went over Lee Mount before it was light - heard not seen !
24 'pinks' at c10:40 over Jay House Lane, Clifton from DF could have been the same lot as went over Beacon Hill shortly after from AC at around 10:55.

Mixenden Reservoir and Mount Tabor

First time out for a couple of weeks and I was prompted by looking at the blog 15th December 2014 - the day when the Great Northern Diver turned up at this site and stayed until last seen on 2nd February 2015. Right time of year for another one - wishful thinking !
1 f Goldeneye
1 Mallard
1 2nd winter Herring Gull >W
c40 B H Gulls, 15+ Common Gulls and 1 ad L B B Gull on the water
1 male Kestrel flew through the plantation - otherwise all quiet in there.

Mount Tabor Fields alongside Moor End Road
1 Meadow Pipit
c110 Starlings
40+ B H Gulls
20+ Common Gulls
+ a few corvids

Todmorden

A female Goosander was in the R Calder just downstream from the market. Not often seen in the town centre in my experience, but the water level was slightly high without being in flood.

Jayhouse Lane

                Red Kite again at the top of Jayhouse Lane yesterday.

Kingfisher

Unfortunately I found it dead outside Trinity Road in Halifax town centre.  Think it must have flown into one of the windows as was found in an area with very few cars.   Surprising place to find a Kingfisher, just a shame that it wasnt a live one.

Roils Head ...help needed.

The Friends of Roils Head

Tree Planting!

Roils Head Moor

next to Bridleway Hx 548

(at the top of Broadley Road and Rye Lane)

1.30pm – 3pm

Saturday 2 December 2017

The FoRH (with Calderdale MBC Countryside Team) will be planting a Woodland Trust Tree Pack along the moor side of the Bridleway. To create a natural hedgerow and to establish more food sources for wildlife in the area. Creating a living legacy for future generations.

All are welcome to come and help!

Please wear appropriate clothing

Jayhouse Lane

                 Another Red Kite at the top of Jayhouse Lane today.

Peregrine

Juvenile Peregrine on the pylon at the back of Sainsburys in Brighouse this morning.

Todmorden

Dipper in the Calder by Wellington Rd bridge this afternoon.

Swales Moor

Late afternoon along Ringby Lane, though the light was fading.

What I initially thought was another small group of 'pinks' at 15:30 heading my way from over Shelf direction turned out to be 11 Greylag Geese. They were high and getting blown about in the gusting wind and some struggling to keep up with the leaders. Five of them kept going high >W, 2 changed direction >N, and I lost sight of the other 4 !
At the same time a Common Snipe went over the top >W
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Pied Wagtail
c15 Meadow Pipits
4 Goldfinch
c40 Common Gulls
5 Herring Gulls and 1 L B B Gull >W
15 Starlings
1 Kestrel
Masses of corvids going to roost.

Lee Mount

A call at 10:00 from AC at Northowram  -  'pinks' heading in my direction ! Right on queue a small flock of 10 >WNW a few minutes later, they were pretty quiet though just a few calls from them. Thanks for the call Andy.They were also seen low over Mount Tabor from MM.

Later in the morning I heard another much noisier flock from Boothtown area heading towards Lee Mount. A much larger flock approx 200 to count later from phone photos, that was around 11:00 again heading >WNW.
We are very fortunate to get such a good move of Pink-footed Geese over our area from late September onwards till about March.

Update - recount from phone photo's of the skein at 11:00 was 185. A similar number were seen over Todmorden >W at 11:25 (SB) so guess they were the same ones.

Disappointing news from this spring

Early in April this year, a male pied flycatcher returned to a box placed in Jumble Hole, and started to sing and display to attract a mate. It was the same site as last years successful rearing of 6 chicks, so presumed to be the same bird.

After 22 days of patience on his part, a female finally showed up. They appeared to immediately pair up, and he never left her side for 3 days.

Then suddenly, the male went missing without trace. I checked the other boxes in the area to check if he had set up a second territory, but nothing. The female continued to nest build, but nothing more was seen or heard of the male. I strongly suspect he was predated, as previously he was constantly present and site faithful.

She actually went on to lay 5 eggs, and sat on them for more than 20 days occasionally nipping out for a feed, but eventually realised they were infertile. Disappointing outcome considering how scarce this species is in Calderdale, but encouraging that birds came back for a second year.

What will happen next spring is anyone's guess.

Willow Valley Golf Club

Red Kite again today at Willow Valley at the top of Jayhouse Lane.

Mixenden Reservoir and Ogden + yesterday

Mixenden Reservoir - a quick check first thing this morning (14th Nov) with mist on the tops and heavy drizzle.
Just one female Goldeneye, c80 B H Gulls, 18 Common Gulls and 2 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
Ogden  - late morning still in the drizzle covering the reservoir and parts of the woodland. Really quiet with hardly anything about other than the usual Mallard and small gulls with 2 Herring Gulls (adult and 2nd winter)
2 Treecreepers and 3 Goldcrests and that was about it !

Also from yesterday (13th Nov). In that cold spell a check on Swales - Ringby Lane and Hag lane - hoping for the possibility of Snow Bunting. Not to be !
Interesting move of large gulls with 7 Great Black-backed Gulls >NW and 3 more >NE plus a few Herring Gulls and one Lesser Black-backed Gull also on the move with around 45 Common Gulls loafing in the fields and along the ridge.
17 Fieldfares and 10 Redwings >NW and around 25 Blackbirds around the site suggesting they had arrived overnight.
1 Cormorant high >W
Grey Wagtail and an alba Wagtail >SW
2 Jays
1 Buzzard
A few Meadow Pipits on the top along with some Goldfinch, Bullfinch and 4 Greenfinch at the bottom of Ringby Lane.

Jayhouse Lane

Pink-footed Goose in with Canada's down by the pond  and a Red Kite over  North West this morning.

Swales Moor

Ringby Lane - early afternoon.

Red Kite - flyover at 13:47 over Ploughcroft direction, very high, mobbed by corvids headed towards Shibden Head and maybe then over Queensbury? Tried to get some photo's but they are not good as had difficulty locking the focus on to the bird with it being so high and away from me, just a few blurred shots. A nice surprise.
 I don't think we have had many reported over Calderdale this year though of course they are reasonably nearby in good numbers in the Harewood area and seem to stay around there.

1 Stonechat
7 Linnet
3 Goldfinch
c40 Common Gulls loafing around the top
Grey Wagtail flyover >SE
3 Pied Wagtail
1 Common Buzzard
c15 Meadow Pipits
3 Great Black Backed Gulls >W

Cold Edge

Cold Edge and Withens Head (near the wind-farm)
The site certainly lived up to it's name this morning in the cold >NW gusting wind. On the plus side it was bright and sunny so a nice morning to be out suitably wrapped up !
2 Barnacle Geese still with the Canada Goose flock near the dams and now numbering 90. The Barnacles are looking in really nice plumage at this time of year. Tricky getting a decent photo at the distance with the strong wind.
1 Raven flyover
1 m Stonechat
3 Meadow pipits
1 Reed Bunting
3 Kestrels
3 Redwings >W and a few Blackbirds about
Plenty Red Grouse showing but nothing on the dams other than a few B H Gulls.

 Barnacle Goose with Canada's - size difference evident

 

 Raven

Find it very difficult to get a Raven shot other than in silhouette !

Mixenden Reservoir
1 female Goldeneye, a few B H and Common Gulls with 1 juvenile  Great Black-backed Gull >W

Swales Moor

From yesterday 9th November. Had a pleasant walk on to the top with JM, though birds were a little scarce with quite a strong >W wind on the ridge.
1 female Stonechat
A few Meadow Pipits about on the top
1 Pied Wagtail
2 Stock Doves
usual corvids and just a few Common Gulls
2 distant Buzzards and 3+ Greenfinch around the feeders at the bottom end of Ringby Lane along with a few 'tits', Goldfinch and Chaffinch. Worth checking that spot for Brambling during the winter months !

Swales Moor and Soil Hill

Had a go for Snow Bunting today after the cold overnight snap and keen frost first thing this morning - but to no avail.
Swales Moor
2 Common Buzzards distant
2 Sparrowhawks
18 Meadow Pipits
Female Stonechat
10 Linnet
3 Stock Doves
40+ Common Gulls
usual glut of corvids
60 Starlings >W
Gulls also >W - 2 Great Black-backed Gulls and 2 Herring Gulls
Also a Red Admiral >W was a big surprise

Soil Hill
Hard work tramping the top for over an hour and a half for not much !
36 Lapwing high >E
3 Meadow Pipit
1 Kestrel
1 Moorhen
c60 Common Gulls >W

Also noticed the heather moors being burned in Derbyshire and North Yorkshire.

Ogden, Mixenden,Fly Flats

Did the rounds this morning after reports of Whooper Swans again on the move over our area from HC and BS. I didn't find any but it was worth a check all the same.
Mixenden Res'r - 6 Goosander
Ogden - 1 Canada Goose, 4 Bullfinch around and c 250 Starlings >N
Fly Flatts - 32 Mallard, 1 Stonechat, 1 Meadow Pipit, Kestrel and Red-legged Partridge.

Sand Martin Wall

Well done to the Cromwell Bottom Wildlife
https://cromwellbottom.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/sand-martin-wall.html Group

Hawfinch......

http://www.trektellen.nl/count/view/769/20171031

Calder Valley

Yesterday pm.

3 cormorants. They have been around for at least three weeks.
Buzzard, peregrine and two raven over.
Male sparrowhawk.
Kingfisher.
Dipper.

Fly Flatts Glory

  Nice surprise seeing 2 Twite up at Fly Flatts and also nice
  to see BS's Ring Ouzel what a beautiful bird it is, also 4 Redstart
  seen up there, It was nice to bump into DF who was skywatching
  but there wasn't much showing at all.

Friday

186 pink feet (re-counted from a photo - a few  more than I estimated earlier) flew west over Mytholmroyd  11:30.

3 buzzards around Jumble Hole, at least one of which is a juvenile. A few siskins around this week too.

Swales Moor and Hunter Hill

A good move of Woodpigeons (937), Redwings (348), and  a few Starlings (240), Chaffinch (22), Fieldfare (1)  this morning between 08:15 and 09:30 mainly all >W and >SW plus a few other species in much lower numbers.

This afternoon I had a check on Hunter Hill (between Wainstalls and Mixenden) but couldn't find much other than a Little Owl on Balkram Edge and a Cormorant on the reservoir.

BS fared much better with 2 Ring Ouzels at Fly Flatts thereby continuing his 'purple patch'. A scarce migrant especially on autumn passage as they head back to North Africa for our winter. Well done Bri and thanks for the lift back down from The Withens. See West Yorkshire Birding blog for further details.

Wheatears

We are still getting one or two reports of late-ish Wheatears - very nice to still have some returning summer migrants on their way to wintering grounds in Africa.
One today as reported earlier at Withens Head
Another at Fly Flatts today (BS)

These two photos below are of the same individual from JM and were also seen by DF at Jay House Lane, Clifton.

Fly Flatts and Withens Head

Fly Flatts. Very windy. !
Just 4 R L Partridge, a Kestrel and 5 Canada's.

Withens Head, opposite wind farm car park.
1 Wheatear, 3+ Stonechat, Kestrel and Little Owl along with a Raven >N.

Fly Flatts

Strong westerly wind up there this afternoon but at least it was clear of fog. Hard to find any birds.
2 Kestrels and that was it.

Withens Head
4 Stonechats on the walls by the farm and a single Buzzard over >SW
1 Kestrel

Fly Flatts ... Swales Moor

Fly Flatts
Fog just would not lift at all for me this afternoon though BS got a 'window' later in the afternoon before the grime came in again.
I just managed 4 fly-by Partridge spp. and a solitary Redwing as they flew right in front of the car.
BS did manage 4 Wigeon later on - see his report on West Yorkshire Birding along with a mass of birds for HC at the Oxenhope watch point earlier today.

Nolstar
1 Stonechat and 15 Goldfinch

I headed off to Swales Moor - usually clear when Fly Flatts is in the mist
On the top of Ringby Lane there were plenty of birds about...
1 Song Thrush
4 Stonechats together
60+ Meadow Pipits
1 Skylark
11 alba Wagtails >S
15+ Goldfinch
c20 Linnets
80+ corvids on the freshly manured fields - and did it stink !!
Plenty of gulls along the ridge with 1 Great Black-back, c20 Lesser Black-backed, 40+ Common Gulls, 5 Herring Gulls and 40+ Black-headed - all drifting >NW as the daylight started to fade.

Luddenden Dean

Had a couple of hours in the dean late morning - before the torrential rain came in !
Redwings all over the place after an overnight arrival - difficult to get any decent counts but probably 300+. They were getting blown all over the place but they were very alert and flighty, some heading up the dean and others down, perhaps wanting to settle but when they are in migration mood they do not seem to want to stay especially when the raptors were are also well in evidence.
400+ Woodpigeons though they went straight through >SW
2 Fieldfares
6+ Mistle Thrush
Buzzard
3 Sparrowhawks
4 Kestrels
1 Merlin - female fly-through came off Castle Carr Road, down into the dean strafing the fields then the tree tops then low over the moor >W
1 Little Owl
1 Dipper in the stream by the bridge just before the 'catti' pub
1 Nuthatch and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker both near the Lower Lodge

Very few small birds about in the blustery wind other than a few Chaffinch over >SW
1 Reed Bunting in juncus along Castle Carr Road

Fly Flatts etc...

Fly Flatts - in the drifting thick fog and light drizzle. waiting for the fog to clear while I was there so went to try lower down
1 Wheatear on the top road - getting quite late for them now ! though BS found 2 more later on, well done Bri.
1 Raven - heard only
1 Barnacle Goose making a lot of noise had obviously lost it's mate in the fog  but, I hear, found it later on per BS

Wheatear

Withens Head
6 Magpies - they are getting more regular here at higher elevation so it's not boding well for breeding waders next summer !

Mixenden Reservoir
1 Cormorant
1 each L B B Gull and Herring Gull

Ogden
1 Reed Bunting in the juncus near the reservoir cottage
1 Goldcrest in the pines at the back of the lodge
2 Fieldfare
1 Redwing

Earlier today on Swales Moor
7 Skylarks together in the top field
21 Redwing and 2 Fieldfare >W

Natural World

Just seen that the Natural World tonight is showing a programme at 9PM on BBC 2 about Goshawks, one of my favourite birds, hope its good.

Other news today

Can't beat the report from BS... ! what will tomorrow bring (???)

5 Whooper Swans over Northowram >E at around 15:00 this afternoon (AC)

c80 Pink-footed Geese >W over Barkisland this morning at c 09:35 (TW)
c160 more 'pinks' >W over Skircoat at 11 :05 (WG)

Fly Flatts Great Egret

                         Another stonker for Calderdale

                            1500 hrs Fly Flatts >NE

                           It came up the Calder Valley from the SW

Report on West Yorkshire Birding
BS

Fly Flatts Caspian Gull.

Just had contact with DJS about some pics of yesterdays 1st winter Caspian gull at Fly Flatts .
Photos not the best as bird came through fast in near gale force SW >7 gusting 8 so no time to tripod up. Photos hand held at 600mm.

                                     Hooked bill

                                         Bullet hole eye.

                               Milky white underwing

Thanks to all concerned.
BS