Crimsworth Dean and Calder Valley

Spent all morning in the dean - very windy conditions but it was dry and even some sunshine.
2 Buzzards
2 Sparrowhawks
1 Kestrel
Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Blue, Great and Coal Tits. 3 Goldcrests and a few other usual species with lots of corvids up on the ridge and a few Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls moving through.

Highlight was a Dipper, high up in the woodland feeding in the steep run-off from the fields. It was unusual but probably up there by necessity considering the torrents in the valley bottom streams.

This afternoon we checked a couple of Heronries thinking "have the nests got blown, or washed away in the recent atrocious weather" ??  The nests were still intact but of the four nests previously occupied two looked empty and no sign of adults in attendance (?)

Brearley Fields looked interesting from a distance, now well flooded with plenty of Black-headed Gulls, Canada Geese and Mallard. Worth keeping an eye on but disturbance could be an issue if any waders drop in (?)