Soil Hill

 I didn't manage to get out till late afternoon - delayed - something to do with autumn leaves !!!

It was nearly dark when I got up there - but that was the heavy, dark black clouds with some brightening from the west. Not much at all except for lots of Common Gull moving >NW along with a few Black-headed Gulls and a couple of Herring Gulls. 3 Lesser Black-backs were heading in the opposite direction.

Nearly forgot - 60+ Fieldfare went over 'the hill' around 3.45pm >NW probably a pre-roost flock.

5 Stonechats on the wall by the mast was a surprise in that cold wind. They were actively catching prey. It's always a sense of amazement with Stonechats that they seem to  make good use of exposed sites as long as they have some degree of shelter from a wall, fence or hedge and providing they have vantage points from which to search for food.

4 degrees c when I got back to the car - a sign of things to come though it's better than rain !!!

Also today from Withens Clough c100 Fieldfare (NG).

Yesterday 20 Crossbills in and around the pines at Ogden near Giant's Tooth area (CS). Probably still there though they can be tricky to find at times. Nice birds to get in Calderdale.