Soil Hill & Whiteholme Reservoir; updates from the week

I arrived back in Halifax on Tuesday afternoon, although I did not record much of interest on that date. Soil Hill has been fairly quiet this week but still a few of the regular migrants are back already, with numbers peaking as follows; 

Willow Warbler: 5 on the 5th 
Whitethroat: 5 on the 6th
Wheatear: 3 on the 7th

Soil Hill 05th May

-2 Siskin flew over Taylor Lane

Soil Hill 06th May

-A single Swift flew north

-2 Sand Martin flew west

Soil Hill 07th May

-The highlight of the week was a Whinchat on the Cattle Fields at the bottom of the North Slope. Sadly an extremely distant bird.

-10 Siskin flew over north, a flock of 3 and a flock of 10

A full checklist from this date can be found here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S87305940

-Whinchat

Soil Hill 09th May

-A drake Tufted Duck was on the NK pond. This is only the second time I have seen one here, after a flyby on the 09th April 2017!

-A single House Martin flew north

Over the weekend I also made a couple of trips to Whiteholme Reservoir. Due to the weather there was a fantastic assemblage of birds on both dates. 

Whiteholme Reservoir 08th May

Absolutely horrendous conditions, with horizontal sleet and hail restricting visibility. 

-There was a single SANDERLING on the shore of the reservoir, associating with a group of 19 Dunlin. An additional flock of 10 Dunlin was also down the shoreline, bringing the total up to 29.

-In addition I counted 4 Ringed Plover, but there could have been more.

-There were 2 Greylag Geese sat on the moors

A full checklist from this date can be found here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S87393963

-Dunlin

-Sanderling

Whiteholme Reservoir 09th May

The calm after the storm. Was good to bump into DF at Whiteholme early doors to enjoy some brilliant inland birding. 

-In total I click counted 72 Dunlin as I walked down the reservoir shore from North to South. These were mainly in three seperate flocks, each feeding at different points. 

-Joining one of the flocks were 2 SANDERLING. Looking at the moult patterns on the photos, both of these birds appear to be different to yesterdays individual.

-Excellent numbers also of Ringed Plover. I did not count them but estimate at least 15 individuals.

-At around 08.00 an ARCTIC TERN flew steadily south through the reservoir. It made hard work against the wind and initially appeared that it might linger before it carried on.

-Around 09.20 a single PINK-FOOTED GOOSE dropped onto the reservoir banking. It lingered here for around 10 minutes before it flew of south-west. 

-A single Swift flew south over Blackstone Edge

-At least 6 Wheatear were present, but mobile

A full checklist from this date can be found here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S87589496

-Arctic Tern

-Sanderling

-Dunlin

-Pink-footed Goose

Its nice to be back