Soil Hill & Whiteholme Reservoir; updates from the week

Last week was excellent for Willow Warblers, with a count of 17 on the 23rd and 13 on the 25th, and this week continued in much the same form. Small numbers of migrants were scattered around the hill on each day that I visited.  

Soil Hill 26th July

-2 Buzzard flew over

-1 Grasshopper Warbler 

-8 Willow Warbler juveniles scattered around the hill

-2 Grey Wagtail flew S 

In total I managed 45 species on this date. A full checklist from this date can be found here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S92314482

-Common Buzzard

Soil Hill 01st August

-A Green Woodpecker was calling from near Bradshaw

The midweek weather conditions, in tandem with the excellent shoreline on offer, really delivered at Whiteholme this week. Although wader numbers were, overall, quite low, there was some excellent species brought down by the weather.

Whiteholme 27th July

-Probably the highlight of the week was a fantastic adult RED KNOT which was initially residing on the centre 'island' but then flew to the near shoreline and became fantastically confiding. It was carrying a noticable limp but this did not seem to hamper it's feeding. Later in the evening, as I was leaving, it headed off towards Blackstone Edge. Presumably this was the bird seen by NK on the 30th.

-A single juv. Dunlin was also on the island

-3 Wheatear were present

A full checklist and description from this date can be found here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S92377644

-Red Knot

Whiteholme 29th July

-Despite the awful conditions, today was extremely enjoyable with 7 ARCTIC TERNs on the centre 'island'. Initially difficult to see due to the fog, they occasionally became more visible and sometimes would fly around only to then reposition themselves on landing. All 7 were still present when I left.

-A fantastic adult GREY PLOVER, complete in its summer finery, arrived mid-morning. Due to the weather views were difficult to obtain, and as soon as the weather lifted even a little the bird headed off towards Warland.

-3 fledgling Teal were in the ditch along Byron Edge

A full checklist and description from this date can be found here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S92451362

-Grey Plover & 7 Arctic Terns

-Grey Plover

Whiteholme 31st July

-A stunning adult TURNSTONE arrived mid-morning and after flying around calling landed in the top NW corner of the reservoir. It lingered here for all of about 30 seconds before it took off again. Frustratingly I was trying to digiscope the bird at the time and as such lost it as it flew off, so I have no idea which direction it went. I did however scour the whole reservoir, and it was certainly not present on Whiteholme, nor on Blackstone Edge. Turnstone is my 150th species in Calderdale and the 15th species of wader on Whiteholme so far this year.

-2 Oystercatcher were also on the shoreline

-a Grey Wagtail was in the ditch along Byron Edge

A full checklist and description from this date can be found here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S92534971

Whiteholme 01st August

-A Grasshopper Warbler was reeling in the sedge below the dam wall