Domesticated Mallard: Khaki Campbell breed. This bird has "defects" - white at base of bill and on neck, and white primaries.
Monday, November 22, 2021
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Brighouse / Cromwell Bottom
A couple of shots from Mike Henshaw from Monday 15th Nov. Thanks Mike.
150 Pink-footed Geese (click on photo to enlarge)
25 (of 26) Stock Doves - a good count there !
Tuesday, November 16, 2021
Sunday, November 14, 2021
Tree Sparrows.............!!
Prompted by last weeks finding of a Tree Sparrow at a garden feeder at Slack (SiB). I thought it worth checking on any other reported sightings of Tree Sparrows in the last ten years. Specifically at locations that are away from the eastern end of Calderdale where we have a small number throughout the year.
Away from the east of Calderdale these are the records from the Halifax Birdwatchers Club Reports from 2010. - -
2010 - Lee Mount -3 turned up on my garden feeder - 14 and 15th Nov with 1 remaining on 16th Nov.
2011 - Lee Mount - 1 on garden feeder from 15th to 21st March
2012 - -
2013 - Cromwell Bottom - 3 on 22nd January
2014 - Northowram (garden feeders?) 3 on 23rd Nov, 5 on 28th Nov, 3 on 7th Dec and 2 on 27th Dec
2015 - Northowram 2 on 3rd January
2016 - Shelf 3 on 26th and 4 on 28th February. 1 at Walshaw Dean on 9th Oct.
2017 - -
2018 - -
2019 - -
2020 - - (still to check)
2021 - 1 on garden feeder at Slack
A scarce bird always one worth watching out for - especially on garden feeders during the late autumn and winter period. Photos are a great help to identification if anyone suspects getting any on their garden feeders.
Brown crown - white cheek with a black spot are some of the more noticeable identification pointers.
Photo courtesy of John M
Tuesday, November 09, 2021
Recent reports
Just a bit of an update from recent weeks of reports across Calderdale. I might not recall everything (!!) but maybe just a flavour of the autumn birds now the summer visitors are gone other than the occasional Chiffchaff or Blackcap.
October started off pretty well at Fly Flatts (BS then DJS)). On 9th October 44 Wigeon with 2 Pintail, 1 Teal on the water and 2 Black Redstarts nearby as well as Red Kite flyover heading >S.
The main Redwing arrival seemed to occur from around the middle to the end of October with Fieldfares shortly afterwards at the end of October and into November. Some big flocks, several hundred strong have been in the Walshaw / Blake Dean area as well as Luddenden Dean and Crimsworth Dean. A decent count of Bramblings (40+) were also in the Gorple area mid October and 30+ in Luddenden Dean by 23rd plus a few other single birds at Lightcliffe, Hardcastle Crags and Slack Top. Always a nice bird to look out for in winter, beech woodland and possibly garden feeders.
Wintering flocks of Redpolls and Siskins have been found in alders/birch and spruce at Ogden and other sites. A flock of c20 Redpoll were feeding in birch trees yesterday at Ewood Lane, Todmorden (RS).
The pick of the month so far seems to be 2 Great White Egret - a single flyover over Ringstone on 9th October(PD, DF, JM, AT) and another, heading west over Baitings Reservoir on 5th November (PGr). Also been a couple of sightings of Little Egret at Ringstone Reservoir recently.
Movement across our area of the Pennines of Pink-footed Geese and Whooper Swans was observed in late September and October though this main influx seems to have settled down now. Even so, 2 skeins of 'pinkies' have been reported today. Maybe of commuting flocks between Norfolk/ Linc's/ the Humber and Ribble/Southport/Merseyside/ Lanc's and Cumbria. Selecting the favoured feeding areas ?
Other notable sightings include a few scattered Woodcock,
A Yellow-legged Gull on Cromwell Bottom ski-lake on 4th Nov (JJL)
A Tree Sparrow with the House Sparrow flock yesterday at Slack Top was a really good find on a garden feeder (SiB)
3 male and 2 female Mandarin Ducks on the Ryburn earlier today (AT)
With thanks to all for the ongoing reports. Please add anything obvious I might have missed !
