Red-throated Diver

We received some photos yesterday of a bird seen on the River Calder near Hollas Bridge on 16th November. What a find, Dawn. ! Thankfully these photos were passed on to Mick H and identified as a Red-throated Diver. A rare bird for Calderdale though occasionally found on our upland reservoirs. They breed in Scotland and more northern areas including Iceland and northern Europe and winter along the coasts of the UK.

Red-throated Diver

This is the 10th record of this species for Calderdale. The first since the last one at Fly Flatts on 21st March 2015 (HC).

Beacon Hill

146 Common Gulls with 10 Stock Doves

Beacon Hill

 Male Kestrel

Ogden etc.

Two drake Goldeneye turned up on the reservoir yesterday - but they wern't there today. They looked really smart in pristine plumage. Another one on Cold Edge dams today - this time a single female. Always a welcome sight at this time of year as they prepare to spend the coming winter in he UK. Also at Cold Edge a Little Grebe on Spring Mill Dam.

Ogden has a decent flock of Chaffinches, though tricky to find at times as they forage on the weedy areas that were left high and dry with this years low water levels. A single Brambling was with them yesterday (BS). There is also a really good flock of tits and finches including Lesser Redpolls, Siskins and Goldfinch with Blue/Great /Coal and Long-tailed Tits and accompanying Goldcrests, Treecreepers and Great-spotted Woodpecker. A Chiffchaff was with them on 7th. 

Tawny Owl

 Recent Tawny hiding away...

Mytholmroyd canal

 Goosanders