Shibden Park

'Continental' Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis - juvenile.

The bird does not look bulky (on average P. c. carbo is heavier), and the diagnostic feature for determining subspecies can be seen in these photos: that is, the rear edge of the yellow gular patch drops vertically from the gape (in P. c. carbo the rear edge slopes forwards below the gape).

Intermediates do occur, but most closely photographed birds can easily be assigned to subspecies, and it is surprising that this is not done more often. With their differing structure and breeding distribution (typically, carbo - coastal, sinensis - inland), the two subspecies could become full species one day.

And it was nice to see 4 trout about 20cm long in the beck. The fish in the photo is identified as Brown Trout by the red spots on its side (Rainbow has only black spots), and by the lack of Rainbow's tail spots and pink lateral line.

Shibden Park

 Muscovy Duck

Beacon Hill

 Stock Dove

Shroggs Park - 17th June - Reed Warbler

I had a surprise this morning whilst I was checking out some sites around Ogden. Steve C sent me a phone recording of a bird singing in Shroggs Park at Lee Mount. With Andy C we met up with Steve (plus sound recording gear) just to hear snatches of song. The bird was singing on and off in an area of dense vegetation, tall rampant weeds, large overgrown shrubs and overhanging trees but it was reluctant to show. 

We felt care was needed to ensure correct identification as this is not typical Reed Warbler habitat. They are usually in a reed-bed.

The noise of traffic, along with a helicopter flyover, as well as bird song from Song Thrush, Wren and Blackcaps made for tricky listening and further recording though we came away satisfied that, against other options and the original recording by Steve, that it was in fact a Reed Warbler. Hopefully it will stay around a short while longer. 

Quite a turn up for a local park !!

Well done Steve.

Bank Top

 Whitethroat female carrying food

Whiteholme

 Reed Bunting male

Pied Wagtail juvenile

Whiteholme

 2 Meadow Pipits looking pale in the bright sunlight 

Brearley

 A lot of good work gone on here to make good use of a flood plane near the River Calder. Just need some rain !

Common Sandpiper on the river this afternoon. Male Goosander flew down river and a few Sand Martins about as well as 2 House Martins and 4 Swifts. Barnacle Goose with Canadas Geese. Also a Whitethroat and a Willow Warbler.

Shibden Park

One of a brood of 6 young Moorhens

Adult Coots with brood of 9 young!

And there is another brood of 4 young Coots

Cold Edge

 Barnacle Goose

Stonechat: breeding and non-breeding males

Cromwell Bottom Goosanders

 I had a lovely couple of hours at Cromwell Bottom yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Half an hour of that time was spent watching a family group of Goosander - a female and 8 ducklings - trying to negotiate the weir on the river. Even if there had been water flowing over the weir I doubt they'd have been successful.

The adult would fly onto the top, call for her brood to follow, then jump back down to join them when they failed to follow her. She did this 4 times at different parts of the weir before giving up and going off back downstream.

Any chance of getting some funding for a Goosander Ladder on the river? 😂😂😂