The Slavonian Grebe still at Lee Dam today but the water is freezing up rapidly other than the inlet stream (BL). The bird will probably move on elsewhere if the freeze continues......
A single Snow Bunting yesterday from Rishworth Moor (TW) but no sign of it today (LD)
The recent conference last Saturday was a very interesting and informative day. Very well organised, this annual event this year was held locally at the Shay Stadium.
Masses of hard work and dedication from many people. Not only out 'in the field' but also for producing NERF's most recent publication. Great encouragement all round to every one of us to 'keep up the good work'. With thanks especially to our local stalwarts and organisers on the day - SD and TW.
https://raptorforum.wordpress.com/
The Slavonian Grebe was still being seen at Lee Dam though the pond was icing up yesterday. If the icing gets worse it may move on but for the present it seems to be content to stay at this site. (BL et al)
4 Whooper Swans went west over Mytholmroyd on Tuesday (MJB), perhaps the same 4 that were present on Baitings res'r on Monday (SB). A single Whooper was on the Albert Road, Pellon Res'r yesterday afternoon (NcD).
Scarlet Tanager has been reported again at Shelf today so hopefully stay around a while longer.
Slavonian Grebe also seems to be settled at Lee Dam and feeding well according to the reports.
I had an interesting spell on Soil Hill this morning with 24 species. Jut a bit disconcerting with three dogs charging around the top so stuck to the Ned Hill track and the view to the north. Pretty good views of the Yorkshire Dales Three Peaks but many of the hill tops to the south and west were covered in low cloud.
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Bird of the year for Calderdale and Yorkshire with this North American bird turning up in Shelf. A bird which I understand normally winters in South America. Well done to the finder and for those who managed to see it today including AC. MJB. JJL. and DJB. et al. Unfortunately it did not show during the two and half hours whilst I was there - similar for GS! Pleased to hear that NCD and RA did manage to see it later on in the afternoon. Further reports in due course hopefully.
Ah below - thanks Daniel
Well...
We don't exactly get many MEGA-level species in Halifax, so it was a bit of a shock last night to see the news break of a Scarlet Tanager visiting a garden in Shelf! An American passerine in Halifax! Absolutely ridiculous!
Fortunately the bird, which had apparently already been present for a week, stayed another night and was still present this morning. During the day, from first light, it showed only a handful of times and never for an extended period. I've seen figures quoted on social media estimating more than 500 twitchers passed through the area today in the hopes of seeing it! And it was great to see many Halifax birders among the masses!
Fortunately, the bird has no aviary rings, and being a first-winter male, it is the correct age for a genuine migrant. Hopefully, the various authorities will not have any issues accepting it. Should it be accepted, it will represent just the eighth record of this species in Britain, the third on the mainland, and most importantly, the first for Yorkshire!
Hopefully, it will continue in the area for some time yet. The bird can be viewed from the end of a cul-de-sac called Bridle Dene, just southwest of Shelf Park.
An absolutely incredible record; an American passerine in Halifax! Unbelievable!
Headed off up Todmorden way this morning. Mist still clinging lower down the valley but at Lumbutts / Mankinholes it wasn't too bad at all.
Once I located Lee Dam finding the Slavonian Grebe was no problem. A real stunner as was a Great-Crested Grebe on the same pond. At one stage the smaller grebe caught a fish and was rapidly pursued by the larger grebe but the 'Slav' won out.
Couldn't post yesterday - of course the highlight for me was heading down to Cromwell Bottom ski-lake mainly on the track of the recent Slavonian Grebe just in case it was drawn down to this site. It wasn't there but I did manage to find 2 Scaup, 9 Tufted Duck, 1 Goldeneye and 2 Goosander on the lake. From today's news the grebe has been showing well, still in the Todmorden area. Well done to PB for the early morning find and photos and to DJB and MJB for this afternoons update and photos of the grebe and the two Scaup.
Brian Leecy sent me a very nice shot of the 'Slav' on the canal at Todmorden seen over the weekend. Thanks Bri for being happy for me to post on here.
Grateful thanks too to, as far as I know, the original finder Bo M - well done.
Slavonian Grebe (BL)
Soil Hill was fairly steady this morning, as the VizMig season slowly dries up. The highlight was 538 Fieldfare south, including one without a tail, and 297 Redwing south. The best of the rest were 35 Chaffinch south and 5 Lesser Redpoll. There were still seven Teal on the NK pond, which seem settled in for now, having been present since the last week of October.
As autumn winds to a close, MJB and I spent the day checking different sites around the Calderdale area. Our first port of call was Lee Dam in the Lumbutts valley, where PB relocated the Slavonian Grebe that had been seen on the Todmorden Canal two days ago. It showed fantastically well at times, catching a few perch in the shallows but spending much of its time in the middle of the reservoir.
Leaving Lee Dam, we checked New Mill Dam just down the valley and had a drake Mandarin. Next we checked Whiteholme in case something interesting was visiting, but it was not. A quick check of Ringstone brought us a drake Gadwall, which is presumably the same bird originally found by PD on the 3rd November. A Little Grebe was also on the reservoir here.
We ended the day checking out the Ski Lake at Cromwell Bottom, to see if the two Scaup found by DJS the previous evening were still present. Initially it looked like they might have moved on, as we could only see seven Tufted Ducks and three Goldeneye from the restaurant viewpoint. It was not all lost however, as MJB spotted a pair of Shoveler sleeping at the very far end of the lake.
Walking along the canal to get another perspective, we were able to refind the Scaup. They showed well but it was difficult viewing from the towpath and we eventually went back to the restaurant, from which they were now viewable. With clear views, we decided that the birds were a 1st winter female and a 1st winter male.
A thoroughly enjoyable day of inland birding!
At 15:50 PD messaged out that there was an excellent assemblage of Wildfowl on Ringstone, including Gadwall which would be a Calderdale tick for me, and Pochard which would have been a yeartick. Given that the light was already fading, I decided to race up there and arrived with just enough time to scan the reservoir.
The bulk of the ducks were easy to pick out, with the water calm their shapes stood out conspicuously. The drake Gadwall and Shoveler were very easy, nestled into a flock of 8 Wigeon. There was also an Athya sp. in the flock, but it wasn't a drake (like PDs Pochards) and with the bird remaining asleep almost the entire time, and struggling with the light, I could not confidently ID it. From what I could make out it was probably just a Tufted Duck. I was unable to pick out the Pochard, but they could easily still be there somewhere in the gloom.
A brilliant selection from PD. Hopefully more Wildfowl will come in the following days.
At lunchtime I went down to Ogden to have a look at the drake Shoveler found in the morning by BS, on the way picking up JJL, also on his way to see the bird. We quickly picked up the Shoveler on the east bank, but as we were making our way towards it I was distracted by one of the gulls in the middle of the reservoir.
Helpfully it was not particularly distant and it took no time at all to confirm my suspicions that the bird was a Mediterranean Gull. It was bathing in the middle of the reservoir, occasionally flying around, for around 15 minutes before it flew to join the gulls roosting on the west bank. We headed round and had very close views of the bird preening, before after around 20 minutes it flew off south towards Mixenden Reservoir, and did not return whilst we were there.
In total managed 42 species today, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S201091557
Trektellen count here; https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/767/20241102
Hard work finding birds up there this afternoon....
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This morning finally saw the first Fieldfares of the autumn arrive on Soil Hill. Despite the low cloud, fog and generally gloomy conditions, a few flocks of thrushes still passed through Soil Hill, along with a few Woodpigeons and a variety of finches.
An interesting walk on a lovely afternoon.
The forecast of early morning fog was fortunately incorrect, and although VizMig was quite slow there was decent variety of birds moving over the three and a half hours spent watching. The highlight on passage was six Brambling, with a flock of four and then two singles.
It has been a good autumn so far for Jack Snipe on Soil Hill, with the first individual recorded on the 24th September and then being seen on four dates before today, although many days I have not checked for them to reduce disturbance. Today was the first day I used my thermal imager to try to find them, and it was also the first day with two individuals.
In total managed 43 species today, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S200673369
Trektellen count here; https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/767/20241029
With heavy rain in upland north Calderdale I headed to Cromwell Bottom for the morning, and struck lucky with a Little Egret on the River Calder near the Avocet works. It then flew off, heading upstream and appeared to land, but I could not refind it.
A quick visit this morning to check the ski-lake, though viewing is still frustratingly limited, I did mange to pick out a drake Common Scoter, a first for the year for me !
A Little Egret was present in the woodland overlooking Brearley wetlands this afternoon (MartynH)
I went up to see if the 3 Twite were still present from the last couple of days. No show unfortunately. Looks like they have moved on. I did go armed with some Nyger seed which I scattered about in an attempt to encourage them to stay awhile if they do return. A Wren was in and out of the juncus there !
Tufted Duck: adult male moulting out of eclipse, (bright yellow iris, adult bill pattern)
Prompted by a sighting from AC and NCD last evening of 3 Twite at the north end of the reservoir I headed up there this morning. Poor conditions with fog/ low cloud and visibility not good at all. Fortunately all three birds were still there feeding on the 'weedy' embankment. Quite approachable, given stealth, I managed a few shots in the poor light. These are the best I could do of 2 of the three.
Not a lot else in the conditions other than 3 Stonechats, 2 Meadow Pipits, 12 Carrion Crows, 1 Jackdaw, 1 Red Grouse. Visible migration was also evident with 650+ Woodpigeons passing through in several groups via 'The Nab' - they seemed to know the direction they were heading.... but who knows in that fog !!!
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