Shibden Park

 Long-staying Muscovy Duck

Soil Hill

  A delightful frosty morning on Soil Hill today, with clear skies and still conditions. A few interesting birds on offer as well.

  The highlight was not one but two Red Kites which both went southwest. The first passed high over Ogden at 08:30, circling high over the old Withens pub and continuing down the valley. The second came southwest over Keelham at 09:30, keeping very low and seemingly dropping into the fields at one point, although out of sight. It eventually continued straight southwest low and directly over the Hill. I have never had more than a single Red Kite on a given day at this site.

  Additionally flushed a Jack Snipe and had a distant skein of 109 Pink-footed Geese, which flew northwest over Ilkley Moor, far to the north of the Calderdale area.

-Red Kite 08:30

-Red Kite 09:30

-Jack Snipe

In total managed 34 species today, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S212155093

Cromwell Bottom

 Visited Cromwell Bottom yesterday to check out the wintering Scaups, now up to three individuals. They were always on the far side of the Ski Lake from the canal towpath but through the fence was able to get some nice views as they moved around with the small group of Tufted Ducks. Also a few Goldeneye on the lake as well. 

The male Scaup is looking quite dapper now!

-Scaup

Around and about....

Checked on a few spots today starting at Mixenden Res'r - always in the hope that something will turn up there. It does seem to have gone off a bit from some recent years. Still no sign of wintering Goldeneye.

1 Lapwing was a little surprising as it dropped in with the preening gull flock together with 3 Cormorants and 2 Mallard..

Gulls were disturbed several times usually landing back on the water before returning to the embankment.

60+ Black-headed Gulls, 25+ Common Gulls, 13 Herring Gulls included 6 adults, 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls included 5 adults.

Fly Flats - 1 Oystercatcher on the small spit at the bottom of the fence line was a welcome returner but the weather up there might move it on. That was the only bird other than 10 Carrion Crows loafing along the top road.

Ogden - p m in the drizzle. Not a lot better for birds than Fly Flats though a Kingfisher was darting about at the north end. Just a few gulls on the water, mostly Black-headed with a few Commons and 5 Herring Gulls.

Very few passerines other than on the feeders and a pair of Bullfinch in trees near the car park

Also interesting news from the ski-lake at Cromwell Bottom with 3 Scaup, 1 drake and 2 female types, photographed on Sunday (JJL) and again this morning from DJB.

Mixenden res'r etc....

The recent adult Great Black-backed Gull was there again on 21st and 22nd though I failed to relocate it after 11:20 yesterday when all the gulls were put up off the embankment and the water with many moving off. Just a single Cormorant on the water but still no sign there of any Goldeneye this winter. It was formerly a regular wintering spot for them !

Little else in the very wet woodland other than 3 Goldcrests feeding close together in the pine trees.

Brief check at Cromwell Bottom ski-lake this morning. The 2 Scaup are still there, looking good, as are 12 Tufted Duck and 7 Goldeneye  (including 4 drakes).

A small flock of Siskin were also reported c150 yds down from Cromwell Lock (GS).

Song Thrush singing at Midgehole, near Hardcastle Crags (NG) and another at Cromwell Bottom this morning.

Cromwell Bottom - ski-lake

 A day for ducks......

The Tufted Duck flock seems to be increasing daily with a maximum count today of 27.

Also, and enjoyed by a good few observers, were at least 10 Goldeneye (5 drakes), 3 Shoveler (1 drake), 2 Scaup, several Goosander and a drake Pochard which has certainly been a scarce bird in Calderdale in recent years. Also today from JB - a Little Grebe.

Certainly a site worth checking on a regular basis at this time of year.

Mixenden Reservoir (and recent updates)

Site visit 16th January.

Bonus bird was an adult Great black-backed Gull, most of the time just resting on the water, looking a real 'bruisers' of a bird compared with 3 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls and up to 20 Herring Gulls nearby. Also on the embankment 20+ Common Gulls and 40+ Black-headed Gulls. The  gulls here like to drop in, bathe and preen then move off, with others arriving almost continuously at times during the winter period.

Nothing else on the water other than 1 drake Mallard.

Over the years this site has produced some outstanding sightings so it's always worth a check even though it is often disappointing !

The woodland was so wet - a welly job so didn't venture far in.

Elsewhere 6 Brambling were located in Luddenden (MH) and throughout the day a big move of Pink-footed Geese reported passing over the Calder Valley probably in excess of 800 birds.

4 Whooper Swans passed over Northowram (AC) heading south late afternoon and 11 Whooper Swans at Lower Gorple on the 15th .Upto 8 Crossbills , 30 Sisking and a few Redpoll are showing well in Walshaw Dean Plantation (MH , AC)

The 2 Scaup at Cromwell Bottom ski-lake seem to be well settled having been reported there since 5th November 2024 - presumably the same birds ?.

Also on the ski-lake a small flock each of Tufted Ducks and with Goldeneye drakes now starting to display..

  Pink-footed Geese have been seen in good numbers so far this year with aprox 2 to 3 thousand birds heading west ...

Cromwell Bottom and Castle Carr Road

 Finally got a bit of light birding yesterday 15th Jan.

Cromwell Bottom ski-lake

2 Scaup still present and sticking together. Looks like they are paired up now with the drake looking particularly good. I suspect these are the long stayers from the end of 2024 when they both were in immature plumage.

Still limited viewing of the lake but also present as far as I could see were 18 Tufted Duck, 9 Goldeneye (inc 5 drakes), 14 Cormorant, 4 L B B Gulls (inlcuding 1 intermedius), 3 Herring Gulls, 7 Coot, 3 Moorhen and 2 Grey Heron along with just a few B H Gulls and 2 Common Gulls.

An afternoon  saunter along a short stretch of Castle Carr Road produced a nice surprise with 2 Golden Plover on the edge of the moor that called and sped of towards Cold Edge. Also 6 Red Grouse becoming vocal and 3 Fieldfares

Shroggs Park - Mistle Thrush in full song yesterday afternoon

River Ryburn and Mid Jannuary

 A walk along the river Ryburn today produced 19 Mandarin Duck by far my biggest count in Calderdale in fact anywhere , the 12 males  were in perfect plumage and 7 female types . Dipper , Moorhen and Mallards made for a great walk, Cromwell was very busy with 23 Tufted Duck , 2 Pochard , 2 Scaup , 8 Goldeneye , 5 Teal .500 Black headed gulls( the odd one or two with full black hoods)  , 100 Common Gulls , 3 LBBGulls (1 intermedius) and 6 Herring Gulls...

Shibden Park

Ring-necked Parakeet 1

Lots of overnight snow !

Not much to report today though  the feeder was  busy with Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed Tits.

Most interesting was a superb looking Grey Wagtail in the crescent feeding off the snow and searching the walls and fences. Not much like their usual stream-side habitat but it must have been finding food as it was there most of the morning.

Cold Edge

3 of 50 Fieldfares

Also, 66 Greylag geese!