Moorhen: pair with 6 young
Saturday, May 17, 2025
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
High Brown Knoll etc
I went up there this morning with Dotterel in mind - no luck there today. I searched the same area where I found 2 in May 2005 - can't believe 20 years ago .....though the vegetation has certainly increased since then making a search quite difficult with very few bare areas.
What a beautiful day to be out in the hills with wall to wall sunshine and a stiff easterly breeze on the top there. Not a lot to report other than 6 Curlew and a distant Golden Plover calling. 1 Buzzard , 2 distant Raven and a few Meadow Pipits and Skylarks.
3 adult L B b Gulls, 1 Swallow and a House Martin all heading >N over the moor.
Also got a call from PGr who managed 2 Yellow Wagtails in the cow field off Long Lane at Southowram - they had gone when I got there. Nice record Pete.
Monday, May 12, 2025
Ringstone Edge
Whitethroat singing
Friday, May 09, 2025
Soil Hill
A very pleasant morning, with bright, sunny and quite still conditions. There was plenty of birdsong to enjoy and good numbers of migrants, including 8 Willow Warblers and 12 Whitethroat seen at various locations around the site. The highlight was the return of the Soil Hill Sedge Warbler which was in good voice but not especially showy. Given this species' scarcity in Calderdale, it's always good to see the territory reoccupied each spring.
At 07:36, an adult female Marsh Harrier flew low over the North Slope, circling directly overhead but sadly also directly into the sun. It eventually flew off, heading SW down the Ogden valley. I record this species here just about annually, so it's always good to see.
-Marsh Harrier
-Sedge Warbler
Wednesday, May 07, 2025
Ogden area
At least one Great-crested Grebe on Ogden this afternoon.
Woodlands very very quiet other than a singing Blackcap and 1 sighting of a Goldcrest
4 +3 Swifts >NW -straight through
Saturday, May 03, 2025
Friday, May 02, 2025
Fly Flatts and Ovenden Moor
It was touch and go this morning where the best local spot might be. Decided that Fly Flatts might be a decent bet especially with the recent dry spell and water levels dropping making migrant waders a distinct possibility. I usually scope from the top road - not ideal but always expectant that something might turn up. Managed a pair of Reed Buntings and a male Stonechat then the news came through from BS about the number of waders on site. Quick phone call to Bri's watch-point with his impressive list including a Ruff and a Wood Sandpiper - though both species were being very elusive.
Decided to leg it over to the north bank and after some time I managed to catch sight of a wader in flight landing on the east shore - Ruff - (not sure what my pictures are like from distance as not checked yet.) Tried very hard for the Wood Sandpiper but I failed to find it - there is a mass of shoreline on this permit only site so it could have been there or maybe moved on.
Dunlin, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Curlew and Common Sandpipers all in attendance or nearby. Along with a Wheatear, Meadow Pipits and an occasional Red Grouse. A great mornings birding ! Ta Bri.
