Lapland Bunting from NCD

Halifax - Burdock Way

Burdock Way roundabout and the dual carriageway leading up towards King Cross - 30 or so Redwings this morning feeding on the sorbus (mountain ash) tree berries along with c12 Blackbirds and 6 Woodpigeons. No sign of any Waxwings yet but strong E/NE due later this week - watch out!

Ogden

If you can, watch out for Countryfile, BBC1 on Thursday 17th at 8pm. You may spot something about Ogden!
From Anthony Greenwood - Ogden web-site

Ringby Lane (Swales Moor)

Please see my comments on the previous posting if you are going up to Swales to look for the Lap Bunt tomorrow. There are Reed Buntings there as well!

Also please take care as this is an old landfill site. I don't know if it's private land but there are two small wooden stiles onto the land.

Ringby Lane (Swales Moor)

Lapland Bunting - it is there, honest!

Click on image to enlarge.

Ringby Lane (Swales Moor)

I went up there this afternoon - weather not good but the top was just clear of mist but the light was not good.I located a group of c10 Skylarks and as they flushed I noticed within the group a slightly smaller bird with them, but not a Meadow Pipit and no white wing flashes to suggest Snow Bunting.

The flock flew around and landed down near the manure pile so I approached with caution - about 2 pm. After some time checking the birds, I relocated the the slightly smaller bird and noticed two pale stripes down it's streaked brown back and rump and a distinct facial pattern, pale bill and dark spots across the breastband. It was creeping around in the grass and furrows so I only got fleeting glimpses, but had a gut feeling for Lapland Bunting!

I called BS, AC and NCD and put it out on the Grapevine - for some assistance!

In the meantime the bird flew around the hill top and heard it's call - 'tue' or 'chu' and I listened for the rattle but could not hear it against the sound of machinery nearby.

NK arrived and later PJWS and we subsequently had excellent views of the bird in the tractor tyre furrows, in the short weedy grass and also on top of the manure pile. At around 3.40 it landed nearby, away from the Skylarks and crept around among the short vegetation to within 8 meters or so when we were able to see much more plumage detail of the bird which by this time we had confirmed it's identity as a Lapland Bunting having heard it's full flight call, seen the red/brown wing panel between narrow white bars, pale crown stripe, reddish/brown face pattern and dark eye, dark spotting down the flanks and pale belly/u tail. One outer tail feather on the left was showing creamy brown.

Nigel and myself did take some photo's but not had a close look at them yet - but the light was not good for shots of a small bird in the grass but will put on the blog if they are any good!
All in all not a bad afternoon. A first for me in Calderdale.
Full description to follow in due course to NCD

Bertie does Breakfast

Hi all

Just an update on our regular Buzzard, "Bertie" at the feeding station this morning here in North Wales. Shots show the buzzard sitting in a tree around 10/15 feet away from my office awaiting me to set out his food this morning at around 8am. He then choses to carry off yet another slice of wholemeal bread to his regular feeding perch under some trees after being mobbed by crows. Notice the dead crow just in front of him being ignored in preference to bread. Thirty minutes or so later he came back again and started plucking another dead crow even nearer to my office before flying off with it to his feeding perch, obviously he likes to make sarnies :-)

We have a huge mixed flock of Golden Plover and Lapwings feeding in the fields on the coast near the caravan at the moment. They must number over 1000 birds with around two thirds of the flock Lapwings and the rest Golden Plover, a stunning sight as they move over the fields feeding and calling. They suddenly appeared in the fields when we had a series of light frosts over the weekend.

Patchworker strikes again!

Well done to Dave Sutcliffe who this afternoon located a Lapland Bunting with Skylarks on his patch at Swalesmoor

Ogden

This afternoon;
1 Cormorant headed off >NE at 1 pm
2 Raven >NW at 1.10 pm
1 Dipper catching small fish in the top pond
1 Barnacle Goose still there with a Canada Goose
1 L B B Gull - probably scandinavian race
180 B H gulls and 40+ Common Gull
1 Goldcrest
36 Rooks >N probably going to roost

Work in progress 2.

I have added a link to a list of Moths and butterflies recorded in Calderdale.It needs a bit of work as yet but should be sorted in soon.

Lee Mount

Thanks to a very 'eagle' eyed daughter for spotting 6 Whooper Swans overhead and heading SE towards Halifax at 1.10 pm today. They came from direction of Mixenden/Ogden.

Wigeon & a rare bird on Ringstone!

5 Wigeon and the odd sight of a migrant Moorhen following them around on the water early this morning. I checked the old Ringstone Blog and noted that one was seen on 18/03/06 and it is certainly a new species for me at this site.

Earlier 3 adult male and 1 juvenile Goldeneye at EGP plus 35 Tufted Duck as a supplement to Mike's posting yesterday here.

Juvenile Great Northern Diver still present at Scammonden but seems to be favouring the area nearest the M62 for the past few days. The water level has risen significantly during the past week and I personally haven't seen it at the southern end since then.

The Diver seemed unsettled this morning and at one point took off from the middle of the reservoir and flew North before 'crash landing' on the water partially submerging itself in the process close to the wall that runs parallel to the M62.

Elsewhere 4 Golden Plover and 5 Common Snipe but the Moorhen was the highlight for me this morning!

Brookfoot/EGP.

0900/1100. 6 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Little Grebe, 6 Cormorant, 28 Tufted, 36 Canada Geese, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Teal, c75 Black Headed Gulls, 1 Green Woodpecker and 1 Great Spotted. Also posting shot of Blackcap in my garden on 04/12 and a couple more for some colour on the blog.

Recent reports

Today, 12th Dec from NCD at Roils Head - 70 P F Geese >W just shortly after 2 pm.

11th Dec from PJWS - 1 juv Mute Swan on the canal at Elland opposite Plains Lane and recently behind the Barge and Barrell pub. This could be (?) the juvenile seen at Mixenden Res'r on 27th Nov. We have very few records of this species in Calderdale in recent years!
1 Mistle Thrush singing in Sainsbury's car park early afternoon

10th Dec - 1 drake Goldeneye at Fly Flats along with 12 Canada Geese. Several Red Grouse and 1 Kestrel also present (DJS)
1 Song Thrush in full song at the top of City Lane , Wheatley this morning

9th Dec - 62 P F Geese >W over Roils Head just after 3 pm from NCD

5th Dec - c50 P F Geese passing over Halifax Town Centre >W at around 10.45 am

Buzzard Feeding

As a few of you will know Sue and I moved to North Wales in 2008 and for the first time in our lives we are living in an area where Buzzards are common as they are not persecuted. I have posted on the blog about the "buzzard feeding station" I have set up around 20 yards from my office window in the caravan. I place locally shot carrion crows, magpies and any not too smelly road kill I find. I put something out at least daily now as the locals are using the quieter months for farming to bump off all the crows and magpies on their land. Ravens,Jays, Rooks , Jackdaws and raptors are left alone but crows and magpies are killed on sight due to them attacking free range poultry chicks and weak or sickly lambs (lambing occurs 12 months of the year here).

The other day I spotted "Bertie" one of the regular buzzards appearing to feed on some stale bread I chucked near the feeding station but thought I must be mistaken. Last night I threw some bread out again before going to bed (badgers eat it) and when I got up this morning spotted Bertie on the ground near two dead carrion crows. To my surprise he ignored the crows and started feeding on the bread ! I was certain it was the bread but this was confirmed when he spotted me and took off to his regular feeding spot under some trees at the other side of the field as he had a slice of granary bread clutched in one foot ! Now obviously Bertie could be a one off who likes a slice of granary for breakfast ( I might try him on toast later ) but I would never in a million years expected a buzzard to eat bread and even less likely to ignore dead meat and choose bread instead.

You photographers would LOVE it here as there is something happening all year round. I take point and snap photos and shot some videos on the camera but someone who knows what they are doing would get some stunning video and stills. The bird feeding station around 6-8 feet from my window and we get hundreds of birds on it daily in winter. A Sparrowhawk makes a couple of passes a day trying to grab something and earlier in October we had a Merlin that hung around the field and kept on trying to ambush one of the smaller birds. On several occasions in October it dived into the brambles behind the feeding station trying for a small bird which was hiding and I got superb views of it from no more than 8 feet away.

Seasons Greetings to all in Calderdale from Sue and Paul

High Royd S F

The site is really difficult to observe even now that the leaves have fallen. Plenty of water in the lagoons but some lagoons are rapidly filling up with willow scrub
c15 Teal
c12 Mallard
2 Nuthatch
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
c40 Carrion Crows on the filter beds along with 6 Pied Wagtails

Cold Edge/Hunter Hill

Vis mig - thought I would give it a try, even though the main migration has now passed!
Counting period: 9:00-10:15
Weather: Clear skies. Wind W/NW F4. Temp 5 degrees c

Sparrowhawk 2 >S
Blackbird 2 >N
Woodpigeon 2 >N
Fieldfare 48 >SW
Meadow Pipit 1 >SW
Chaffinch 1 >SW

Totals: 56 individuals, 6 species, 1:15
Comments: A single flock of 48 Fieldfare went over high at 09:15 >SW and I thought there might be some follow up movement - but I was mistaken!

Grapevine

The recent flurry of activity has seen the grapevine fund plummet so contributions are again due please. Many people now pay for several lots at once so are currently in credit, those who are due are BHo, DB, MB, MS, NCD, BNO, SG, SB, SC, WB, AZ, JC, PJWS & Roy

If you would like to join (or drop out) please contact either Nick C or Dave S.

Ogden

3 Crossbills flew over the pines near the 'giant's tooth' at 3pm (2 red males and 1 green fem/juv), they dropped into the top of some pines but we were unable to relocate them.
1 Barnacle Goose and 1 Canada Goose
1 Kestrel
20 Starling >W

Ringby Lane (Swales Moor)

This morning;
12 Skylark
2 Reed Bunting
23 Meadow Pipits
3 Pied Wagtail
Male and female Sparrowhawks
1 Kestrel
90+ Carrion Crows
12 Magpies

Scammonden GND

Still by the boathouse section at 1400 today,also 93 Canada Geese,29 Redwings and a mixed flock of Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Greenfinch about 70 strong.

GND at Scammonden

Still there at 09:45 this morning at the southern end of the dam swimming away from me towards the shore opposite the Sailing Club. I moved around to that shore but couldn't pick it up again.

More extreme weather in the Atlantic

The recent rarities for inland (GND and Frigate Bird in Huddersfield) came just after there had been "Violent Storm" force 11 winds in the Western Approaches.

Brace yourselves. The next low coming in is going to cause hurricane force 12 winds in Rockall, Bailey and further out on the high seas. That is as high as the scale goes, apart from tropical cyclones in the far east where it goes up to force 17.

Look up "High Seas Forecast", also "Beaufort Scale" in Wikepedia for a seabird's eye view of what really bad weather at sea looks like.

Scammonden - Sunday

GND Pretty mobile but mainly at the south end. It headed further north when people started throwing tennis balls in for their dogs to fetch but came back later when the sailing club launched their boats!

Pair of stonechats kept me company while waiting.

c100 canada geese came in.

2 kestrel

1 jay

c10 goldfinch

1 or 2 goldcrest

GND - Sunday

Still there at 13:30 at the end away from the M62. Couple of guys there with big lenses so we may be treated to more shots later!

Great Northern Diver

I arrived at 10:15 to see two birders walking up to the road. The diver was in the middle if the dam. as I got to the small bay (just south of the floating harbour) it flew towards me and landed about 100 yds off and steadily came within 20 yds. My last view was at 10:45 and it was heading for the very southern narrow part of the dam. By far my best view ever of any diver. Little grebe present. Goldeneye on Ringstone.

Great Northern Diver Update

Juvenile still present first thing this morning on Scammonden. Male Goldeneye still there but giving the diver a wide berth.

The diver can be quite elusive at times as it is diving frequently often staying underwater for around 50 seconds and occasionally reappearing some distance away from where it originally dived.

Blackstone Edge, Whiteholme, Lighthazzles

Checked the upland reservoirs yesterday while it was dry and calm but nothing to report, just one Mallard and two BH Gulls. Nothing on Gaddings either.

10 Lapwings and 1 Tufted Duck at Longfield though, with 9 Goosanders (8 female and 1 drake); a Grey Heron and 7 Mallards on Lee Dam.

Shibden Valley

From PJWS this afternoon - Ring-necked Parakeet again, seen from Staups Lane. It was flying over the fields west of Staups Lane heading in the direction towards Horley Green (the best vantage point is where the tarmac changes to cobbles). It's been seen here on several occasions recently.

Pink feet

A skein of c.160 pink feet passed high NW over Jumble Hole at around 4:15 this afternoon. Not worth putting on grapevine, as not least of all they'd have been past Burnley before I finished writing the text!

Great Northern Diver

Still present for the third day at least, looking really settled and feeding well this morning.

A male Goldeneye was also on the water and it was interesting to observe the divers intolerance to it whenever the Goldeneye happened to be within about 10 metres of it.

The Diver did what it does best and dived, presumably swimming underwater in the direction of the Goldeneye, causing it to quickly take to the air, wings whirring as it flew to another area of the water.

I have attached a couple more photographs of this cracking bird, the first one in unusual winter light but clearly showing the pale edges on the mantle, scapulars, rump and flanks which would not be the case if it were an adult.





The second photo hopefully shows a true reflection on how massive the bill of this species looks in the field, no wonder it is able to swallow small fish when diving underwater. Lets hope it hangs around long enough for everyone to catch up with it.





Other birds of note were:
2 Kestrel
2 Little Grebe
2 Cormorant
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker

Earlier 4 adult Herring Gull flew SW up the valley and over towards Deanhead.

Gadwall Record Numbers?

Went out early afternoon (before Sean's posting) to check Ringstone, Deanhead, Scammonden and a couple of other sites out of the area. Zilch on Ringstone and Deanhead but I think I struck the jackpot at Scammonden again!

I didn't expect the juvenile Great Northern Diver to still be there as it didn't appear to be feeding yesterday but when I located it today near to the inlet about 15:15hrs it regularly dived until I left at dusk so presumably it's catching some fish. Cormorant seem to be attracted to the water in small numbers these days so hopefully it might hang around for the weekend.

Just after 15:35hrs I picked up a flock of 10 ducks circling the water having arrived I believe from a westerly direction, the square white wing-patch on the secondaries being immediately obvious, they continued to circle a few times before landing on the south-east bank which was a bit unfortunate as I was nowhere near them.



By the time I got reasonably near them it was 15:45hrs so the light was fading fast, the first record shot was taken with me stood in the water and I think it is just possible to make out 10 ducks, one being on the far right, the second one shows 8 but they were obviously aware of my presence by this time and had taken to the water. When I left in the gathering gloom all 10 were bobbing about in the middle of the water in front of the Sailing Club.




2 Little Grebe and 2 Cormorant were also present and 1 male Goosander also appeared about 15:50hrs but soon flew off to the south. I'm now off for a lie down after all the excitement of the last few days!

Peregrine falcon

A male peregrine was seen around the piece hall in Halifax town centre yesterday.8 Redwing,6 Herring Gull high east and 4 Goldfinch near the square chapple.

Brighouse Garden

11.30am Female Blackcap feeding at Stratton Rd.

Not quite our area but.............

Bradley Wood Scout Activity Centre, Brighouse

2 Nuthatch & a Treecreeper there lunchtime today

Scammonden and Ringstone Res'rs

Well done to Dave Tattersley for locating the juvenile Great Northern Diver this morning at Scammonden. I visited the site this afternoon with Nick D, the bird was still present at 3 pm and gave some fairly close views on the eastern side of the res'r.

1 Green Woodpecker also present

Ringstone

4 Shelduck still there late afternoon

2 drake Goosander

c60 Lapwings

2 adult L B B Gulls present with Common and B H Gulls

Unprecedented Infux?

The excitement continues with yet another juvenile Great Northern Diver this morning at Scammonden, having seen 2 late yesterday at Blackmoorfoot.




Aside from the GN Diver situation there must have been a influx of ducks over the last couple of days as there were 6 Teal at Ringstone plus a Goldeneye at Deanhead yesterday and just south of the area on a partially frozen area of water not much bigger than some garden ponds I had 9 Wigeon, 2 Teal and another 2 Goldeneye.

Today on the same area of water there were 12 Teal, 3 Wigeon and the same 2 Goldeneye plus the Goldeneye on Deanhead which was still around. Blackmoorfoot also had 4 Wigeon and 2 Goldeneye yesterday and then 4 unseasonable Shelduck turn up at Ringstone, it just goes to show that moorland reservoirs aren't always birdless!




Anyhow back to Scammonden, I located the GN Diver at 10:55hrs and managed to get a few digiscoped efforts before it swam steadily towards the M62 and completely out of my photographic range. I observed it for about 40 minutes and in all that time it only dived twice and sadly didn't appear to catch anything on either occasion.

Other birds noted:

78 Canada Goose
1 Greylag Goose
1 male Sparrowhawk
2 Little Grebe
2 Cormorant

Great northern Diver

Dave Tattersley reports a juvenile on Scammonden today, Sean G checked later and comments its favouring the motorway end and a scope is needed!

There seems to be quite an influx of GNDs at the moment, I hear there were two together on Blackmoorfoot (Huddersfield)

House Sparrows

Anybody had any experience of House Sparrows lining empty nestboxes for winter roosts? A contact of mine in the north east put up a terrace of boxes in September and has just noticed some of the holes with grass poking out, on checking them she found them lined with grass and a few droppings. She is sure they haven't been used for late breeding (September would be very late?) so assumes they must have been lined as a warm roost?

Lee Dam & Longfield Dam

Just a quick wander around my old haunts this morning, nothing terribly exciting I'm afraid.

Lee Dam.

4 M and 7 F Goosander.
1 Little Grebe seen very briefly.
1 Moorhen.
1 Mistle Thrush.
1 M Kestrel just W of Lumbutts.

Longfield Dam.

8 Lapwing.
5 Black-headed Gull.
30+ Canada Geese
30+ Mallard, mostly in field to S of road.

Calder near Elland pm

A Woodcock flew up snipe-like in the scrubby area between the river and canal: giving a good but brief view, it flew upriver towards Elland.
Also -
female Goosander
12 Mallard
35+ Goldfinch moving through treetops
small flocks of LT Tits - largest 15
Jay
GS Woodpecker
Bullfinch
GC Grebe on water skiing lake

ringstone

I went to look at the whoopers was sat in the hide and a golden eye landed right in front of me this is just a quick grab shot before it dived and went away from me.

Ogden and Mixenden Res'r

Ogden;
2 Fieldfare
1 Snipe on Back lane
1 Red Grouse by the 'giant's tooth'
Goldfinch - c60 in the trees (pre roost) by the 'Causway Foot'

Mixenden Res'r
1 Cormorant
1 f Goosander
No sign of the juv Mute Swan

Pink-foots moving in dark.

Not as exciting as the diver, but heard these last night at 10.30 at Skircoat Green, in heavy rain.
Sounded to be quite low, but we couldn't see them or tell their direction, or estimate number.

Various sites

This morning
Sunny Vale
1 Kingfisher
3 Teal

Ringby Lane
No sign of the Snow Bunting
9 Skylark
1 Meadow Pipit
94 Carrion Crows
1 Sparrowhawk

Ogden
4 Redpoll over

Mixenden Res'r
1 Mute Swan - immature

Cold Edge
1 Grey Heron
1 Little Owl

Fly Flats
1 Kestrel

Longfield Dam

Walked past Longfield this afternoon - 31 Mallards; 7 Lapwings; 17 BHGulls; 1 Moorhen; 2 Tufted Ducks

Ringby Lane (Swales Moor)

No Snow Bunting today, but the views were stunning looking over Halifax.

10 Skylark

c12 Meadow Pipits

1 Sparrowhawk

BTO Atlas

Survey work this morning covering Tetrad SE02X for 2 hrs limit (mainly covering Halifax Town Centre as the centre of the tetrad) for the BTO atlas survey 2007 -2011.

623 individual birds from 21 species

No surprises other than 327 Feral Pigeons - well, perhaps not a surprise!
22 Blackbirds
93 Mallard and 28 Carrion Crows in Peoples Park

Only 2 Starlings, no Collared Doves and no House Sparrows recorded in the survey - but they must be there.

Frigate Bird

Amazing sighting flying SW at Lockwood in Huddersfield raises the thought thought it could have been in calderdale airspace.

Changing jobs in January and back to Calderdale so hopefully I will be able to post more reports next year.

a challenge!!

they have these birds at martin mere. they are a hybrid and i was just wondering if anybody would like to guess at what they are a cross between!!

good luck

p.s-if youve been to martin mere and know what they are, dont tell

Ringby Lane (Swales Moor)

1 very flighty Snow Bunting at 1.30 this afternoon by the manure heap flew to the back of the large metal fence where there are lots of weeds.

2 Ravens passed close by me on the ridge calling away and heading towards Soil Hill
6 Skylarks
23 Meadow Pipits
3 Pied Wagtails
4 Fieldfare >NW
12 Common Gulls
lots of corvids

Various sites

From BS -12 Crossbills this morning at Ogden flew into Skirden Clough plantation

No news on the Snow Buntings at Ringby Lane yet today.

I decided to check out the Waxwing locations around Halifax this afternoon. Lots of sorbus berries in and around Hope Street/Raglan Street/Stansfield Close/bottom of Gibbet Street and the areas below the bus station/Wickes car park. No sign of any Waxwings - we probably need some E/NE winds before we have a chance. Only 2 reports on Birdguides so far in England this autumn of 25 in the northeast on 6th Nov and 2 in Sheffield on 17th Nov.

Twite recovery project

Link below for an article in The Yorkshire Post by Bill Teale, which eventually gets round to the twite recovery project.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/bird-watching/Bidding-to-put-twite-back.5844574.jp

Ringby Lane (Swales Moor)

Snow Buntings - 2 still there this afternoon - very flighty, mostly around the muddy area and the manure heap.
Pied Wagtail c12
Meadow Pipit c7
Skylark 6
Starling 1
Lapwing 17 >SW
Herring Gull 2 >N
Stock Dove 16
Kestrel 1

Ringby Lane (Swales Moor)

From NCD - 2 Snow Buntings still present near the manure heap at 2 pm this afternoon.

Ringby Lane (Swales Moor)

2 Snow Buntings there today - (with apologies for the poor shot, yes they are both there, but it was difficult to stand up on the top today, never mind get some decent photos)!

5 Skylark

1 Common Snipe

6 Meadow Pipits

1 Kestrel

45 Starlings

c120 corvids

Garden Birds (brambling)

i seem to be over run with chaffinch in my garden is any body else

My first Brambling this year and a first in my garden

Ringby Lane (Swales Moor)

1 Snow Bunting there this afternoon on and around the weedy areas surrounding the very muddy patch of ground on the top - this is a different bird from the female I saw on the 9th and 13th November which was very approachable.

This bird is flightier, less approachable and was heard calling in flight.

Todays bird is similar to the earlier one but the head markings are slightly different and the rusty yellow brown marks on the side of the breast are broken with white on the front of the chest - the earlier bird had diffused orange right across the front of the chest. The most marked difference was the back which was slightly greyer and less streaked than the earlier bird. I would guess todays bird is a 1st winter female. it was still present at 15.30.

Also present on the top
Skylark 5
Meadow Pipit 15
Pied Wagtail 2

Herring Gulls (adult and 1st winter ) >N
39 Golden Plover came over high from the east at 15:00 then changed direction to SW to avoid a band of heavy rain approaching from the west

Deisel spill-River Calder

Link giving information from the Todmorden News about the diesel spill on the River Calder.

http://www.todmordennews.co.uk/news/Diesel-spill-Fish-found-dead.5825984.jp

Hebden Bridge 15th Nov' 2009

Male goosander on Hebden Water in the town centre on the 15th. Never seen on here before.

Regards, Chris

Snow buntings - Blackstone Edge 11:30am. Unknown observer

From Birdguides today:

"Three north at Byron Edge late morning before flying south"

Shibden Park

Friday AM

First, a photo of a treecreeper from a few weeks back.

This morning there were:

30 canada geese

50 black headed gulls

5 moorhen

3 magpie

1 green woodpecker

usual mallard

1 kingfisher - seen to catch a small fish in the lake itself. Alternated between fishing from the overhanging trees and from the edge of the path.

Ringby Lane (Swales Moor)

Snow Bunting again there this afternoon along with c40 Meadow Pipits. It was on the area up Ringby Lane just up the banking from the bonfire site on the left as you walk up from opposite the ski slope.

Pochard, Tufted? & Sean

Apologies for yesterday's news being posted today but whilst I was scrutinising the Tufted flock at EGP (11/11/09) a male Pochard landed on the water, a bird that is a fairly uncommon winter visitor to this area.

I have attached a digiscoped photo of the distant Pochard along with a particular 'Aythya' which caught my eye and which was feeding away from the Tufteds most of the time but presumably spooked by my appearance decided to join a small group close by.





I managed to get another shot of this bird as it was preening and stretching which shows a very prominent white wing-bar.





I would be interested in any observers comments on the id of this bird. Excluding this bird there was a count of 37 Tufted Duck on the water yesterday (11/11/09). Just for the record my maximum count thus far this winter is 38 on 09/11/09.


Now then some soothing words for Sean and anyone else who has been worrying about the decline of Stonechat in Calderdale this year.





I found a family party of at least 4 of them this morning near Deanhead and earlier in the summer I observed another family party of 5 at another location in the area and another family party of 4 just outside the southern boundary so it would appear they are still doing ok in the south of the area at least.

Cold Edge - Hunter Hill

Vis Mig
Counting period: 7:35-9:35
Weather: Mist down to 1000ft then clearing skies. 6c. Wind SW F1 increasing to F3
Moving birds (W to SW);

Grey Heron 2 >N
Starling 77
Mallard 13
Chaffinch 6
Woodpigeon 32
finch sp. 4
Meadow Pipit 22
Greenfinch 1
Redwing 51
Siskin 1

Totals: 209 individuals, 10 species, 2:00 hours

Present: Mallard 6, Goosander 1 at Cold Edge dams, Kestrel 1, Black-headed Gull 240, Common Gull 55, Stock Dove 2, Green Woodpecker 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Jay 1, Magpie 6, Carrion Crow 15

Very little movement evident here this morning

Lee Dam, Langfield and Strait Hey

Stretched my legs for the first time in a while. A nice change even though it was a bit wet:
Male Goosander on Lee Dam
2 Ravens overhead at Langfield and a Meadow Pipit
Birds at Strait Hey:
Kestrel
min. 44 Fieldfare
2 Mistle Thrush
5 Redwing
Flock of 5 Goldfinch and 11 L. Redpoll
GSWoodpecker
53 Starlings on the wires

Ogden

This afternoon:
Recieved a call from HF at lunchtime about an unusual bird on the feeder at Ogden (behind the lodge) which was seen earlier on the monitor. Little to go on other than red around the nape and finch size. Unfortunatley there are no facilities to replay the recording. we checked the site out without success other than Blue/Great/Coal Tits, Chaff's and Bullfinch etc.

Well worth the visit as an immaculate drake Shoveler was present - and still there at dusk. I cannot recall Shoveler at this site before on my list!
80 Fieldfares >N at dusk
c250 Starlings >S at dusk over Syke Lane were probably going to roost
1 Siskin
1 Kestrel
1 Green Woodpecker
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker

We also heard from the warden of a report of a Red Kite over yesterday afternoon seen by some birders - but we have no further details to confirm the sighting.

Cold Edge/Hunter Hill

Vis Mig - Counting period: 9:10-10:40
Weather: Persistent light drizzle throughout. No wind, low cloud, and temperature 5c degrees.
Moving birds >SW unless otherwise stated
Cormorant 2 N
Herring Gull 1
Fieldfare 1557
Grey Heron 1 N
Woodpigeon 58
Redwing 2
Pink-footed Goose 75 NW
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Mistle Thrush 2
Mallard 1
Skylark 1
Chaffinch 1
Black-headed Gull 2
Meadow Pipit 2
Common Gull 6 N
alba wagtail sp. 1
-
Totals: 1713 individuals, 16 species, 1:30 hours
Present: Mallard 25 at Cold Edge dam, Black-headed Gull 66, Common Gull 44, Wren 3, Robin 1, Jay 1, Magpie 4, Jackdaw 38, Carrion Crow 9

Comments: Unable to get on site early today but productive time all the same after a call from BS about Fieldfare movement over Queensbury/Oxenhope. A massive flock of 1,100 Fieldfare came through at 9:15 followed by smaller flocks of 120, 110, 90, 80, etc and movement tailed off by 10:15 - suspect it may have continued throughout the day (?). The P F Geese were heading NW at 09:25

Prediction of a big movement of Redwings expected in the next few hours or in the morning

Tree Sparrows

Click on the link below to see the Courier article on the SITA funding/Tree Sparrow project. Clicking on "comment" at the bottom of the article gets the Courier's editorial comment also.

http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/Bid-to-save-this-chirpy.5800635.jp

Ringby Lane (Swales Moor)

No sign of the Snow Bunting this morning
2 Twite (both unringed) were another nice surprise on the top
1 Reed Bunting
c40 Meadow Pipits
9 Skylark
10 Pied Wagtail

Moving birds between 08.15 and 09.30 (all >NW unless stated otherwise)
70 P F Geese >E were seen coming over Midgley Moor then over to the north of Soil Hill at 09:05
75 Starlings
220 Fieldfare
32 Woodpigeons
1 Chaffinch
1 Greenfinch >S
4 Goldfinch >S

Common Scoter 09/11/09

Adult male at Scammonden late morning





Also there:

1 Little Grebe
2 Cormorant



2 Lapwing
130 Black-headed Gull
60 Common Gull
1 Skylark

Twite

I see there is a flock of 88 Twite at spurn(spurn website) are any of these our birds.???

Hollingworth Lake

Juvenile Great Northern Diver on there late morning today, not all that far to Whiteholme!

Ringby Lane (Swales Moor)

This Snow Bunting was a nice surprise on the old landfill site this afternoon (with apologies for the poor quality of the photos!)
Also present;
1 Skylark
11 Meadow Pipits
6 Pied Wagtails
1 Little Owl
2 adult L B B Gulls >W

10 Grey Partridge

Also nearby from PJWS was a Ring-necked Parakeet at Staups Lane Shibden this morning

Cragg Vale and Erringden Moor and Broad Head Clough

On a walk today: four snipe and a single red grouse flushed on Erringden Moor, plus a huge flock (500+) of starlings flying up Broad Head Clough and over Erringden Moor. Also, green woodpecker and sparrowhawk in Spring Wood (Broad Head Clough) and 20+ lesser redpoll feeding on birch catkins, just above Higher Cragg. Lots of wood pigeons about today too.
I am very impressed with Spring Wood in Broad Head Clough. Do pied fly' or similar ever turn up here? I last walked through it a few summers ago and flushed a woodcock that day.

Regards, Chris

geese

had a small skein of 25 geese go over school yesterday lunch. they were flying quite high going west/north-west

Ogden Garden

A flock of at least 200 fieldfare landed in the trees at the bottom of the garden. They took off and flew in the direction of Mixenden reservoir.

Another (or the same ) skein of PinkFooted Geese about 120 - 150 in number lowish over Halifax town centre at 14.00 today. Going west. Similar skeins have been reported over the last few days going in a variety of directions.

Ringstone Res'r

Mid-day;
c400 Golden Plover and c120 Lapwing in the fields along with c60 Starlings kept getting spooked by a female Sparrowhawk. The waders gave fantastic views wheeling round high overhead - nearly as good as Morecambe Bay!
1 m Wigeon
1 Cormorant
1 m Goldeneye
25 Mallard
c200 B H Gull
c60 Common Gull
1 Kestrel
4 Goldfinch

48 Pink-footed Geese seen high over the M62 heading west at 11:45
9 squadrons of Starlings (total of 230 birds) moving west skimming low over the ground at speed - fantastic birds to watch when they are on the move.

Gorple area - 10:00am

A walk from the car park to the rocks up above Upper Gorple. Birds seen include:

- 4 redwing

- woodcock flushed from plantation at Upper Gorple

- 30+ grouse (including one flock of 18 birds)

- 6 goldcrest

- 4 wren

- c.60 fieldfare > w

- kestrel

- sparrowhawk

No waterfowl whatsoever on either res. But still definately worth a visit.

Brookfoot.

Brookfoot 0800_0915 Quick look on both lakes revealed, 24 Tufted, 3 Goldeneye, 2 Gt Crested Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, 24 Coot, 14 Moorhen, 3 Kingfisher, 2 Nuthatch, 16 Great Tit, 12 Blue Tit, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Cormorant, 38 Black Headed Gulls and 4 Common Gulls.

Longfield - 1:30pm

5 tufted duck
6 lapwing
41 mallard flew in and landed on the pond
30+ meadow pipit

Colde Edge - Hunter Hill

Fieldfares passing through this morning

Soil Hill from Hunter Hill looking across the golf course towards Ogden

Vis Mig: Counting period: 7:45-10:45

Weather: Bright skies and clear visibility first thing. Wind W F3 decreasing to F1. 5c increasing to 7c with mist and light drizzle by 10am

All movement W to S/SW unless stated otherwise
Pink-footed Goose 110 E
large gull spec. 1
Redwing 3
Greylag Goose 11 N
Woodpigeon 21
Mistle Thrush 6 N
Sparrowhawk 1
Skylark 2
Starling 246
Common Snipe 1 N
Meadow Pipit 54

Chaffinch 13
Common Gull 24
alba wagtail sp. 1
Goldfinch 2
Herring Gull 2
Fieldfare 1972
Reed Bunting 1

Totals: 2472 individuals, 18 species, 3:00 hours

Present: Grey Heron 1, Pheasant 2, Black-headed Gull 110, Common Gull 35, Green Woodpecker 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Robin 1, Jay 1, Magpie 16, Jackdaw 46, Carrion Crow 13

Comments: A good movement of Fieldfares until shortly after 10 am when the mist and drizzle came in from the west - maximum flocks were 220,180,180,176 and 161. Pink-footed Geese came through at 09:05 but at a great distance original count I overestimated was getting on for 150 but HC also saw them from the Oxenhope watch point confirmed as 110 (thanks Howard)

Ogden

This afternoon;
c80 Mallard
1 f Goosander
1 Dipper (top NW pond)
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Meadow Pipit >NW
1 Treecreeper
6+ Goldcrest
2 Sparrowhawks
1 Kestrel
c80 B H Gulls
c20 Common Gulls
14 Fieldfare >SW
70 Starling >S

High Royd SF - quick visit, 1:00pm

1 widgeon
22 teal
1 kingfisher (flew from the ponds onto the canal)
2 grey heron
1 treecreeper amongst a tit flock
3 grey wagtail
2 moorhen

A peregrine this morning at 08.27 flew over Burnley Rd. at Friendly, Sowerby Bridge.

Lee Dam, Lumbutts

A good day to be out and about after the weekend's wind and rain.

A decent sized (c. 25) mixed flock of Chaffinches and Bramblings feeding in a larch tree; 3 female goosander on the dam; a Jay and a Grey Wagtail were also in the trees around the dam.

6 Tufted Duck and 11 BHG's on Longfield Pond earlier in the day.

Ringby Lane (Swales Moor)

2 Whooper Swans (probably the Ogden birds) seen heading south from Ogden direction over Mixenden towards Mount Tabor at 15:37. They turned to head >E over Bradshaw at 15:44 towards Queensbury then turned >N towards the east off Soil Hill at 15:47 heading towards Thornton Moor.
2 Ravens were also seen heading towards the west of Soil Hill
Also present at Ringby Lane
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Kestrel
2 Common Snipe
5 Skylark
c48 Meadow Pipits
c100 mixed corvids

Ogden

2 Whooper Swan (adults) arrived around 11:00 (per NK) - still there at 13:15

Click photo to enlarge

Soil Hill

11 Common Snipe and 1 (possibly 2) Jack Snipe there this afternoon from BS - brave man!