Withens Clough

You were right Matt - 38 Redwing at Sisley Lane, Mankinholes on my way to Withens Clough this afternoon - you said they were on their way!

9 Mipits at Withens Gate
4 Coal Tit, 3 Blue Tit and a Siskin feeding on a mass of cones at the top of a fir tree in the small wood NW of Withens Clough res
1 Goldeneye (female) on the res
8 Mistle Thrush in the fields below Stoodley Pike

Mixenden to Hebden Bridge

4 Whooper Swans at Mixenden Res'r this morning (2 adults with 2 juveniles)

Crimsworth Dean - upper valley

Autumn colour in Crimsworth Dean near Hardcastle Crags car park

We went over the moors from Mixenden via Cold Edge/Fly Flatts/High Brown Knoll/Crimsworth Dean and Hardcastle Crags.

Not entirely unexpected, with the cold air and northerly air stream, the site of 4 Whooper Swans on Mixenden res'r was a nice surprise. We had no further reports from Mixenden later in the day so we are not sure if they have moved on, or if so what time they left.

A fantastic day for Fieldfares with a massive movement across our area today with flocks ranging from small groups, up to larger flocks of up to 300 birds. From leaving Mixenden at 9.30 to High Brown Knoll at 1 pm we counted just short of 1,300 - all were travelling NW, with some flocks low across the moor and other groups high up. Other sites in West Yorkshire were also noting similar arrivals including Queensbury (BS) and the Oxenhope vis mig site. We only noted single Redwings in one or two flocks with a maximum of 8 individuals. The only other birds moving were a few small flocks of Starlings - again NW - with a total of no more than 100 birds.

At Fly Flatts 9 Twite were present at the feeding station.

Ringstone 20/10/10

Fantastic sight early this afternoon at Ringstone, 241 Lapwing and 208 Golden Plover observed feeding in a field to the west of the reservoir, then all up the air at the same time wheeling and calling



and finally huge numbers bathing in the north-east corner. Two species you expect here at this time of the year but great to take in the sights and sounds nonetheless!

Long-tailed Tit

Photo from David Crawshaw taken in Suffolk recently (northern europe form - caudatus)

It's worth noting to check all L T Tit flocks very carefully in case any of these little beauty's turn up!!
Thank you David

Swales Moor (Ringby Lane)

This morning 8 am till 9.30 am (with some visible migration evident)
'movers' going west
Redwing 18
Woodpigeon 56
Long-tailed Tit 9
Coal Tit 1
Mistle Thrush 3
Chaffinch 31
Fieldfare 14
Sparrowhawk 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull 2
Alba Wagtail 5
Bullfinch 1
Meadow Pipit 6
Skylark 3
Starling 62 >NW

'movers' east
Redpoll 1
Blackbird 1
Black-headed Gull 1
Snipe 1
Greenfinch 4

other birds nearby
1 Reed Bunting
c45 Meadow Pipits
1 Kestrel
1 male Sparrowhawk
1 Green Woodpecker near the ski-slope

Luddenden Dean

Distant shot of a Peregrine this afternoon over the dean.

Other birds in the dean
Green and Great spotted Woodpecker
c60 Fieldfare
30+ Redwing
2 Sparrowhawks
1 Kestrel
c20 L T tits
Lots of Jays about

Other news today

1 Black Redstart reported from Walshaw dean this morning but no further details of exact location (PG via NC)

4 Grey Plover this afternoon coming from the east seen from Soil Hill at around 2.10 pm (BS) - also several skeins of Pink-footed Geese going south-east over Fly Flatts/Thornton Moor/Hunter Hill this morning (BS et al)

Ringstone 17/10/10

Texted DJS at 09:15hrs to inform him that Shoveler and Wigeon were at Ringstone early this morning as I realised that Shoveler is uncommon in Calderdale. Took a few shots from the roadside but really needed an ace digiscoper or someone like Nick Dawson to get a decent shot as it was always distant.



The Shoveler and Wigeon eventually moved a little closer but still too far away for my equipment but heavily cropped shot attached 'for the record as they say'.



34 Pink-footed Goose flew SE at 08:37hrs over the reservoir, around 60 Golden Plover and 26 Lapwing also present plus 1 Great Crested Grebe.

Withens Clough 1:00pm

A quick walk (with noisy kids!) this afternoon:
- a dipper was on the reservoir edge
- 2 raven high over
- 2 kestrel
- 14+ meadow pipits
- 1 m. goldeneye

Ringed Necked parakeet..???

I was speaking to a friend of mine and he tells me there are at least 6 Ringed necked parakeets roosting in Sandy foot clough which is the wood just before Barkisland on the left hand side as you come up from west vale.He got them on call first as he used to live in London where they were common...

Hunter Hill/Fly Flatts

Above - Twite at Fly Flats this afternoon.

Hunter Hill
At 11:45 I was scanning over Swales Moor when I picked up a large bird in the scope, at a distance, which I thought was a skua against the sky until it dropped against the hillside and into the valley. It was then evident it was a ring -tailed Hen Harrier showing it's distinct profile and white rump as it passed below me heading towards the golf course. In the blustery wind I lost it as it went through a conifer plantation and I was unable to relocate it presuming it had headed off towards Ogden.
80 Pink-footed Geese also went high down the Calder Valley heading S/E at 11:15
44 Fieldfare >S
32 Redwing >NW

Fly Flats
5 Twite including 1 ringed bird with colour combination as above

2010 BTO House Martin Survey

The results from this year's BTO House Martin survey are now available:
http://www.bto.org/home/House%20Martin%20newsletter%202010%20web%20version.pdf
The single nest on our house produced 2 successful broods, although one chick needed a helping hand back into the nest after it fell to earth before it fledged.

Flight calls for vis - miggers

Hi all this is an excellent web site for calls of birds going over whilst vis migging http://www.xeno-canto.org/all_species.php thanks to all who posted and I am now sorted for calls and songs .Thanks Dave B Jeff and Dave sut.

Part 4 of Birds, Bins & Bullets Now Online

It seems only like yesterday that I was filming members of the Calderdale Bird Conservation Group assisting Birdlife Malta and the Maltese Police Force in the efforts to combat poaching in the Maltese Islands.
I have just added to the first three parts that are currently on line by uploading Part 4 that features an eloquent speech by S.D. given at a BM press conference in September 2007.
This piece also shows the bird rehab facilities that were being provided by Ian Balzan. Sadly, this facility no longer exists.

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheBaldIbis?feature=mhum#p/u

Ogden

2 Whooper Swans over the coll at Ogden around 12.15 today (thanks to our friends at the Oxenhope watchpoint) they were seen coming from NE.
Later on this afternoon 2 Whoopers were reported by N Dawson at Warland Res'r and these were possibly the same birds.

Swales Moor (Ringby Lane)

Late morning
8 Skylark
c35 Meadow Pipits
5 Linnet
22 Goldfinch >E
1 Siskin >E
1 Green Woodpecker

Birdlife Malta Podcast

Below is a link to an excellent podcast of Charlie Moores interviewing Geoffrey Saliba from Birdlife Malta. Excellent insiders view of the current state of affairs over there.

http://www.talking-naturally.co.uk/geoffrey-saliba-birdlife-malta/

12th October

Sunset from Tower Hill looking towards Stoodly Pike and Sunderland Pasture. Visited Cold Edge this PM. 7 Greylags in with the Canada Flock, 1 Tufted Duck, 1 Stonechat and 3 Wheatears near the wind farm, Kestrel and Mistle Thrush also seen. After tea walked over Roils Head again, 1 Sparrowhawk and a Snipe flushed at Tower Hill.

Wanted

Has anyboby got calls /flight calls of european birds on CD...? I would like to borrow it for a day to download on to my i-pod.Or does anybody know where I could download one off the net...???

Fly Flats/Withens Head

2 Wheatears at Withens Head Farm opposite the wind farm car park this afternoon.

Fly Flatts
1 Dunlin on the edge of the res'r flew off high >SW
19 Twite (c5 ringed birds) by the feeding station
2 Starlings >NE
1 Goldfinch >NE
c25 Meadow Pipits >NE

Back to reality

After yesterdays trip to Spurn it was back to normal with a walk at Roils Head which produced 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

PARTY TIME

It seemed as though it was jackdaw party time in the Wheatley valley last night. There were 100+ birds flying around and coming from all directions; landing on the tall beeches next door, having a good chatter then off again, over Pellon, back again for about 30 mins.Finally most leaving in a northly direction, except our 3 pairs who nest in the barn (they were not giving-up their cosy place.)

Help Stop Poaching in Cyprus

If you haven't already done so, please could you go to the CABS website and sign the petition to end bird trapping in Cyprus. Full details are on the page reached by the following link -

http://www.komitee.de/en/protest/protestmail-cyprus

Cheers

Lapland Bunting at Wholestone Moor 08/10/10

Decided to nip out late this afternoon after fog and mist had cleared. I bumped into Sean Johnson at Ringstone which turned out to be a blessing as it left me little time because of fading light to visit anywhere else other than Wholestone Moor on my way home.

On Ringstone incidentally were 2 Goosander, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 3 LBB Gull.

Got to Wholestone Moor around 17:40hrs and 40 Golden Plover were on the ground so gave them a wide berth as I didn't want to flush them or any other birds around. As I walked the area I flushed quite a few Meadow Pipit, particularly from areas of longer vegetation.

Around 18:00hrs as I approached one of the areas which has small pools of standing water, my attention was drawn to a bird of similar size to a Meadow Pipit or Reed Bunting that suddenly started creeping along the ground to my right, I immediately froze and got my bins on it and noticed it had reddish-brown ear coverts which were highlighted by a dark triangular stripe surrounding it. Other prominent stand-out features were the reddish-brown panel on the greater coverts, pale white wing-bars, lightly streaked breast and pale looking bill. I have made loads of other notes which I will submit to the recorder in due course.

I continued to observe the bird in fading light for around a further 5 minutes having telephoned another birder in the meantime, before I then heard the call of a bird coming from behind me which I had not heard before (a short almost flutey whistle). I turned around and briefly saw another bird again creeping away from me that seemed to behave in exactly the same manner as the Lapland Bunting I had just been observing. I walked in the direction of the second bird but I couldn't find it.

I left the area at 18:30hrs in fast fading light and believe neither bird had flown off at that time.

8th October

Had a House Martin north over Pellon this PM. Large flock of Long-tailed Tits at Roils Head and a Sparrowhawk over Ovenden Wood again.

Lee Dam

5 Swallows over Lee Dam this lunchtime. A single female Goosander on the dam and 3 Pied Wagtails at Lumbutts chapel.

News from North Wales

Hi all
Just a couple of observations and updates from an (happily) exiled ex Halifax naturalist.I keep an eye on the Calderdale blog and it’s great to see it going from strength to strength with some excellent posts everyday now. Here in North Wales the birds I rarely saw or thought that they were scarce at best, are around in huge numbers, Birds such as raptors, ravens, choughs are so common place that you have to keep reminding yourself that in much of Britain they are scarce or declining, its very easy to get blasé about it all if you are not careful.

One species that seems to be bucking the national trend, and a bird I was very familiar from a young age back in Calderdale is the House Sparrow which is around in huge numbers still on the Llyn Peninsula. Having done a spot of “farm sitting” for the last couple of weeks ( also Yorkie exiles) its not hard to spot why House Sparrows are around in the numbers I remember from my childhood in the late 50’s and early 60’s in Calderdale. The farm I was looking after has a series of old stone stables which now house goats, donkeys and sheep as well as stored hay and straw. Each morning I would get up to go and tend to the animals before it was light and as I switched on the lighting in each stable dozens of roosting House Sparrows would start chattering and flying out of the buildings. Given that this one small farm of 27 acres has a large resident House Sparrow population it’s not hard to see that by multiplying that by the hundreds of similar small farms on the Llyn the sparrow population must be huge. Because most of the farms also have extensive old stabling and barns then the potential nesting sites on offer (as well as the farm houses themselves) is massive. I usually have large numbers of House Sparrows at the feeding station by the van and it’s been nice to watch the youngsters from this year gradually moulting into adult plumage.

Most British finch species are around in large numbers due to the old fashioned low intensity family farming carried out on the Llyn. Much of the winter food for the livestock is grown on the farm so lots of seed is left lying around before and after its harvest. Given the huge number of small farms there are also lots opportunities for small birds to forage around the farms themselves in winter for food. Obviously given the size of the finch and thrush population the raptors are around in huge numbers to feed on this large food source.Because we also have a huge number of hedges here around most of the fields which are tiny by current agricultural standards then the potential feeding, roosting and nesting sites are also large. Although the area is extensively shot for the pot, rabbits, pheasants, duck etc, predators such as raptors, stoats, weasels etc are in the main left alone in my experience with no illegal killing of raptors being reported to my knowledge. Foxes, crows and magpies are shot on sight by just about everyone here because of predation on free range chickens chicks and eggs and also maybe surprisingly, simply because people like to think they are removing threats to song birds nests. Ravens, Jays and Jackdaws are left well alone and not persecuted. Even with all this pressure on crows they still thrive in healthy numbers on the Llyn. For example I personally know of 150+ crows bagged in one session when four people where shooting wood pigeons on some stubble last month. The crows were coming in faster than the pigeons and being shot in larger numbers than Woodies (only 105 of them) but were still flooding in when the shooters packed up

My feeding station is alive with birds from dawn to dusk each day and it being around 6 feet from my office window in the van means I get some superb views of birds all day long whilst working. Badgers have moved into a sett near the van so sadly all the hedgehogs we had coming to the garden have either been scoffed by the badgers of left for safer pastures. Bertie the buzzard still pops down periodically to see if I have chucked out any chicken carcasses for him but he or she tends to spend the whole day around the feeding station I set up for buzzards in the winter months when I usually have a ready supply of game carcasses and dead crows and magpies for the feeding station.

Just off for a couple of hours break from work and will work my way down the coast to Morfa Nefyn and the golf course to see what birds are around and if any dolphins or porpoises are showing off shore this fine sunny morning. I shall round the walk off in a local cafe with a bacon buttie and glean all the local gossip from Albi & Val the owners before coming back home to some more work....its hard life here on the Llyn but you have to push yourself to keep going :-)

Pink-feet & Canada Goose sp at Scammonden 07/10/10

I originally thought that 68 Pink-feet flew NE over Scammonden at 09:15hrs this morning but when I looked more closely at a number of photos that I took, I noticed that one of the 68 isn't a Pink-footed Goose, but instead appears to be some species of Canada Goose with obvious white chinstrap, shortish neck similar in length to Pink-feet, brown/white breast and no noticeable difference in overall size to the Pink-feet.

Bearing in mind that this particular individual is migrating with 'wild' geese, does anyone have any thoughts on the id of it?

In addition 23 Lapwing S, 40 Golden Plover SW, 10 Coal Tit on the move again S & 2 Twite S.

Attention vis miggers!

News from Holland of a mass and intense westward migration of birds on the radar this evening, also occurring in Belgium, they reckon 3 hours flight time to cross North Sea, so visible migation could be mega in the morning?

Shibden Park - 7th October

On the way through the park this morning:

70+ BH gull
12 moorhen (my largest count so far)
1 little grebe
1 smaller duck - possibly a juvenile tufted but there are a large number of various farmyard hybrids there at the moment.

1 nuthatch heard
1 sparrowhawk
10 starlings

Ogden/Fly Flatts/Hunter Hill

We bumped into Nigel K at Ogden across lunch time and we walked up to Fly Flatts together for a really enjoyable afternoon. Nigel had just had c150 Pink-footed Geese >NW over Soil Hill.
1 f Wigeon still at Ogden
c12 L B B Gulls
1 Kestrel

Withens Head
3 Wheatears in the field opposite the wind farm car park (but they had gone when we came back)

Fly Flatts
23 Twite was a real bonus but we were unable to get any ring combinations today
2 Stonechats
1 Skylark over and a just a few Meadow Pipits about
2 Canada Geese
c12 Goldfinch
2 Kestrel
We also met Brian V who has had lots of Coal Tits moving through Paul Clough earlier and heading over the moor towards Luddenden Dean/Midgley Moor

Hunter Hill
2 Little Owls
c30 Meadow Pipits
1 Kestrel

7th October

160+ Pink Feet flew north at Pellon at 6.45pm. Stonechat still at Roils Head, also 3 Goldcrests, 2 Bullfinch 2 Redwing and 2 Sparrowhawks over.

NERF Conference - a reminder!

Northern England Raptor Conference20 November 2010
Rishworth School, Rishworth, Halifax, HX6 4QA

This year's annual NERF Raptor Conference is being hosted by Calderdale Bird Conservation Group at the prestigious venue of Rishworth School. The conference committee has drawn together an exciting and varied program that will address a wide range of issues that are of interest to Raptor Workers, including habitat management, the use of technology to track and monitor individual birds as well as contributing to the debate surrounding the status of eagle owls and lowland hen harriers. There is ample on-site parking. Registration, coffee and exhibits will be available for delegates from 0830 and the conference will open at 0915. Lunch and afternoon refreshments will be provided. This year’s conference has four themes and each theme has two highly respected speakers. Some of the issues are extremely contentious and delegates will have an opportunity to put in-depth questions to the speakers at the end of each session. Paul Irving, NERF Chairman, will also bring us up to date with current developments within the Forum.

Speakers are:

Dr. John Edwards 'Raptor Conservation – a Biologist’s Perspective’

Simon Thorp, Heather Trust 'Heather Burning Regulations, three years onAnalytical science'

Lee Walker, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology 'Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme'

Arjun Arun, RSPB 'Peregrine persecution in the NERF region, a 10 years study'

Stephen Murphy, Natural England 'Hen harrier dispersal - satellite tracking'

James Leonard, RSPB 'The use of technology, including cameras for monitoring, research and crime detection'

Dr Andrew Kelly, Belfast University 'New research into the status of eagle owls'

Paul Castle, Wiltshire Raptor Group 'Montagu’s harriers and lowland hen harriers'

Delegate Fees £10.00 for delegates aged 14 – 18 years and £20.00 for adults.

Demand for places at this year’s conference has been high therefore please book ASAP to avoid disappointment.

This is a high profile national conference and one for which we are proud hosts, any birder with an interest in raptors is bound to find something of interest here, to book please contact midgleybirder@yahoo.co.uk

Peregrine

1 Peregrine drifting round Wainhouse tower

this A.M.

Ogden

1 f Wigeon
1 Great Crested Grebe
Small tit flock included Goldcrests and 1 Treecreeper

Hunter Hill

Vis Mig 07:30 till 10:30 in a blustery W/S/W F3/4 wind with low cloud
222 moving birds of 15 species
Hard work this morning in the wind (the birds felt the same I think!)
Looked promising first thing but tailed off quickly with nothing after 9:15 other than 2 Mipits.
Moving birds included
92 Meadow Pipits
13 Starling
21 Chaffinch
47 Redwing
1 Reed Bunting
12 Siskin came through so low they nearly flew into me!

Others around the site
1 Wheatear
1 Green Woodpecker
3 Little Owls calling
2 Sparrowhawks
1 Grey Heron
7 Red-legged Partridge

Langfield

Went for a wander around Langfield to see if I could see any Stonechats but none around today. 5 Twite flew over though and went towards Jail Hole. I walked over but there was no sign of them when I got there, so can't say if they were ringed or not. Also a Kestrel and about a dozen Mipits.

Fly Flats

Twite at last ! - 9 individuals there this afternoon at the feeding station - 6 unringed and 3 colour ringed birds combinations as follows.

L - dark blue above BTO ring (with numbers including 79)

R - orange over pink

L - dark blue above BTO ring

R - pink over pale blue

L - green over BTO ring

R - pink over pale blue

1 L B B Gull

3 Kestrel

4 Stonechat

c25 Meadow Pipits

Red Grouse

Gadwall at Ringstone 04/10/10

Male Gadwall there in the warm sunshine this morning, always distant and very often hiding in the vegetation on the north bank.



4 Cormorant were snorkelling around the edge of the reservoir.



2 Wigeon were present early here on Saturday (2nd) and I have had a few Brambling south or south-east overhead since 30/9 around this area which might be of interest to any 'vis-miggers' out there, DJS in particular.

Roils Head etc 4th Oct

The Whinchat and Stonechat were still present this PM. The Stonechat was catching insects in flight from gorse bushes. Also 4 Bullfinch at Roils and 3 Common Gulls south at Tower Hill.

Twite

88 Twite at Derby Delph feeding station this afternoon, eager for the niger after the rain.

Green Withens: 1 Kestrel, I Merlin; several mipits & goldfinch, 1 Stonechat; 12 reed Bunting; usual corvids.

Roils Head etc

Stonechat still present also 23 Pied Wagtails on football field. 2 Goosanders north at Heath Hill Road and 11 Skylarks at High Road Well Moor this PM.

Cold Edge

Fortunate this afternoon - just got there as the rain stopped and the sky cleared!
1 Little Grebe on the top small pond with 2 Moorhens
11 red-head Goosander on the lower large dam
1 Little Owl
11 Goldfinch
1 Kestrel
c20 Meadow Pipits

Also a reliable report of a Red Kite over Wainstalls at 7 am (last Tuesday 28th or Wednesday 29th September)

Also from Ogden this afternoon
1 Wigeon and 2 Greylag Geese (BS)

Fieldfare

I was looking out of the kitchen window this morning to see if the rain was likely to stop any time soon when I saw a small flock of 6 Mistle Thrushes on the field wall. With them was a Fieldfare which is a very early arrival in our neck of the woods. Sorry for the hazy pic but it was taken through the window which was smeared with rain.

Luddendenfoot

A brief amble down by the Heronry produced a total of zero Herons this afternoon. I had one fly over Moderna, so decided to see if they were using the Heronry post breeding season. I had two staying on after breeding earlier in the year (August I think), but today......zilch. They may have of course, been away feeding, but a big fat zero suggests that they may not be using the area as a post breeding roost site at all. Could do with further investigation to confirm one way or the other.

A large tit flock was moving along the canal nearby, mainly Long-tailed, but with Coal Tit, and Great Tits amongst them and a large party of Blue Tits travelling in parallel on the other side of the field. 2 Nuthatches were also in amongst them, but I could not tell if this was coincidence, or if they were actually travelling with the flock. 3 Jays were also nearby, plus the usual Jackdaws, Rooks, Wood pigeons, Collared Doves and Robins

Swallows

4 swallows over > S were harrassing a sparrowhawk, and vice versa

Later, jackdaws were mobbing a raven that passed over.

Roils Head

This afternoons walk produced 1 Whinchat, 1 Stonechat, 1 Sparrowhawk, c40Redwings, a Long-tailed Tit flock and 13 Skylarks at High Road Well Moor.

Ogden

Late afternoon - and still siling down!
2 f Teal
1 G C grebe
1 Gt spotted Woodpecker

Jay House Lane

Friday, 1 October 2010

Just spent an interesting morning (in the rain) discussing the hedge laying as part of the project to enhance the area for tree sparrows. I met up with Hugh, Caroline, Robin and Chris from Countryside and some guys from a forestry contractor.
They are going to re-lay the hedge on one side of the lane in 2 sections (1 this Jan. and the rest next Jan.)It may look a bit drastic for a while, but there are plenty of other places for the birds to nest in the area. In any case many of them nest in the houses and these will not be affected.
This has been a good breeding year for the spaarrows with quite a number of them having several broods.
We may be asking for volunteers to help with the laying. Watch this space.

Beacon Hill - Thursday 30/09/10

Had a quick trip up Beacon Hill at lunchtime.

70+ meadow pipits
1 linnet
1 kestrel
2 magpie
30 goldfinch
2 stonechat - 1 a juvenile I think

Also last weekend:
1 little grebe catching fish in shibden park boating lake - a first for me at this site

Swales Moor (Ringby Lane)

Thick mist up there first thing this morning but still a few birds about on the top weedy fields.
15 Skylark
12 Meadow Pipits
c50 Linnet
2 Pied Wagtails

Oats Royd

Has anyone a contact name and phone number for Oats Royd Nature reserve, Queensbury?

If so could you please contact me (brucehoyle@gmail.com)

Many thanks

Wet Wigeon Day!

68 Wigeon at Ringstone in the pouring rain this morning between 09:00hrs and 10:00hrs, a huge surprise to see so many on a local water, but they must have been part of a fairly large scale movement across our area as I also saw 86 Wigeon in the Huddersfield Birding Area at other reservoirs later in the day.

All the Wigeon were either resting on the west bank near the hide or sheltering close to the west wall on the water. Just one of the sixty eight in total shown below.



Earlier 2 Mute Swan were notable at Elland Gravel Pits, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 20 House Martin still around.

Roils Head - Highroad Well Moor

3 Goldcrests and 2 Bullfinch at Roils Head this pm and 31 Skylarks and 20+ Linnets at Highroad Well Moor. There was a slightly smaller bird flying about with the larks but couldnt tell what it was in the bad conditions, so went back after tea with the heavy equipment ie scope and tripod and no sign of it.

Swales Moor/Ringby

Wet and misty up there this morning but plenty of birds about on the top.
c25 Skylark
c40 Meadow Pipits
c60 Linnet
4+ Reed Bunting
4 Pied Wagtails
1 Common Snipe

Grapevine

I have recently texted all those members who are now out of credit. (AZ, AH, BHo, DB, JC, JW, JB, JS, MB, MH, NCD, SB, WB). Please let me have £5, or I will be at the meeting next week. If you post it then I will text you when it's recieved. This will last till this year end.

If I haven't sent you a reminder text you are ok till year end and in credit.
If you don't wish to continue please send me a text or email asap.

To save messing about with cash during the year I am proposing a charge of £10 up front at the start of the new year and for this to last for a full twelve months. More or less every message you send me will be sent to everyone (unless you request otherwise due to sensitivity of a species).

If anyone is able to help out as back up then that would be appreciated as if we trip off to Northumberland or the Lakes or Scotland then the service may well be down. If you are on unlimited texts then that all helps to keep costs down. Also it's an advantage if you can send group texts rather than sending individual ones. If you can help out please let me know.

I hope that sounds ok to everyone - but again please let me know if you don't wish to continue on the grapevine.
Dave

Hunter Hill (watchpoint)

Above - 1 of 2 skeins of Pink-footed Geese that came through from the east this afternoon. 112 at 2.45pm and 78 at 3.15pm.

A Stoat came to check us out at the watchpoint.

Other moving birds between 1.45 and 3.30 pm

43 Meadow Pipits

24 Swallows

1 Grey Wagtail

2 Snipe

1 B H gull

1 Goldfinch

Also present nearby; 1 Wheatear, Green Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Grey Heron, Jay, Mistle Thrush and 9 Linnet.

Also from NK at Soil Hill this afternoon a Hobby came through and circled above the hill about 4 pm then off to the south.

Also from Queensbury, BS had c250 Redwings >SW just around mid-day. I wonder if any will be moving through the area tonight? Will have to go out and listen for them passing over!

Hunter Hill

Watchpoint this morning - mist and drizzle with visibility down to 100 mtrs max and no sign of clearing !
1 Meadow Pipit S/W
12 Swallows S/W at 9.25 just before I left were the only sign of any movement
5 Pied Wagtails on the deck
1 Chiffchaff in Slaughter Gap
1 Grey Partridge calling nearby
Hope it clears up later on today!

Ogden

2 Chiff-chaffs in and around the hedge at the back of the Lodge and another one round the edge of the res'r this afternoon.
6 juv Swallows feeding around the lodge
1 G C Grebe

Lee Mount

10 Redwings over this morning in the mist >SE - these are probably some that came through in the last day or so in the strong NE winds and heading back ?

Hunter Hill (watchpoint)

Vis mig this morning and again later this afternoon.
Very little movement here today in the cold N/E wind.
This mornings highlights!
1 Lapwing >N
1 Canada goose >N
62 Meadow Pipits >S ! had difficulty in deciding which way to go in the blustery wind
8 Swallows >S

This afternoon
1 Golden plover >N
9 Swallows >S
2 Sparrowhawk >S

Nearby 17 Redwings were seen over the Causeway Foot col this morning (BS) and 243 passed through >NW high over Oxenhope (just out of our recording area) earlier today along with another Lapland Bunting and a Grey Plover.
Another juv Gannet was also seen over Caldene Fields watchpoint today near Bradford heading over Birkenshaw and Wyke.

Yellowhammer Records Wanted

If anybody has had any Yellowhammer sightings this year, could they let me know the details ASAP, so that I can make up a report for the AGM?

Cheers.

Finches

This flock was circling against the light at Booth Steads, below Roils Head on the Luddenden side at dusk yesterday 25th. I had eliminated twite before they landed and felt sure they were linnet, but on their compact shape and tiny bill I'm tending toward redpoll now. I think I can see a suggestion of a black chin on one of them. Their chorus didn't immediately say linnet to me, being a quite soft, quiet twittering. The north wind could have brought them south.

I went back at first light this morning but of course they had moved off to roost somewhere probably yesterday after I left.

Whats next

Well done to DJS for his Gannet yesterday. Took this picture of an Arctic Skua at Filey Brigg the other day. The strong northerly winds had blown a lot of Great and Arctic Skuas in to the North Sea so perhaps we may be due a bird in Calderdale. Most Arctics in Calderdale have occurred in late August but the only two Great Skua records have been in September and October after strong northerly winds.

Ogden - Gannet

Fortunately we were in the right place at the right time this afternoon !

Scanning from the 'giants tooth' area towards Denhole Gate/Bradford we spotted a large bird coming from the NE around 2.25 pm - as soon as we got the binoculars on we knew it was a Gannet with the characteristic cigar shape. I also managed to get the scope on it. It was a juv/1st winter, very brown job with a small amount of paleness on the underparts/head and tail. It was going like a rocket in the srong northerly wind as it headed fairly low over Back Lane to the west of Soil Hill, over the plantations and down towards the Wheatley and Calder Valley.

I did contact Dave Barker wondering if he had picked the bird up passing Thornton Moor but unfortunately not. I gather the weather on the NE coast was really bad today so it's not too surprising to turn up a bird like this. Unfortunately I couldn't get any camera shots - it went through too fast.

A 1st for us in Calderdale - what a treat that was.

1 Cormorant >NW, 2 Nuthatches and a pair of Tufted Duck on the res'r.
4 Swallows >SW

Underbank - 3:30

I often take a short 15 minute walk up the Pennine Way at Higher Underbank, and in the past couple of weeks it has been bizarrely virtually passerine free! Much better today though.

- 2 male blackcap (the first of the year on this stretch I think)
- 1 chiffchaff
- 3 female bullfinch
- 3 house martins over
Multiple other greenfinch, goldfinch and chaffinch, robins, dunnock, juv' blackbirds and large flocks tits, blue, great and coal but mostly long-tailed.
A flock of PF geese was heard at 3:30, but I couldn't see them so have no idea about numbers or direction.

Scammonden 22/09/10

168 Pink-footed Goose NE at 09:02hrs was a great sight along with Peregrine, Sparrowhawk & Kestrel interacting over the area about 15 mins earlier.

Very good numbers of common migrants flitting around, particularly Chiffchaff (numerous birds singing), a few Willow Warbler and one male Blackcap plus influx of Mistle Thrush, Blackbird and Goldcrest.

Interesting observation (I thought so anyway) at Deanhead Reservoir was 12 Coal Tit in 3 different parties over the space of about 10 mins flew south over the dam wall and continued flying over the moorland to who knows where, presumably migrants? It will be interesting to note if any other observers notice an increase in numbers of this species.

5 Alba Wagtail also flew south there and a Little Grebe looked really out of place on the water. On that subject I realise this is old news (I did let Nick Dawtrey know on the day of the sighting) but I saw and photographed one of two Willow Tit on 23 August at Scammonden, I contacted John Beaumont to see if he had ever seen one at this site previously and having just returned from holiday he has confirmed that this is the first record of that species at this site, so it would appear that there may be a small number of them managing to hold on somewhere nearby, maybe Stainland Dean or Black Brook perhaps?

Various sites this afternoon

Dipper


Juvenile Peregrine

Adult male Kestrel

Autumn Crocus

Redpoll on feeders

Received an e mail from Sue Turner of Wicken Hill near Midgley letting us know of a single Redpoll seen on their feeders on several dates around the end of August/beginning of September, I know Jeff gets them on his feeders but I don't know of any more coming to garden feeders? Sue also supplied some photos clearly confirming this is a Redpoll. On a different note I am hearing what can only be a parakeet of some kind up here in the village (presumably Ring necked?) but as yet have not managed to catch up with it.

Various sites

Hunter Hill watchpoint looking towards the windfarm in the mist

today Hunter Hill looking towards Mixenden Res'r and Heathmoor today

Green Woodpecker at Hunter Hill today

Soil Hill mast in the mist from Hunter Hill this morning

Ogden Res'r 20th Sep - and filling up!

Ogden 'Giants tooth' 17th Sep looking towards Soil Hill and Bradford

Ogden 'Giants tooth' looking over the scope to Swales Moor and Emley Moor

Fly Flats

This afternoon:
1 Wheatear
c3 Kestrels
1 Peregrine
1 Skylark
12+ Red Grouse and starting to make a lot of noise!
And that was it apart from a few Meadow Pipits
NO TWITE (although still putting sseed down)

Hunter Hill (watchpoint)

Vis Mig this morning 07.45 till 10.45 with early morning mist slowly clearing from the watchpoint. Todays highlight was a Lapland Bunting heard approaching from the west at 08.20, fortunately it came overhead and headed off >SE towards Swales Moor.

621 Meadow Pipits came through >S with 121 in 1st hr, 321 in 2nd hr, 179 in 3rd hr.

Apart from c30 Swallows over Mixenden Res'r 124 came through >S from 9.10

Other movers:
4 Cormorant
1 Greylag Goose
8 B H Gull
4 L B B Gull
4 Woodpigeon
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
9 Skylark
4 alba Wagtail
4 Mistle Thrush
1 Rook
1 Raven
3 Starling
16 Chaffinch
2 Greenfinch
14 Goldfinch
2 Siskin
15 Linnet
Total 839 movers of 20 species in 3 hrs.

Buzzards over Fixby

6 Buzzards together over and into the woods at Fixby Golf Course/Grimescar Woods at 1.30 today, watched for about an hour; drifted slightly north, nicely into our area and slightly south into Huddersfield area. Suggests that some at least bred in the area this year ? Bradley Hall area is only approx a mile away so there could be connections with the pair seen there regularly in early summer ?

Mytholmroyd

A female mandarin duck was with a dozen or so mallards in the Calder from the bridge on New Road 7.45am today. A bit aggresive as it warded off attention from the mallards

Ogden

Nothing out of the ordinary here today;
1 G C Grebe
1 f Tufted Duck
1 Nuthatch

Ogden - Back Lane
No sign of any migration in the pouring rain
6 Skylarks
c60 Swallows
c30 Meadow Pipits

Elland Gravel Pits 18/19 Sept

I was hoping that the poor weather might produce something really interesting on or over the water this weekend, however nothing much turned up really other than a male Mandarin, 6 Tufted Duck & a Great Crested Grebe.

What was perhaps more surprising was that a female Redstart was around yesterday (18/9) along with a few singing Chiffchaff and today there were at least 3 Spotted Flycatcher (family party) there. Both Common Redstart & Spotted Flycatcher are new species for me at this site so it was worthwhile getting soaked to see them!

150+ House Martin & 120 Swallow were also around the area this morning feasting on the abundant insect life present in the deluge.

Ogden

Checked out Ogden this afternoon - quiet today on the res'r after all the excitement during the week!
1 G C Grebe
2 Tufted Duck

'Giants Tooth' 1.15 till 2.45 watching for migrants
63 Swallows >SW
28 Meadow Pipits >W
2 Goldfinch >NW
2 Chaffinch >SW

Roils Head

2 Chiffchaffs in the tit flock this pm also a fly over Siskin. Yesterday had a Whinchat at the Norton Tower end.

Lapland Bunting yesterday.

Well done to DJP for his Lapland Bunting at Beacon Hill yesterday (photo on Darrells Green Withens site).

They seem to all over the place this year so keep an eye out near you........