Starlings

Our nephew tells me that there's a starling roost just off Bacup Road, Todmorden not far from the junction with Sourhall Road.  Can't go and see today but will look tomorrow and report back.  But perhaps local birdwatchers are already aware.  My nephew isn't a birder but he says it's a huge flock and has been coming to roost for a few weeks.

Know anything about this Jeff?

Sandra

Pink-footed Geese still going over

There were about 150 Pinks west over Skircoat during the morning and about 120 west over Brighouse in the afternoon.
It was nice to hear birdsong today as well:
Mistle Thrush at Savile Park
Dunnock at Skircoat
Wren at the Calder/Hebble confluence.
Cormorant (obviously not singing) coming in to the river here saw me and decided to perch half way up a pylon.
Earlier in the week I alarmed a female Goosander under the bank and it swam away giving a croaking noise. Something I'd never heard before.

Other news today

The first winter Scaup was still on the fishing lake at Brookfoot this afternoon from yesterday (GD and SL)

The solitary Pink-footed Goose is still with Canada Geese at Scammonden Water (GS)
A drake Goldeneye on Ogden Water as well today from Chris S.

Cold Edge

This morning - it was cold up there! (probably not as cold as Soil Hill though!!)
There was a lot of activity with birds feeding in very wet fields, obviously picking up earthworms and having a feast!!
c280 Fieldfare
c200 Starlings
c200 B H Gulls
c100 Common Gulls
3 adult Herring Gulls was unusual as they are usually seen passing through rather than staying to feed
2 Kestrels
4 Red Grouse
11 Canada Geese
And to crown it off - a female Merlin sitting on a rock took off soon after I got it on the scope it and it pursued a Meadow Pipit trying to strike it around 10+ times before they were lost from view so not sure what the outcome would be. The mipit had to be very agile!!

2 Little Owls together at Balkram Edge (getting cosy)

Mixenden and Ogden area

A Sunday afternoon in the area between Ogden golf course and Mixenden Res'r turned up a few interesting birds despite the low cloud, gloom and poor light.
c60 Lapwings went high over the golf course towards Cold Edge direction but lost from view over the hill so they may have come down there or perhaps moving towards the west coast?
1 bonus bird was a Green Woodpecker at Lower Brockholes
4 bullfinch feeding in the hawthorns at the lower end of the golf course

Stodfold area produced c120 Fieldfare and 2 Redwings and 4 Moorhen on the former trout farm pond.

Mixenden Res'r was pretty dead - just 4 Mallard!

Other news today

Pinkies again - what a good few days for them passing over our area!
98 over Northowram at 10.10 Andy C - (possibly the same ones as described below from Muxy)
130 over Northowram at 10.45 (AC)
A massive skein over Queensbury  with 257 >W at 11.20 (NK and BS) see West Yorkshire Birding blog for some great pictures and Queensbury Birders blog for details.
I missed the lot again!!!!

Pink Footed Geese

Could well be a good day to see them moving.  Big skein just over Mount Tabor(10.15ish) going West.

Other news today

Barkisland - I had a quick look at Bowers Mill pond early on. Lots of potential for some good birds in and around the streamside and woodland there as well.
8+ Teal displaying
1 Dipper
1 Moorhen
10 Mallard
1 Grey Wagtail

Ringstone Res'r
Didn't have long there and good to have had a chat with DF 'on the early shift'!
1 Goosander flew in
c15 Stock Doves headed over towards the north fields
Quite a few Fieldfares and Starlings up there but didn't have time to do a count, similarly a lot of B H Gulls in the surrounding fields and a few Common Gulls

Also a report of
c50 Pink-footed Geese heading over towards Halifax Town Centre at around 10:10 (AC)
Another group of c100 over Cromwell Bottom >NW at 12.35 ish (BH) - perhaps the same group as DJP had over Stoodley Pike - see below Erringden Moor report.
Also a single 'pinkie' with Canadas at Scammonden Res'r this morning (JB)

Erringden Moor

pink footed goose 100apx nw over stoodley pike fieldfare 60 starling 200 raven 2 gbb gull 3 west Broadhead clough nuthatch 1

Mixenden Res'r

5 Canada Geese there today with no sign of the recent Goldeneye or Tufted Duck
Gull numbers down with only 30 B H Gulls and 20 Common Gulls late morning

Pink-footed Geese

Pinkies on the move across lunchtime today mostly >W and > NW
c200 over Ovenden at 11.35 (AH)
c120 over Cromwell Bottom at 11.55 (BH)
c150 over Jay House Lane near Clifton at 12.15 (DF)
c300 over Sowerby Bridge at 12.25 (SB)
c50 over Jay House Lane at 12.30 (DF)
and I missed the lot !! Might be some more yet.
Thanks for all the reports. We are very fortunate in West Yorkshire to witness these migrations and winter movements. Keep them coming!

1 straggler over Soil Hill area this afternoon (NK) and another 11 over Northowram (AC)

832 for the day!

Swales Moor

This morning
11 Red-legged Partridge near the top
18+ Meadow Pipits on the top
No sign of the Linnet flock today

1 Sparrowhawk
1 Kestrel at Ploughcroft
2 Stock Dove
2 Common Gulls
Usual lots of corvids
Fieldfare 4>W
Woodpigeons 220 >NE
Bullfinch 4 >W
Chaffinch 4 >W
Starling 2 >NW
1 Cormorant >W

Elland area

I tried a quick look at Brookfoot - the ski-lake and the fisherman's pool this afternoon but was unable to locate the weekend's Scaup - or any other diving duck for that matter! Just a decent flock of B H Gulls and a few Common Gulls with 2 adult L B B Gulls.

On the way back we got stuck in traffic on the by-pass - it was worth it though as a Common Buzzard flew over, flapping hard in poor conditions for a raptor, over from Salterhebble area towards West Vale.

Bramblings at Sowerby Bridge

Peachy Steve is one of our newer members at Halifax Scientific Society. He got these superb shots of a male Brambling in Dodge Royd Wood on 5th Jan. The flock was feeding on Beech mast on towards Triangle.

You can see how the head feathers are black closer to its skin. When the grey tips wear off  the black will be revealed ready for breeding in spring. This is a common way of changing colour among birds. It avoids the heavy investment of moulting and growing a new set. 

Wheatley Valley

I gave the former landfill site a go this morning - been thinking about going down there for a while but its a welly job especially over the large grass flat area which is very wet (even in summer)!!
I had in mind  a possible Jack Snipe or Common Snipe but was unable to flush anything, though I guess there are both species there in winter. A bonus bird turned up trumps though, with a Woodcock flushed just as I was about to give up. A new bird for this site.

I then tried the planted area (young mixed woodland with a lot of Alder, Rowan, Willow, Birch, Hazel, Cherry etc ..) which was alive with birds including
10+ Bullfinch
30+ Redwings
1 Song Thrush singing
25+ Chaffinch
8 Greenfinch
20+ Goldfinch
Lots of Blue and Great Tits though just 2 L T Tits but no Coal Tits or Goldcrests
1 Jay
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Kestrel
3 Herring Gulls over >NW
Altogether 27 sp.. in 2 hrs
Also a Red Fox - looked like a big male in superb condition and not so much red but more black than red. All in all a very enjoyable and productive  morning!

Swales Moor and Mixenden Res'r

At least 1 Twite positive i d  (possibly another?) in with the Linnet flock of 28 this morning along Ringby Lane. They are a tricky lot, very flighty and difficult to approach as well as finding the flock in the first place!
1 Skylark on the top
Little else other than the usual corvids and a few Common Gulls in the fields
1 female Sparrowhawk nearby

Mixenden Res'r
4 Goldeneye including 1 drake
Also a drake Tufted Duck
c 100 B H Gulls and a few Common Gulls

 

Elland GP

No luck this morning with the scaup sadly. The conditions were not great, with terrible glare and the wind making it difficult to hold the scope steady, but I could not find the bird.
There were plenty of other things though:
-6 Tufted duck: 4 male, 2 female
-3 Goosander: 1 male, 2 female
-5 Cormorant
-Coot
-Moorhen
-Black Headed and Common Gulls
-1 Little Grebe
-At least 7 Bullfinches on the feeding station
-Long-tailed tit, blue tit, great tit, chaffinch, robin and dunnock on the feeding station
-1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker

However, the Mirfield Great Northern Diver made for great compensation after dipping on the scaup

Mixenden and Ogden Res'rs

Mixenden this afternoon - terrible conditions!
5 Goldeneye ( 1 drake)
1 Tufted Duck (drake)
25 Woodpigeons
11 Stock Doves

Ogden
32 Lapwings over >W then they turned round back east so they were probably the flock from the north slope of Soil Hill
1 Sparrowhawk hunting the woodland
c60 Woodpigeons
c120 B H Gulls and 20+ Commons >N towards Thornton Moor Res'r
c80 Mallard but no sign of the recent Little Grebe

More Scaup pics

A couple more of the Scaup from DF (much better than mine).

Other news today

Pink-footed Geese on the move today across lunchtime 4 skeins totalling 785 heading west seen from Northowram. See details on the link to Northowram Wildlife (AC)
Apologies for the earlier error in reporting pinkies over Oxenhope - I must have dreamt that!!!!!
2 skeins over Lee Mount heard tonight in the dark sounded to be heading west at 6.0 pm followed closely by another group heard at 6.20 pm. Some more tomorrow with a bit of luck!

Cold Edge and Brookfoot

Gave it a try this afternoon but the weather was foul with driving rain. I did manage 3 new sp. for the year with 1 Grey Heron, 3 Red Grouse and 7 Pheasants but that was about it other than c15 B H Gulls. Some of the latter are already advanced in plumage with well pronounced black heads nearly complete though the majority are still in winter plumage.

Following the soaking up there I decided to try for the 1st winter Scaup at Brookfoot fishing lake. Though the light was fading it was still feeding along with 4 Coot so that was a bonus bird for the new year.

First winter Scaup at Elland GP

Found JBs first winter Scaup on the fishing lake at 2.30 this afternoon.It had obviously been spooked off the ski lake by speed boats. Fortunatly for me and DF it had come down right in front of us on the fishing lake, where it gave good close views in poor light.Also Kingfiher and Dipper present.DF probably has better photos???

Today

Mytholmroyd 2.15pm.

A peregrine falcon and a raven over.

Stainland

Walk round stainland this morning

Castle carr -
Nuthatch heard
GSW heard

Stainland Dean
2 Jay
Sparrowhawk
M + F Bullfinch
Greenfinch heard
50 Redwing

Along Blackbrook
2 Grey heron
3 Dipper
2 Kestrel

Other news

From John B yesterday,  a first winter Scaup on the ski lake at Brookfoot yesterday though no news as to whether or not its still there today. Scaup are not often recorded in Calderdale in recent years so that's a good find.

A good number of Pink-footed Geese >W across lunchtime today reported from Andy at Northowram.  Thanks, I did manage to pick out one skein through the trees of Shroggs Park in Lee Mount. Details of numbers will I guess be on Northowram Wildlife blog later today.

Home to Mankinholes to Walsden

A mild morning for a wander - hat, gloves, scarf and jumper removed before I'd gone 200 yards :)

150+ Fieldfare in fields at Cross Lane, Mankinholes
1 Little owl by Pennine Bridleway by Top Brink
7 Goosander (2 drakes) at Lee Dam
1 Little Owl at Lee Dam
5 Lapwing at Longfield Dam
1 f. Goldeneye at Longfield Dam
106 Redwing at Knowl Wood in birch trees
1 Kestrel over at Knowl Wood

Out and about!

Wheatley Valley - male Sparrowhawk this morning hunting among the trees on the former landfill site along Shroggs Road. Also a few Redwings about first thing over Shroggs Park

Mixenden Res'r - drake Tufted Duck along with 3 female Goldeneye. 2 adult L B B Gulls, c100 B H Gulls and c40 Common Gulls. 1 Pied Wagtail

Balkram Edge - pair of Little Owls on a wall

Fly Flats - not even a Red Grouse!!

Withens Head - 11 Fieldfares and 9 Starlings in the field by the wind farm car park

Recent bits

A dipper was on the river at Callis Bridge on New Years Day. A goosander flew over Walkley Clogs, and a male sparrowhawk narrowly missed taking a blackbird at Mytholmroyd station.

Several nuthatch were seen and heard on the lane up to Hebden Hey in the Crags yesterday, including 4 in one tree! A few siskin were also about.

New Year Bird Count

Halifax Scientific Society New Year Walk and Bird Count North Dean Wood, Norland Clough and Norland Moor.RESULT:
We didn't see the Stonechat, Reed Bunting or winter thrushes seen on Boxing Day, but we did get 18 species, four more than last year on 1st Jan 2013.
Some were in the home garden before setting off, and on the way to the meet, but all countable for a day list. These lists just give an idea of bird diversity on a rainy day in winter 2013-2014, and may be interesting in the future.
Five people who attended saw:
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Dunnock
Chaffinch
Blackbird
Carrion Crow
Magpie
Feral Pigeon
Black-headed Gull
Woodpigeon
Jay
Robin
Grey Wagtail
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Treecreeper
Common Gull
Jackdaw
Mammals: Grey Squirrel(1) Roe Deer(3 together) Rabbit signs.

We completed the planned route, then enjoyed drinks including pints of Wainwright Ale in the Star at Lindwell (Greetland).

garden Birds taken on 31 dec

Happy New Year!

Wishing all Calderdale birders a happy and bird filled 2014!

Mixenden and Ogden Res'rs

Late afternoon - nothing on Mixenden other than Black-headed (c220) and Common Gulls (c40)
Also nearby c40 Jackdaws, 4 Stock Doves, c20 Woodpigeons. Also a nice flock of c120 Starlings

Ogden was abandoned in a hail storm and fading light but still more gulls - B H Gulls (c150) and Common Gulls (c20)
1 pair of Tufted Duck
1 Little Grebe

Jay House Lane and Ryburn Res.

On Saturday I topped up the feeders as usual at Jay House Lane.( Well done Jane for cleaning them.) There didn't seem to be many Tree Sparrows about. A big female Sparrowhawk attacked something on the feeders as I was looking back. It didn't get anything that time.

The House Sparrows were at the cottages again along with a few Tree Sparrows.

A large flock of Lapwings were kind of hanging high in the air above the fields. I wrote in my notebook "c.220 but photo might reveal exact number." When I printed a photo and sliced them off in groups with a pencil - I got 220 ! I've read that birdwatchers can get pretty accurate estimates of moving flocks, but surprised myself there.

 Lapwings against clouds - dirt inside my camera.


Ryburn Res.; one Cormorant up in the trees on the south side. A single Great Black-backed gull going towards Baitings Res, a Robin, 25 Lapwings, 5-6 mallards and at dusk a roost of 600 - 700 Corvids - Carrion Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws, in the trees to the south.

There's a lot of felling going on south-east of the dam; seems to be mostly the conifers and sycamores. It will be good for warblers, etc when the new trees start coming up, which I assume they will be planting.

Wainstalls - Castle Carr Road

This afternoon
1 male Stonechat looked to be struggling in the cold blustery wind
3 Little Owls hiding out of the wind behind the stone walls
c 280 Fieldfare
c 60 Starlings
c 20 Goldfinch
1 Sparrowhawk following the Fieldfare flock around
Late afternoon 2 adult Great Black- backed Gulls came over >SW

Cock Hill

A common buzzard was giving good views over the moor at Cock Hill this lunchtime.

Mixenden Res'r and Luddenden Dean

3 Goldeneye present including 1 male
3 Goosander, again 1 male
c180 B H Gulls all carefully checked !
12 Common Gulls
c40 Jackdaws
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
c200 Woodpigeons and at least 2 Stock Doves coming in to roost
1 Pheasant
Very few small birds about in the blustery wind other than a few Blue,  Great and Coal Tits in the plantation

2 Little Owls as well at Balkram Edge looking cosy together behind a wall. They are certainly welcome to sit it out at night trying to keep in some shelter.

I also checked the head of the dean late on to see if any Bramblings were coming in to roost but it was still a blustery wind down there so it was tricky trying to identify the finches as they came up and over!
500 + Woodpigeons coming in to roost
1 Sparrowhawk went over and headed up the valley towards Castle Carr
It was good to get some fresh air this afternoon!!!

Norland Moor

Despite the likelihood of hoards of people I decided to do a circuit of the moor.
A pleasant surprise was a female Reed Bunting on a wire near Clough Foot Bridge (Turbury Lane).
Best find was this Stonechat, associating with a herd of heifers.
In the fields at the bottom there were  200 - 300 winter thrushes, mostly Fieldfares, where they often gather.
A Green Woodpecker called and I saw it briefly as it flew down into the wood.

Male Stonechat at Norland today

Two Redwings and a Fieldfare at Norland today

There is a New Year Bird Count being run by the Halifax Scientific Society on 1st January. All birders and others welcome. Norland Moor is on the route weather permitting. See announcement on Calderdale-wildlife.blogspot  

Soil Hill

This afternoon - I tried the last hour of daylight in very poor conditions in the hope of tracking down yesterday's Snow Bunting found by BS. I didn't find the bunting, but guess it could still be there, though I met up with BS instead - which is always a good move.
c40 Lapwings went over the top as I arrived and moved off towards the north slope fields 'The Shay'
c40 Fieldfare also headed over towards Ogden at dusk as the snow came down

Soil Hill top looking towards the wind farm on Ovenden Moor (before the snow storm)!

Dave Sutcliffe and the grapevine

                                              Mr Grapevine himself.

With another year drawing to a close I feel, on behalf of all local birding grapeviners, I would like to say a big thank you to Dave and Jen Sutcliffe for running the grapevine smoothly and efficiently throughout 2013 allowing us to see birds and receive information that otherwise would have been missed.
Despite their hectic life looking after Daves Mum and their grand daughter which means travelling from one side of the country to the other , they still find time to get out there birding and always get the messages out as promptly as possible which we all know is no easy task. Messages that need a reply from me always come when I,m driving or out in the wilds with the dogs and no glasses to read them.
I spoke to Dave on a blizzard ridden Soil Hill this p.m. and he told me he is continuing the grapevine through 2014 so thanks again for a great service and your dedication to local birding.
BS

In and around Stainland

21st of December - Flushed 1 Snipe on field above Fall Spring Woods - have done like wise a couple other times this autumn.

22nd of December
1 Male Bullfinch near Castle Carr Hall
Dipper on black brook, upstream of Firth House Meadows
2 Kestrel sat on telegraph wire down stream of Bowers Mill
1 Jay
Plenty Redwing and a few Field Fare about also.

Other news today

Well done BS for finding a long-awaited Snow Bunting (this year) on the top at Soil Hill this afternoon. See the link West Yorkshire Birding for details.
AND it's the second Snow Bunting reported this week in our recording area, with the one from KM near Blackstone Edge on 17th - lets hope for a few more!!!

Swales Moor etc

Tried again this morning but very little about other than the usual pack of corvids - mainly Jackdaws and Carrion Crows and c40 Common and 1 B H Gull
1 Fieldfare and 1 Pied Wagtail on the top
1 female Sparrowhawk went through >S
1 Kestrel at Ploughcroft
Again no sign of the Linnet flock today

Jack Snipe again on Soil Hill today but still no Snow Buntings! (per NK)

Fishing Dipper

Over on the Cromwellbottom.blogspot blog someone's got a shot of a dipper with a little fish it has caught in the River Calder.
I've never heard of this, though I did watch a mallard doing it once between the cracks in a cobbled ford at Ripon.

Anybody confident of identifying the dipper's fish?

Other news today

A Snow Bunting today (KM) near Whiteholme Res'r/Turvin Road in a catchwater drain. Nice find Keith, thanks for the info - they have been tricky to find this winter so far!

Mixenden Res'r

Very quiet up there this afternoon
1 drake Goldeneye
1 drake Tufted Duck
4 Mallard
and that was about it!

Swales Moor

Along Ringby Lane and the top late morning
I just missed out on c200 Pink-feet heading west over the Wheatley Valley around 11.20 from Steve B as I was over the other side of the hill - dash!
1 Sparrowhawk high >SW
65 Woodpigeons >SW
9 Pied Wagtail >W
7 Chaffinch and 2 unidentified finch sp >SW

And on the top - no sign of the Linnet flock today
1 female Reed Bunting
2 Dunnock
38 Common Gulls
20 Jackdaw
c75 Carrion Crow
7 Magpie

Little Owls

A new garden tick this morning - 2 Little Owls calling from the top of the fir trees in the back garden.

Nearby Diver at Mirfield

Good shots from Barry of the Mirfield great northern diver here:-
http://cbwg-offsite-pics.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/exotic-mirfield.html

Swales Moor

A walk on Ringby Lane earlier today - but the weather was foul with a strong blustery SW F3 to F5 on the top and drizzle !
A mass of Jackdaws (c180) in the top field, recently manured, along with c100 Carrion Crows and c 35 Common Gulls
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Dunnock
Most interesting of all was the Linnet flock of around 32 birds. I followed them up and down the lane, as I suspected a solitary Twite was with them, but could not be certain in the poor conditions with rain on the bins and spec's. They would not stay put for long as they were really flighty in the conditions. Need to try again next week for 'the Twite' when the conditions are better - maybe!!

Wonderful conditions on the top today !!

Looking north towards Soil Hill on the left

 

 Looking south towards Beacon Hill and Southowram

Woodcock

Found a dead Woodcock in the public war memorial garden at Ripponden this morning.

News from yesterday

A Lapland Bunting was found yesterday by Jeff in the catchwater drain between Warland Res'r and Stoodley Pike. Almost in the same area as where he found one a year or two ago - must look up the date. A great find!

Luddenden Dean

Luddenden Dean

There were a good number of the usual species in the upper dean this morning including :-

1 Great-spotted Woodpecker

c80 Fieldfare

c50 Redwings

1 Mistle Thrush singing

1 Kestrel

1 Dipper in the stream near 'the catty'

200+ Woodpigeons in Castle Carr

3+ Jays

Blue, Great, Coal and L T Tits

1 Goldcrest

Chaff's Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Bullfinch

Surprise of the morning was a Peacock butterfly flying around and sunning itself on the banking near 'The Lowe'

 Hayes Wood

 

Castle Carr Road
1 Stonechat (female) with 6 Goldfinch nearby
1 Little Owl calling near 'The Heights' - far end of Castle Carr Road
2 Little Owls together near Wainstalls

More Background Information On The Lebanon Campaign

http://www.komitee.de/en/actions-and-projects/species-protection/hunting-lebanon/lebanon-bird-massacre

The Killing Fields Of Lebanon

Below is a link to a collection of very disturbing photos that I have harvested from the internet. The graphic content shows the extent of unregulated slaughter of wildlife in Lebanon. The impact this will have on populations and ecosystems in Europe and Africa is unimaginable. I have included contact details for the Embassy of Lebanon in London, plus a link to a web page carrying a list of Lebanese Embassies in other countries. Please look at the photographic evidence I have collected and make your protest to the Embassy of Lebanon. This is slaughter on an unprecedented scale and could very well see the extinction of many species if allowed to continue. In addition, please feel free to spread this information far and wide. Time is precious. Act now. Thanks. S.Cummings.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebaldibis/sets/72157638520385503/

http://lebaneseembassyuk.org/contact-us/

Jumble Hole

On a brief dog walk this morning, I got a new patch tick for Jumble Hole when I flushed a snipe off some wet ground. Never seen one up this way before. A raven was low over the valley again.

Ok, the photo isn't going to win any awards, but it was nice to actually see a tawny owl at Jumble Hole, rather than just hear them. Also flushed a woodcock. Great spotted woodpeckers and nuthatch now regular on the feeders, and fieldfare was chuckling in the garden yesterday.

Swales Moor and Mixenden Res"r

Nothing doing today at either location other the 100+ Carrion Crows at Swales and just a few gulls at mixi along with 1 Great spotted Woodpecker. That was it!

Halifax Scientific Society Xmas Social

Would friends of Halifax Scientific Society among the birders like to join us at our Xmas Social?
It's on  Tues 10th Dec at 7.15pm at the Central Library.

See Calderdale-wildlife blog for more details.

Lee Mount etc

Treecreeper and Goldcrest this morning just by the park (Shroggs Park) with a small 'tit' flock and a very early Song Thrush singing was really good to hear! Still not many Blackbirds about though.

And from Nick D late afternoon - around a dozen, probable Waxwings >SW over Roils Head/West End golf course in the fading light for the second day running. They were probably going to a roost?It will be well worth checking any berrying shrubs in the area to see if they can be located in a feeding area. It may not be a good winter for Waxwings in Britain as apparantly the berry crop in Scandinavia is as good as ours!!

Swales Moor and Mixenden Res'r

I tried again at Swales mid morning but the farmer was 'muck spreading' in the large top field - and it stunk!!! so it was just full of c100 Carrion Crows and c40 Common Gulls feeding on the morsals!!!
The only 'movers' were 1 and 12 Herring Gulls >W and 2 finch sp. high  >W
The Linnet flock was interesting with c40 but they would not stay still long enough to scope for a Twite!
1 Pied Wagtail on the top

Mixenden Res'r
4 Goosander (1 drake)
1 drake Goldeneye
2 L B B Gulls
c100 B H Gulls
c50 Common Gulls
2 Herring Gulls (adult and 1st winter) >W - after staying to bathe

Mixenden Res'r and Lee Mount

Mixenden Res'r - nothing doing there today other than 2 L B B Gull adults and a few B H and Common Gulls -canoes on the res'r and 2 Herring Gulls >W

Lee Mount
15 Fieldfare and 2 Redwings >W this morning and 1,1 and 2 Herring Gulls >W

Also from NK today - another Jack Snipe on Soil Hill this morning but no sign of any Snow Buntings - yet !

Swales Moor

A big bonus there today with a Lapland Bunting on the top at 12.20 - found with a Meadow Pipit feeding on the short grass area. They both took flight and the Lap bunt looked as if it was going to land again on the same spot but changed its mind and headed off  towards Queensbury at 12.25 gaining height I watched it out of site. Several very clear calls from it, both as it was flying round above me and when it was heading off.
Also today 20 Herring Gulls in small groups heading west
72 Lapwings >W and another 40 >NW as well as c200 over Shelf Moor seen flying around there at a distance - see Brian's blog for recent counts from the fields around Shelf Moor to Queensbury Road.
1 L B B Gull >W
1 Sparrowhawk >W

Sparrowhawk

We get over 100 Starlings in garden at once from the 100's that are in the field behind the house.  We see Sparrowhawks almost delay as they have obviously taken an interest.  This one was taken from our bedroom window by my wife.

Halifax Birdwatchers Club map

Around the year 2000 one of our esteemed members produced a detailed map showing the HBWC recording area, highlighting key sites and including a list of the birds of Halifax from 1991 - 1999 (at the time 201spp).  As we will shortly be leaving Calderdale I think it only right that the map should stay here.  Initially I wish to offer it back to its "maker" Gordon Denison, does anyone have contact details for him please?  If Gordon doesn't want it then I can offer it to a Calderdale birder, please let me know if you are interested.  The map measures approx 80 x 60 cm and is framed in a thin metal poster frame.

Other news today

Common Scoter - female still today reported on BirdGuides at Blackstone Edge Reservoir viewed from the dam wall. Lapwing flock with good numbers again today in fields between the Stone Chair roundabout near Shelf and Queensbury from Andy H. See Brian Sumners Blog for regular updates on the wintering flock at this site which has also had a good number of Snipe there in recent weeks along with Golden Plovers. I'm still not sure if this is just inside, or just outside our recording area ?

Couple of recent sightings

Monday morning a juv male Goosander on the river Ryburn in the centre of Sowerby Bridge

today c70 Lapwing and 1 Golden Plover in fields at Jay House lane.

Mixenden Res'r

Nothing exciting! - though maybe the gull flock could turn something up now that numbers are building at the day time roost.

1 drake Tufted Duck
220+ B H Gulls
c80 Common Gulls
2 ad L B B Gulls

E-Petition re licensing of grouse moors

Definitely worth a read!
http://raptorpolitics.org.uk/2013/11/06/e-petition-licencing-of-upland-grouse-moors-and-gamekeepers-please-sign-this-important-document/

Lee Mount and Mixenden Res'r etc.

38 Fieldfare and 2 Mistle Thrush >W first thing over Lee Mount

1 Teal (female)  at Mixenden Res'r along with 1 drake Goosander mid morning

1 Grey Wagtail in Sainsbury's car park this morning. Lots of berries on the shrubs and trees around the car park so hope something interesting turns up there soon !

Mixenden Res'r

After the overnight gales I thought there might be a chance something decent had been blown in but there was only a juvenile male Goldeneye there - still it's always worth a try !

Swales Moor

This afternoon - nothing on the move other than 5 adult Herring Gulls >W (3,2,)
30 Common Gulls
1 Red-legged Partridge
5 Meadow Pipits
80+ Carrion Crows
20+ Jackdaws
10+ Magpies
21 Linnets together, seeking safety in the top of a bush. I managed to scope them but there was no sign of the recent Twite

1 Little Owl was chasing after Blue Tits, Great Tits and House Sparrows around the house at the top of Ploughcroft but they were too alert for it!

Fly Flatts and Withens Head

Plenty of Red Grouse on the moor and very vocal. Nothing on the res'r though a Peregrine at a distance was a welcome sight.

Mixenden Res'r

Common Scoter now gone - though it was there yesterday (NK) - still it did stay longer than expected! Just a drake Tufted Duck this morning and c60 B H Gulls and a few Common Gulls and that was it.

David Franz- Your prestigious award awaits you

Your Firecrest award is ready to take its place on your fireplace Dave.
See" West Yorkshire Birding" for details.
BS.

Castle Carr Road / Luddenden Dean

Earlier today
A pair of Stonechats on Castle Carr Road just 200m past Bridge Terrace and a Little Owl nearby.
Also further along near Top Lodge a pair of Little Owls together

In the dean 2 Bramblings were with Chaff's, Goldfinch and Greenfinch near The Lowe along with a Bullfinch
Also in the dean 100+ Fieldfare and just a few Redwings
No raptors, not even a Kestrel but plenty Woodpigeons

Ring-necked Parakeets?

Posted on behalf of Hugh Firman who received this message today:   “I live on Prospect Avenue, Pye Nest - for the last few days we have had, what I presume to be, ring necked parakeets in our garden.”

                                 Mandarins                                                                                                                                                  Are Are the Mandarins  at Ryburn&Rishworth the same birds? These  images where taken at Rishworth,but are they moving about?

Out and About

EGP Ski Lake
14 Tufted Ducks
1 female Goldeneye

Ryburn Res
4 Mandarin ( 2 Drakes)

Baitings Res
1 female Shelduck
1 Cormorant
1 Great Crested Grebe

Blackstone Edge Res
1 female Common Scoter

Whiteholme Res
 1 drake Common Scoter

Light Hazzles Res
Male and female Goldeneye  

Clear out

As we expect to be moving out of the area by Xmas it is time to start sorting stuff out prior to the move. As a result I think its time to thin the stocks of old reports, magazines etc. I have the following available if anyone wants all or any. They are free of charge to a good home but a small donation to the work of the Calderdale Bird Conservation Group would be appreciated.

Yorkshire Birding
Vols 14 to 18 inclusive (complete)
Vol 19 issues 1 to 3 only

Bradford Ornithological Group Reports
1988
1991
1993
1995-199
2011-2003
2005
2008
2009

Huddersfield Birdwatchers Club reports
1987
1989
1990-2000
2005
2006
2009
2010

List of the Birds of Huddersfield up to 2008
Results from Bird Ringing in the Huddersfield area (1998 Denton)


Birds in Rochdale 1900-1977 P Hill

There will no doubt be more to follow so watch this space!

Anyone who is interested please contact midgleybirder@yahoo.co.uk

Mixenden Res'r

After a female Common Scoter there all week it was a bonus to hear it had been joined by a drake today - well done to those who got there today!

Swales Moor

I was really fortunate to find this single Twite in the Linnet flock late morning and even more lucky to get a digi-scop shot of it feeding with Linnet's on a weedy banking. It was unringed and looked like a female with only a plain brown rump.

 

 



 Above - Linnet with a Twite just below it right

Twite

I started with some vis mig as there was still a lttle movement when I arrived up there at 10.15 till 11.50.
Wind SW F2  7c and 4/8 cloud cover, mild and dry
1 ad L B B Gull >W
2 Herring Gulls >W
7 Great Black-backed Gulls >W - they looked fantastic!
1 squadron of 20 Starlings >NW
5 Chaffinch >W
65 Fieldfare (2 flocks) >SW
1,100 Woodpigeons (320 >SW and 780 >NE)

Also present
32 Common Gull
1 Little Owl
18 Magpie
23 Jackdaw
c60 Carrion Crows
1 female Twite in with 25 Linnets

Mixenden Res'r

Common Scoter still present this morning

Withens Clough

A pair of Stonechat and 4 Mipits at Withens Clough this morning.

Mixenden Res'r

This morning 8.30
Juv/female Common Scoter still there
1 Tufted Duck
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Great-spotted Woodpecker flyover
9 Redwings and 6 Starlings >NW

Ogden and Mixenden

We walked from Upper Brockholes to Ogden then across the golf course to Mixenden Res'r and back via Stodfold.
Ogden
1 Cormorant
1 L B B Gull
1 Grey Wagtail

Mixenden Res'r
We think the Common Scoter was still there but it was across the far end diving. No scope with me and we were looking directly into the sun so not 100% sure of I D
1 drake Goosander
c130 Fieldfare went through >SW over Hunter Hill and the back of the plantation

Stodfold
1 Sparrowhawk
7 Meadow Pipits

Upper Brockholes
The totally white Carrion Crow is still showing near the top of Lane Head Lane

Swales Moor

Vis mig up there first thing today was a second choice, after Hunter Hill was totally fogged off.
Visibility was not good at Swales but it was an interesting 1hr 20mins especially with flocks of Woodpigeons coming through the gap just below the cloud base at Ploughcroft > SW - 1,148 in total with one flock up to 250 strong.
Other moving birds mostly >S or SW other than Starlings >NW
11 Redwing
53 Fieldfare
2 Linnet
17 Starlings
2 Chaffinch
18 Common Gulls
4 alba wagtails
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Skylark
1 Blackbird

Other birds around the site
c20 Goldfinch
c50 Linnets

Mixenden Res'r etc

Common Scoter still on Mixenden Res'r this morning but no Goldeneye first thing.

Fly Flatts
Red Grouse
Kestrel

Withens Head
2 Grey Partridge

Cold Edge
4 Goosander (2 drakes)

Hunter Hill
Starlings on the move NW with 765 between 9 and 10 am also 107 Fieldfare SW and 12 >E
1 Green Woodpecker nearby calling
1 Sparrowhawk

Blackbirds

Quite a lot about today locally and Spurn and Filey had over 7,000 at each site today so we should get a big influx in the next day or two!!

Mixenden Res'r

An interesting afternoon continued. I thought the res'r might be worth a check - it paid off with a first for me at this site with a female/juv (I think it's a juvenile) Common Scoter, there till I left at 4.30 pm. It was feeding at the far end inlet near Hays Lane. Photo below was the best I could do in the fading light.

 

 

Also present, my first for this autumn, was a drake Goldeneye, a drake Tufted Duck, 11 Teal in the middle of the reservoir and 1 Grey Wagtail on the embankment.

Blackbirds were also coming in to roost  and a group of around 12 included one that looked more like a Great-spotted Woodpecker in plumage. I think it was just various white feathers in the wings, body and tail in the gloom, but it did look odd though definately a Blackbird.





Ogden Res'r

An interesting afternoon - again looking in and around the Firecrest spot along the edge of the reservoir on the western side. No Firecrest unfortunately (though I keep trying!!) but lots of Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed Tits. Also around 1 Gt-spotted Woodpecker, 1 Treecreeper, a Wren, 2 Robins and 15+ Goldcrests and an amazing group of 8 Bullfinch together feeding in the tops of Silver Birch and later on rowan berries.
c40 Fieldfare also flew over the plantation >NE
c80 Common Gulls unusually outnumbered B H Gulls (c60) on the res'r

On the res'r
4 Wigeon
1 Little Grebe
c50 Mallard
2 f Goosander arrived from Soil Hill direction thanks to a call from NK and DP up on 'the hill' in the fog - worthwhile for them with a Jack Snipe on the top though.

In Ogden woodland I surprised a female Sparrowhawk on a kill - a Woodpigeon - headless and breast being eaten. It shot off, the prey was still warm, but it returned to the kill once I had moved away. it still amazes me that a Sparrowhawk takes birds as large as a Woodpigeon but guess they make a good meal!!!

Soil Hill

Yesterday, Sunday afternoon
1 Grey Wagtail over>E
c2 Fieldfare over calling but unseen
7 Meadow Pipits on the top
1 Kestrel
5 Herring Gulls >SW
52 Lapwing down on the North slope fields
1 Moorhen on the north slope pond
Masses of gulls heading up from Bradford area to roost at Thornton Moor Res'r
On the way down from Soil Hill were some fascinating clouds from Bradshaw looking west.

Blackbirds

There were 13 blackbirds in the shrubs adjacent to the terrace at work (The Hatchery) in Mytholmroyd yesterday morning.  We've never had more than 2 in the past.  Where would these have come from?  Some were eating from a tree with orange/yellow berries on.

Sandra

Fly Flatts and Withens Head

6+ Red Grouse and 2 Carrion Crows at Fly this afternoon - I went up there in the hope of a returning Goldeneye but the res'r was dead - and full to the brim now!
We usually get returning Goldeneye in October !! - has anyone had any yet?

3 Starlings >NW at Withens Head
2 Carrion Crows

On my way home, 23 Lapwings came over Cold Edge Road >W but guess they were probably heading for Cold Edge dams.

Fieldfares

At least 189 Fieldfare in the field behind our house just below Stoodley Pike this afternoon. There were more than this but this is the count from the photos I managed. They came into the garden onto the rowan trees, fir trees and the apple tree for a while before they flew off to the South West.

Buzzard

A common buzzard has been up and down the Calder Valley in front of Jumble Hole over the past few days, usually accompanied by a flock of crows. The raven was over again earlier in the week.

Lee Mount

c 40 Fieldfares went west mid morning, straight through closely followed by a female Sparrowhawk

Ogden

Did the rounds again this afternoon, part of the time with Nigel. We found quite a few Goldcrest in the Firecrest spot but not a lot else other than Blue and Great Tits, a few L T Tits and an occasional Coal Tit, Chaffinch and a Treecreeper.
Later on I found a decent LT Tit flock near Ogden Clough bridge, along with a few Goldcrests and 2 Bullfinch but by then the light was fading. A few Blackbirds about today as well.
Little Grebe still there.

Ogden

I tried in vain all afternoon searching for the Firecrest ! Everything was so quiet around the res'r that I even tried some of the woodland areas searching for the 'tit' flock. I only found an od Chaffinch and a few Blue and Great Tits.
Then right on dusk, 16.15, I came across 'the flock' near the bridge at the lower end of Ogden Clough - Blue, Great, Coal and L T Tits, Robins, Dunnock, Wrens, 2 Treecreepers, Bullfinch and 15 + Goldcrests. The fading light made it almost impossible with the Goldcrests to find anything different as they were all feeding up in the Sycamores (still with leaves on) and  nearly all silhouetted - so finding a Firecrest was almost impossible.
The flock was also surprisingly quiet so calls were not much help either.

I guess that if the flock could be located in good light then there might be a reasonable chance of re-finding the Firecrest ?? I know several other local birders (NK, BH, PS et al) also checked the site am and pm without success but lets hope between us we can re-locate the bird in the next few days !

Good to meet up with Bruce and Emma and thanks for pointing out the very, very rare fungus - forgotten what it's called if you can remind me Bruce !

Ogden

No reports today of any sightings of yesterday's Firecrest - though I tried up there late afternoon and good to meet Bri and Denise there and gather Dave ('the finder') had searched earlier without success.
We were wondering if the bird has moved on after all that terrible weather last night but felt maybe there is a chance it could stay around for a while if the weather stays mild - though they are birds that tend to like a milder and warmer climate than in West Yorkshire!
Lets hope someone can turn it up again this week.

I also gather Dave also found a very late Wheatear on Soil Hill yesterday - another good record for our area.

Firecrest

Firecrest at Ogden today showing on and off till about 3:30.
SE 06186 30728