Mankinholes, Lumbutts, Langfield and Gaddings Dam

Time for a local walk this morning and I've been missing the local patch, so I spent a few hours wandering around and catching up on what's about.

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1 at Mankinholes
Linnet - 4 (2 juvs)
Little Owl -1
Song Thrush - 1
Lesser Black backed Gull - 1 over Lumbutts
Willow Warbler - 2 at Lee Dam
Blackcap - 1
Reed Bunting - 3 at Langfield
Stonechat - 2
Kestrel - 1
Ringed Plover - 2 at Gaddings Dam
Dunlin - 1
Swift - 5
Mallard ducklings - 6, downy but no sign of adults

Lots of Mipits, Skylarks and Swallows.

Song Thrush

Ringed Plover and Dunlin

Dunlin at Gaddings Dam

Dunlin in flight

Lee Mount

A Red Kite over today about 13:45, very, very high , though this time I did have the camera handy for some record (not brilliant)! shots. Fortunately I was alerted by a Carrion Crow alarming which drew my attention to it. It headed over towards Boothtown / Swales Moor area. Always a special bird.

Cold Edge

This morning
1 Little Grebe
3 Snipe 'chippin'
1 Oystercatcher
3 pairs Curlew
Several Lapwings including some large chicks just flying
Common Sandpipers (one just taking off below)

 c40 Canada Geese
1 Greylag Goose
2 Tufted Duck
2 L B B Gulls
2 B H Gulls
Several Meadow Pipits, Skyklarks and Linnets in the area as well as Swallows, including just fledged juveniles - and a few Swifts moving through high
No Kestrels !

Garden birds

My 'relaxed approach' to a tidy garden seems to be paying dividends this year. Over the weekend, there was dunnock, great tit and wren feeding newly hatched young. And blackbird, robin and blue tit feeding newly fledged chicks. On top of that, chiffchaff, garden warbler, goldcrest and whitethroat all singing from the garden at some stage. Let's hear it for the lazy approach.

Ringstone

Early afternoon with DF - some decent shoreline appearing !!
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Little Ringed Plover
c40 Lapwing
1 G C Grebe
2 House Martins
A few Swallows and some distant Swifts
Pied Wagtails, Linnets, Starlings and a Reed Bunting
Willow Warbler singing
1 L B B Gull
1 Kestrel

Booth Wood Res'r

This morning
1 Cormorant
1 Oystercatcher
4+ Curlew
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Kestrel
4 Sand Martins
A few Swallows and Pied Wagtails
1 Willow Warbler still singing

Cold Edge

Earlier today doing the Breeding Breeding Survey for the BTO. It was a bit quiet with an interesting mix and a good number of Skylark, Meadow Pipts and a few Reed Buntings.
Curlews, Lapwings, Common Sandpiper, Snipe and an Oystercatcher
1 Little Grebe
1 adult Cormorant
1 Moorhen
+ a mix of other usual sp....

Barn owl, Cross Stones, Todmorden

My aunt saw a barn owl near Higher Ashes, Cross Stones yesterday evening.

Regards, Chris

Fly Flatts

Mid afternoon along with NCD - the weather brightened up after a lot of earlier rain  and thunder late morning and early afternoon.
1 Barnacle Goose was a nice surprise on the res'r alongside the flock of 180+ Canada Geese
1 Common Sandpiper
6+ Curlew
2 Snipe
4 Lapwings
1 Sand Martin through towards Thornton moor
A steady stream of Swifts >N  along the ridge towards High Brown Knoll
1 L B B Gull >W
3 B H Gulls >NW
A pair of Stonechats with juveniles nearby

Barnacle Goose (digiscoped from a distance)

Crow Hill Circular

Crow Hill Circular late am early pm

Pretty quiet

5 lapwing
c50 starlings
1 pied wagtail
2 swifts
8 swallows
30+ meadow pipits
2 skylarks
2 linnets
plus usual titmice, finches and corvids

Large, small and green veined white butterflies
2 meadow brown
1 small tortoiseshell

Woodpecker

Mytholmroyd Garden

One juvenile great spotted woodpecker on feeders this am and one adult female.

I haven't had  many woodpecker sightings in the area since the recent cold winters. There have been a lot of  gs woodpecker calls this spring though and a lot of activity from adults presumably with young.

Fly Flatts and Withens Head, Cold Edge

After most of the day of heavy rain yesterday I ventured out for an hour or so late afternoon as the rain stopped and the sky cleared.
Cold Edge
1 female Goosander
1 Oystercatcher

Fly Flatts
An adult Hobby passed over at 17:30 heading towards Thornton Moor. That was a nice surprise!
180+ Canada Geese + chicks all over the place.
6 Curlew
2 Lapwings
2 Redshank
1 Red Grouse
2 L B B Gulls over
Plenty Meadow Pipits feeding young
2 Skylark
1 Oystercatcher

Ogden and the Golf Course

I lovely sunny warm morning but not a lot happening with no sign of the recent singing Tree Pipit, though still plenty of Meadow Pipits feeding young.
The highlight was this adult Tawny Owl being scolded by Willlow Warblers - it was obviously ready to raid their nest but it soon moved on!

Very little found on the golf course other than Meadow Pipits (one pair still nest building) along with a few Willow Warblers and occasional passing Swifts.

Fly Flatts......

This afternoon it was really windy up there. Tricky conditions to find anything !
2 Lapwings
2 Curlew
130 + Canada's + loads of chicks
2 Linnets
A few Meadow Pipits
1 Red Grouse
2 Swifts >NW
14 L B B Gulls >W

Mixenden Res'r was a little more interesting, a different climate down there out of the wind and in the shelter of the plantation. A good few Hirundines (c30 House Martins and a similar number of Swallows) and 50+ Swifts charging about.

Recents !

After some difficulty posting on the blog recently I just managed to upload this photo of a Hobby over Brighouse on Tuesday 3rd June at 10.38 taken by Mike Henshaw. Very well done Mike for having the camera handy to bag such a great bird for Calderdale. Lets hope we get a few more ! (double click the image for a better view)

Also this last week or so
2 Wood Warblers singing -Hardcastle Crags
1 Pied Flycatcher - undisclosed location
Just a few Spotted Flycartchers being reported
Tree Pipit - just one singing individual at Ogden
Several Cuckoo's still being reported throughout Calderdale
Green Sandpiper flushed in some pools near Mount Tabor yesterday (NCD) - a rarity for Calderdale in recent years.

First of 7 fledglings from one of my nest box's ,

the other box has 13 blue tits

Mixenden Res'r and Fly Flatts ....

Poor conditions today with continuing rain and hill fog after a full day of rain yesterday, only 7c today with an east blustery wind especially on the tops.
Mixenden Res'r was providing a bit of shelter early evening and birds were feeding low over the water with c30 Swifts, c50 Swallows and c10 House Martins.
I also disturbed a female Goldcrest sheltering in a hole in a wall then  it flew up to feed in a pine
4 L B B gulls went high >W

Fly Flatts
2 Redshank
1 Lapwing
2 Curlew
1 Swift >SE
Meadow Pipits feeding young
50+ Canadas + a few chicks

Withens Head
2 Curlew
c10 Lapwing
2 Pied Wagtail
2 Swallows
A few Meadow Pipits

Roy Taylor

Please take a look at the following and help support this amazing man in this daunting challenge.  Roy was involved with the work we did on Twite in Calderdale right from the start and forged the links between ourselves and the RSPB which have now led to the twite becoming an RSPB Priority Species.  I had the pleasure of meeting him again recently and helping him enjoy Badgers in our garden.  Although he may be diminished physically he is still the powerhouse of a man I first knew back in the early Twite days.  Respect Sir.
http://beadnell-birding.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/truly-inspirational.html

Gorple

A walk from the Widdop Road car park to Upper Gorple yesterday evening, in warm still conditions.

- a total of 15 common sandpiper, including 6 in the Lower Gorple run-off
- ringed plover, also in the run off
- 3 cuckoo, including one getting scolded by a meadow pipit
- 2 grey wagtail
- 10+ willow warbler
- 2 goldcrest
- snipe difficult to count, but 11 would be a minimum, many of which were drumming
- likewise lapwing, 25-30? probably many more, but mobile so hard to accurately count on a walk
- 3+ woodcock roding
- siskin heard flying over
- 6 mallard
- 7 mistle thrush
- 3 blackbird
- a single kestrel was the only raptor

Nest puzzle

Sent in by Dave Hill, this golden plover nest was found on Rishworth Moor. Any ideas what's going on here?

Bridestones Moor/Eastwood Road Area

Early pm between rain showers

9 curlews
4 lapwing
1 kestrel
1 ring ouzel
1 pied wagtail
4 linnets
lots of meadow pipits

Cuckoo

Cuckoo reported by JW calling early am from the trees above Fallingroyd near Hebden Bridge.

Can these eggs be Identified? Curlew, Lapwing ? Picture taken on Pen- y - Ghent. Thanks Diane

Mytholmroyd

A juvenile grey wagtail and adult on the Calder from the bridge on New Road.  And on the other side two Canada geese with c5 fluffy young.

Swifts

Hebden Bridge AM

Six swifts flying and calling above the town. These are the first ones I've seen this year in the Calder Valley.

Mixenden Res'r etc...

A poor day today though I gave Mixenden a chance to turn something up in the blustery, wet, North Easterly!
1 Great Crested Grebe
2 drake Tufted Duck
As expected in these conditions a good number of hirundines were feeding over the water with c80 Swallows, c40 House Martins and 1 Sand Martin but no Swifts

Fly Flatts (very poor visibility)
1 Oystercatcher
2 Curlew
c40 Canada Geese

Withens Head
1 Blackbird feeding young
3 Redshank
2 Curlew
6+ Lapwings and 1 large chick seen
Plenty Meadow Pipits carrying food

Ogden

This afternoon
Spotted Flycatchers back with 2 seen in the plantation
5 Willow Warblers
1 Chiff-chaff
2 Blackcap
Chaffinch feeding young
1 singing Goldcrest
5 Raven over >E making a right racket after they looked to be having a go at a Carrion Crow's nest but outcome unknown!
c10 Swift >N
A few Swallows
1 Meadow Pipit but no sign of any Tree Pipits
1 Skylark over the golf course
1 Grey Wagtail
2 Pied Wagtails
+ other usual sp ...

Lots of Green-viened White butterflies and Orange Tips. A few Small Tortoiseshells, 1Peacock and 1 Green Hairstreak on the edge of the moor.

Broadhead Clough

Cragg Vale area - Some call this site Bell Hole I think. We had a lovely walk through to the top this afternoon but the lack of previous summering birds was evident with no Redstart, Tree Pipit or Spotted Flycatcher, though I guess there is still time for the latter.
Pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers feeding juvs in the nest
2 Blackcap
1 Chiff-chaff
1 Cuckoo singing nearby and possibly another one further away
Not even a Kestrel, no Swifts and just 2 Swallows

Plenty of Green-viened Whites and Orange Tip butterflies along with 1 Speckled Wood and a Green Hairstreak on the edge of the moor at the top.

Recent bits

Jumble Hole - cuckoo, whitethroat, and garden warbler all still in full song. Woodcock roding most evenings. An oystercatcher flew over this morning.

Colden - a little owl was at Jack Bridge this afternoon.

Pied Fly

Record shot of the Pied Flycatcher in the Luddenden Valley today thanks to KL for the info. Also Redstart nearby 122.

Baby owl.........

Steve Blacksmith and myself had a lunchtime wander through a mid-valley woodland today and came across this bundle of fluff on the side of one of the pathways. It remained motionless throughout apart from occasionally re-orientating itself to us as we moved through the wood. 

A quick search for one of it's guardians was soon rewarded with this Tawny Owl way up high in the canopy of a mature Sycamore tree. It was heard calling to it's offspring on one occasion and thankfully didn't have cause to use those razor sharp talons on either of us!

This last week !!

Hardly any time this last week for posting on the blog - (mainly due to lovely weather and long daylight hours to be outside)
Lee Mount - Swifts are definately down again this year with a max of 6 being the best we could manage all week. House Martins look to be struggling as well again with only 1 sighting over the house this week. In comparison Swallows seem to be ok with several groups through, mainly late evening. 3 Sand Martins went >W last Monday.
1 Grey Wagtail feeding in the road outside Lee Mount School one morning

Ogden area
1 Dipper
1 Whinchat
Still just a few Wheatears about
Sparrowhawk
Tawny Owl
Cuckoo being reported regularly from the area

Wheatley Valley former landfill site earlier today
2+ Whitethroat
3+ Garden Warblers
1 Blackcap
2 Chiff-chaffs
2 Willow Warblers
1 Bullfinch
Song Thrush's still singing
1 Mistle Thrush
2 adults and 3 fledged juvenile Jays

Lee Dam

From Gordon Gent - a cuckoo in full voice at Lee Dam at 5 last night.

out of area

I'm trying to identify this bird taken today at Marshside any help?  i have other photos

Jumble Hole

A cuckoo was calling at 11 today, then again just now at 7pm. Whitethroat, garden warbler, blackcap, chiffchaff and willow warbler all very much in evidence, as are green woodpeckers. Unusually, I had a female siskin on the feeders yesterday, which is the first for years. Elsewhere, swifts were screaming in Hebden yesterday evening.

More White Wag pics

White Wagtail at Cold Edge by DF.

Mixenden Res'r and Cold Edge

Mixenden Res'r
1 Great Crested Grebe
c90 Hirundines this afternoon so it looked like a good number from yesterday had moved off in the slightly better weather conditions today - 60 Swallows, 20 House Martins, 10 Sand Martins
8 Swifts moving through >SW

Cold Edge
1 Little Grebe
1 Tufted Duck
64 Canada Geese
2 Common Sandpipers
1 Redshank
2 Curlew
10+ Lapwings
1 L B B Gull
12+ Pied Wagtails and a very  nice to find White Wagtail - my photo's were rubbish but Nick has posted some decent ones below. Thanks Nick.

White Wagtail

Wood Warbler still in Hardcastle Crags near Gibson Mill, Cuckoo at Luddenden Dean but no Redstart then dashed to Cold Edge to find DJSs female White Wagtail feeding with pieds in awfull conditions, managed a few digi scope shots.

Yesterday

Ryburn Dam
1 Cormorant
1 Blackcap
1 Jay
1 Chiff-chaff

Weystone Edge
Nothing up there except a good soaking!

Booth Wood Res'r
2 Common Sandpipers

Ringstone
1 Ringed Plover (121!)
1 Little Ringed Plover
3 Oystercatchers
1 Curlew

Mixenden Res'r - early evening in heavy rain showers
c180 hirundines (150 Swallows, 20+ House martins, c10 Sand Martins)
3 Swifts >SW
1 G C Grebe
1 female Goosander

Fly Flatts (top road only - pouring down sideways)!
Canadas!
2 Curlew
1Kestrel

Ringstone

5 hours + spent in the Ringstone hide today with DF, produced 2 Ringed and 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Dunlin, 5 Oystercatchers, 2 Common Sands, 1 curlew, 4 Tufted Duck, 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 5 Sand Martins and a Merlin flying north.

Mixenden Res'r and Fly Flatts

I gave it a try  in the strong blustery winds and torrential rain this morning in case of any terns passing through. Nothing doing and completely dead at Fly Flatts other than Canada's braving it out. Some already have chicks!
Just 1 Common Sandpiper feeding in puddles along the top road and 1 very hardy Wheatear.

Mixenden, offering shelter from the plantation, was a little better but there was nothing moving other than 5 Swifts > SW though c100 hirundines were feeding low over the water.
c70 Swallows
c20 House Martins
c10 Sand Martins

Jumble Hole

5 garden warblers yesterday, including 4 singing males. 2 whitethroat, 2 blackcap, and several chiffchaffs and willow warblers.
Woodcock roding tonight at 9:15pm

Recents !

 Song Thrush - Hardcastle Crags

 Sparrowhawk - Sowerby Bridge

 Long-tailed Tit nest in Berberis darwinii near Mixenden

Tawny Owl near nest  - undisclosed site

Carrion Crow

This individual white crow has been in the Ogden locality I don't know how many years ? - a long time

Todmorden

An adult Dipper was feeding in the Calder in the town centre this lunchtime.

6th May

Wood Warbler singing 200 yards before Gibson Mill in the crags this evening, nothing much else except for Tawny Owl, Jays, Great Spot and lots of Song Thrushes. 3 Swifts earlier over Heath Hill Road (118).

Jumble Hole

A wood warbler was singing very weakly at Jumble Hole yesterday afternoon, in the area known as the Beehives on the East side of the valley. I have previously known this when they have paired up and nested, but I would have thought it was too early for that? I will go back again today and see if it is still singing, and any stronger.

Withens Clough and Turley Holes and Higher House Moor, Cragg Vale

On a circuit from the Hinchcliffe, up to the res' embankment, along Turley Holes Edge, to Higher House Barn and back along Cragg Brook were the following:

plenty of linnets and meadow pipits
willow warbler
blackcap
common sandpiper
a few swallows
a couple of curlew
stonechat
whitethroat (right on the mooredge, near Higher House Barn)
kestrel.

I've been doing this walk, each May-time, for a long time and lately it seems to get quieter and quieter each year.  Not that long back there was always a good chance of tree pipit, whinchat, cuckoo and ring ouzel.  Today was very quiet on the bird front.
Other things included, butterwort leaves out, glorious swathes of mayflowers on the res' embankment, two bilberry bumblebees (like 12 months ago I failed to photograph them) and lots of green tiger beetle holes near Cove Hill.  I also photographed two unidentified small bees if someone would like a look.

Regards, C. Jepson-Brown

Ogden

Ogden golf course this afternoon
2 Whitethroat
1 male Wheatear
Willow Warblers
1 Blackcap
A few Swallows

Mixenden Res'r
1 Great Crested Grebe

Upper Brockholes
The long living white Carrion Crow still about
1 female Sparrowhawk
1 Black-headed Gull >W

1 Orange Tip
1 Peacock
2 Green-Viened White
Several Small Tortoiseshell

Lee Mount

A surprise flyover across lunch time with a Dipper over the garden probably heading down towards the Hebble Brook in Wheatley
Also 2 Swifts as well shortly after >W

1 Speckled Wood butterfly and 2 Orange Tip males

Fledglings out

Blackbird at Saville Park on Frday 2nd May and two young Dippers with an adult in the Hebble where it comes out of the culvert under Dean Clough on Saturday 3rd May.

Luddenden Dean

Yesterday afternoon
1 Cuckoo still in full voice
1 Redstart singing in an area near the Lower Lodge
Not a lot else but enjoyed a long walk around the Dean.

Jumble Hole

2 whitethroat again today, with 2/3 garden warbler, tons of chiffchaff and even more willow warbler. This is the best I could do with the whitethroat photo! I will persevere....

Wheatley Valley

Shroggs Road/Brackenbed former landfill site first thing this morning.
A nice mix of Warblers
2 Whitethroat
2 Garden Warblers
1 Blackcap
1 Willow Warbler
1 Chiff-chaff
2 Bullfinch
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2+ Song Thrush in full song
10 L B B Gulls over making a lot of noise and surprisingly an adult Herring Gull with them all over >W

3rd May

Out and about this evening with DF, 2 Ring Ouzels, 2 Grasshopper Warblers, 4 Shorties, 1 Leo, 1 Peregrine, Spar, Kes, 4 Snipe, 2 Woodcock, 1 Goldie, lots of LBBGs etc.

Various sites

High Royd
Not a lot there this morning though 2 Garden Warblers were singing along the canal along with a Blackcap and 2 Whitethroat, 1 Chiff-chaff, 4 Willow Warblers
A pair of Treecreeper and a Nuthatch
1 large female Sparrowhawk

Booth Wood Res'r
4 Sand Martins
1 Oystercatcher
1 Wheatear
1 Kestrel
1 Sparrowhawk

Weystone Edge
Just a few Meadow Pipits and Skylarks along with 2 distant Ravens, 1 Kestrel and 2 Curlew

30th April

A male Whitethroat back at Roils Head today. Last night 3 Grasshopper Warblers reeling at Scammonden and 1 reported at Soil Hill also.

Blackshaw Head and Jumble Hole

Did my early visit for the BTO Breeding Bird Survey at Blackshaw Head this morning and met a lady called Debbie who said she heard a Cuckoo down Jumble Hole on Monday.

Lapwing - 4
Curlew - 2
Linnet - 4
Meadow Pipit - 3
Skylark - 1
Swallow - 2
Reed Bunting - 2

Walked back down Jumble Hole and checked for the Garden Warblers that Matt reported but no sight or sound for me today. Lots of ChiffChaffs and Willow Warblers, a Grey Wagtail in the stream, and 2 Blackcaps singing as well. The highlight was a Willow Warbler that landed just 2 yards from me and started to sing - fabulous. Don't take the camera with me on BBS visits as I don't have enough hands to sort out pencil, recording sheets, bins and camera :)

Important Meeting re North Loop, Cromwell Bottom

On the 8th May there will be a meeting to discuss the proposals relating to the restoration of North Loop Closed Landfill Site, Cromwell Bottom. This meeting will provide a forum to input and discuss matters relating to the creation of biodiversity and access features on this unique development opportunity. The meeting will also provide further information and update on proposals surrounding the installation of a fish ladder and hydro-electricity option at the weir.

As usual, the meeting will be held at the Mulberry Suite, Brighouse 6th Form College, at 7:00pm on Thursday the 8th May.

FULL DETAILS HERE

Cold Edge and Withens Head

We went to do the BTO annual Breeding Bird Survey this morning in the mist and the day came out in glorious sunshine.
Nothing out of the ordinary though a decent mix of birds and a few butterfly's
Plenty Wheatears about including at least 12 in one small field opposite Nolstar Kennels.
A few Linnets about as well
1 Little Grebe
2 pairs Tufted Duck
A Greylag looks to be paired with a Canada - that could be interesting!
Several Reed Buntings, mipits and Skylarks plenty but not many waders other than the usual.
Still no Swifts and just a few Swallows
No raptors at all

Plenty Small Tortoiseshell butterfly's 100+
A few Peacocks and Small Whites and in one spot on Ovenden Moor 6+ Green Hairstreaks

Yellow Wagtail

JB sent me this pic of the Yellow Wag at Ringstone Edge yesterday, nice!!!!!

Roils Head

Sorry guys not a bird but I thought people might like to know, took this pic of an Emperor Moth at Roils ead at the weekend, its only the second one Ive seen on the ground. Lots flying around over the heather.

Whinchat

Digi scoped this Whinchat at Walshaw car park on 27th, also had Reed Warbler and Whitethroat at EGP and possibly Garden Warbler singing briefly 115.

Jumble Hole

2 garden warbler back on territory. Also 3 blackcap, 7 willow warbler and 4 chiffchaff. Green woodpecker looking like its building a nest  in an undisclosed location. 7 house martins around. Woodcock roding this evening.

Soil Hill and Mixenden Res'r

Soil Hill
A brief visit to check the top!
2 male Wheatear
Several Skylarks, mipits and a few Linnets and Swallows

Mixenden Res'r
c100 Swallows feeding low over the water
c6 Sand Martins but no House Martins
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Grey Wagtail
5 LBBG's on the water and another 13 >SW along with 2 adult Herring Gulls

Comic Tern

                     Comic Tern at Ringstone this morning.

Blake Dean to Holme Ends

BLAKE DEAN.
1 tree pipit
11 willow warbler
Dozens of chaffinch
Siskins heard
2 goldcrest
1 pied wagtail
1 grey wagtail

HOLME ENDS
6 oystercatcher
2 willow warbler
C. 8 curlew
9 lapwing
2 pied wagtail
Pair of blackbirds
2 siskin over
3 skylark
3 swallow
11 meadow pipit

Weystone Moor

I walked the tops above the M62 for a couple of hours around mid-day in the hope of finding special migrants in the moor! Nothing doing.
c10 male Wheatears
A few mipits and Skylarks
1 Red Grouse
2 Curlew
2 Golden Plover
1 Swallow >W
1 Raven over high heading towards Lancashire!

On the way back through Sowerby Bridge a Ring-necked Parakeet flew over the road and into trees near Crow Wood Park. Occasionally one has been reported in this area over recent months. There was one in the Shibden Valley as well a few years ago (PS) so they are not common around here, unlike some areas of the country and London parks !!

High Royd

This morning
c100 Swallows and c50 House Martins and a few Sand Martins feeding in a frenzy around the filter beds but no sign of any Swifts yet.
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Whitethroat singing
1 Blackcap
A few Willow Warblers
1 Chiff-chaff
Pair of Nuthatches copulating
c40 Carrion Crows on the filter beds
1 Jay
1 Sparrowhawk over high

Another murder mystery

Found these feathers up Jumble Hole today, but this time I don't know the victim. I have an idea, but don't want to jeopardise anyone else's suggestion. Any thoughts?

Ogden

In search of the Tree Pipits this morning but drizzle and fog was not a help so drew a blank!
2 Reed Buntings near the 'Giants Tooth'
15+ Willow Warblers in and around the plantation
1 Chiff-chaff
1 Blackcap

Golf Course
1 B H Gull >NE
4 Common Gulls >NE
1 Wheatear
Willow Warbler
Pied Wagtail
...and a few mipits

Elsewhere a Green Woodpecker excavating a nest hole

Other news

From today
An Osprey was seen heading north over Rishworth , Booth Wood Res'r at 6 pm today (TW) always a special bird wherever you are.

Migrants - a Whinchat and a Whitethroat at Scammonden / Dean Head earlier today and a few Green Hairstreak butterflies in the same area (SL)

Tree Pipits at Ogden and a Grasshopper Warbler heard nearby on Ned Hill (NK)

A Cuckoo heard near Mytholmroyd yesterday (AG, SB and NR)

A good number of Wheatears reported widely over the last few days

Cold Edge and Withens Head

An interesting late afternoon visit in overcast conditions and some heavy rain showers which probably contributed to a good number of birds on the ground especially with 30+ Wheatears - these were maybe Greenland/Icelandic birds as they nearly all looked really bright, large and stocky.
1 male Common Redstart around Moorlands Farm shrubberies was also a nice surprise as this has occasionally, over the years,  been the spot for Black Redstart!
1 Cuckoo singing
c50 Starlings
10+ Reed Buntings
1 Kestrel
5+ Willow Warblers
1 pair of Tufted Duck
1 Greylag Goose
20+ Canada Geese
1 Oystercatcher
20+ Lapwings
6+ Curlew
10+ Snipe both 'drumming' and 'chipping' gave a fantastic ariel display
1 Golden Plover
1 Redshank
20+ Swallows but no Swifts (maybe tomorrow)??
10+ Red Grouse
No Grasshopper Warbler, though conditions were perfect

Yesterday

2.30pm. Mytholmroyd.

 Buzzard flying west mobbed by corvids. It didn't hang around.

Condor Moment

At the court

Judge: Young man, it says here you shot and killed a California Condor. How do you plead?

Defendant: Guilty your honour.

Judge: GUILTY!? Don't you know how endangered these condors are? There are hardly any left at all.

Defendant: Yes sir, I know, but I had to feed my family, we're so poor.

Judge: That's no excuse. I fine you 30 days in jail. By the way, what does California Condor taste like?

Defendant: It's real good your honour, kinda like a cross between Bald Eagle and Whooping Crane! 

Ogden

1 Common Sandpiper on the Res'r edge this morning
1 Grey Heron
No gulls
Plenty of Willow Warblers
2 Chiff Chaff's
1 Blackcap

1 Cuckoo calling on the golf course
1 male Stonechat
Several Reed Buntings
2 Skylark
2 Curlew
Plenty of Meadow Pipits on territory

Fly Flatts

Late evening visit
3 Oystercatchers
6 Curlew
4 Lapwings
1 Redshank
2+ Snipe
2 Golden Plover
c200 Canada Geese spread all across the moor and on the res'r !
2 L B B Gulls
2 Swallows
1 Kestrel
2 Skylark
A few mipits and Red Grouse

1 Wheatear at Withens Head opposite the wind farm car park

Ringstone Res'r

This morning in the mist and gloom !
1 Dunlin
1 Redshank
No sign of the Jack Snipe but visibility was not good, so it could still be there?
Otherwise just a few Lapwings, Linnets, Reed Bunting and Swallows

Luddenden Dean

This morning in the dean
1 Kestrel with prey
1 Cuckoo
1 Little Owl
1 Tawny Owl
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
8 Stock Doves
10+ Willow Warblers
2+ Chiff-chaff
1 Blackcap
1 Redstart
15+ Linnet
1 L B B Gull over
30+ Swallows
2 Jays

Distant Cuckoo - it could be heard a mile off !

Maltese migration

Shooting time again, Chris Packham is doing a video blog every night this week.  http://www.chrispackham.co.uk/

Jack Snipe at Ringstone Edge

Record shots of the Jack Snipe found by DF this morning and refound at dusk. A real little craker to be found bobbing up and down out in the open, with Cuckoo and LRP seen today, now on 111, 2 behind DF. Have got some distant video footage of the Jack Snipe but not sure how to post it.

Walk around the Moors

Went for a wander round all the usual moorland spots this afternoon. Ogden Golf course had good numbers of mipits, kestrel and curlew.

On Cold Edge there was a Tufted Duck, Canada Goose, Reed Bunting, Wheatear, Oystercatcher and House Martin

On the moors above Luddenden Dean I stumbled across the best find of the day. A black thrush landed on a fence post in front of me. It took off almost as soon as I raised my bins, but as I watched it fly it revealed itself to be a stunning male Ring Ouzel. It flew down into the Dean but we were unable to relocate it. It is probably the rarest self found bird I have ever found.

On Fly flatts there was a Redshank, Wheatear and Red Grouse

It was a very enjoyable walk. The only downside was that on the moors above Luddenden we found this magpie trap. You can clearly see the bait-bird in this photo, with an unsprung trap either side. I can't see any reason conservation-wise for this. I wonder what you guys think about this, and what should be done...

Three Wheatears on the walls and fields at Shaw Bottom, Colden at lunchtime today.

Langfield this morning

A wonderful morning for a wander up to Langfield and Gaddings with Wheatear and Grasshopper Warbler as target birds. Only 10 minutes in and a Grasshopper Warbler was heard reeling in the juncus at Horse Wood just below Langfield. Hung around for a while to see if I could catch sight of it but didn't, so onwards and upwards to Langfield and Gaddings.

3 Linnet and a Reed Bunting along with numerous Meadow Pipits kept me company up to Gaddings where Skylarks were singing as usual. During the morning I counted at least 10 singing Skylarks on the tops. There were no birds at Gaddings itself apart from a single Red Grouse - not even a Mallard or Canada Goose there. However, the lovely views from Gaddings have been ruined for me by these articles on the skyline.

If the application for 4 more of these things at Gorpley is passed then there will be 9 turbines on the same hill marring the views. Only my opinion folks, others are available.

A single Lapwing was displaying and calling above the fields opposite Longfield Dam. I spent the rest of the morning enjoying the hills in search of Wheatear but none were found. The good thing is there's always tomorrow and it's set to be another cracking day so get out there and enjoy the lovely Spring weather. I will be!

16th April

Grasshopper Warbler reeling at Middle Walshaw tonight also Woodcock roding and Common Sandpiper at Upper Walshaw, 108.

Luddenden Dean

I got a call from NR around 12.30 about a male Redstart in the Saltonstall area this morning but despite and extensive search this afternoon I was unable to re-locate it - still a very good find for our area.
1 Little Owl
2 Willow Warblers
1 male Sparrowhawk
2 Kestrels
c8 Stock Doves
2 Curlew
A few Swallows around but no House Martins up there yet

Also some good news this evening of a Cuckoo singing in the area (JM) late afternoon. This is another early record for Cuckoo heard on the same date and in the same area as one in 2012.

Lee Mount

What an hour or so in the garden across lunch time
1 female Sparrowhawk over high in perfect conditions with warm rising thermals
A few Swallows then a Peregrine over high about 1.30

Peregrine

 

Followed by a first sighting over the house, a Red Kite at 1.45 rising on thermals then drifting very high towards Halifax or maybe Beacon Hill area. I tried hard for a photo in the bright sunshine but I couldn't get the camera to focus so missed out there! A fantastic sight (no wing tags seen).

Also an adult Common Gull went over >NE

All sightings today thanks to and eagle eyed daughter enjoying the sunshine on 'raptor watch' !



Swales Moor and Raggalds Flood

A migrant male Ring Ouzel along Ringby Lane this morning and still there on the west facing hillside at 11 am with a Mistle Thrush. Took some photos but it was difficult to get within even 100 m before it moved further away. Will check the photos later.
1 Green Woodpecker
A few resident Meadow Pipits and Skylarks and the usual corvids around
8 Linnets
2 Kestrels
Red-legged Partridge heard
A good number of Small Tortoiseshell and a few Peacock butterfly's were nice to see as well

The only movers were
1 LBBG >SW
1 Lapwing > NW
1 Swallow >NW
1 Curlew heard high up and out of sight

Male Ring Ouzel in silhouette

Raggalds Flood
Later on in the day we called at the pond in the field near the Raggalds Pub above Bradshaw - NK had found a Little Ringed Plover earlier in the afternoon and fortunately it was still there though distant. Without a scope it was not easy to i d but modern technology with a digi camera resolved it though the shots are not good enough to post. Well done to Nigel for a great find.

Birders against Wildlife Crime

http://birdersagainst.org/

Hoopoe

A hoopoe was seen yesterday and again this morning at Mellings Farm, Sourhall Road, Todmorden. It's up the Bacup Road. The initial observer apparently didn't know what it was, but knew it was something out of the ordinary (a lapwing crossed with a woodpecker is what they said!) so posted it on Facebook to get it ID'd.

I went up as soon as I got the text today. Tons of birders up there, but no hoopoe to be seen. The photo is from the 'Incredible Farm' facebook page. There's no specific name to credit.

Breeding season

For the duration of the breeding season, raptors and other breeding birds that may be sensitive to disturbance should not be reported on the Daily Sightings Blog/ Many thanks....

Other news today

Shelduck at Ringstone first thing (DF)

Little Ringed Plover at Gorple and Common Sandpiper at Lower Walshaw. (MH)

41 Golden Plover behind the 'Pack Horse' along Widdop Road - including 17 males of northern form looking good! (MH)

House Martin at Elland GP (PG)

3 Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) briefly on a garden feeder at Skircoat this morning but they were off before they could be photographed (SJ)

12th April

4 Herring Gulls west over West View Park and 2 stunning looking Golden Plovers at Highroad Well Moor, Mount Tabor this PM.

Whiteholme

                                                       20 of 28 Whoopers
Whooper Swan 28
Ringed Plover    2
Redshank           2
Sand Martin      2
Swallow              1
Wheatear           2 m  1 fm

Other news today

28 Whooper Swans on Whiteholme Res'r mid-day were still there this evening - probably move on overnight (?) (DF and AZ)

Also from AZ - a Water Pipit found in the catch water drain this evening between the White House at Blackstone Edge and Lighthazzles Res'r.

Common Sandpiper at Ringstone earlier today (PG) following one yesterday at Elland GP (PG)

 A few Swallows and Sand Martins also reported today from various locations

11th April

Highlights of a great evening out included an Osprey flying slowly north followed 15 minutes later by a Red Kite sporting orange wing tags, puts me on 105 for calderdale and DF on 108 for the year.

Grey Wagtails

A pair displaying on the low roof above KFC in the centre of Halifax this evening, we also have a pair at Calderdale Business Park in Ovenden does this signal a slight shift in behaviour or an expansion of usual habitat location away from running water?

Anyone else had them in built up areas?