Yesterday's update

4 unidentified Terns flying over Northowram around 08:50 Sunday morning > towards Queensbury direction from AC

Also from Nick D at Walshaw Dean yesterday evening 3 Common Terns at the  reservoirs

Ringstone

windy up there this morning.7 tufted duck-5 great crested grebe-2 drake common scoter-pair of moorhen with 2 young.a few swifts passing through 4 l.b.b.gulls and a few b.h.gulls plus the usual corvids.

Lee Mount

60+ Swifts first thing this morning feeding high over the ridge at the top end of Shroggs Park. They looked fantastic, feeding high in the muggy and humid conditions. After 10 mins or so the majority dispersed. It's ages since we had a large flock like this over the house - all screeming so I guess some juveniles have already fledged (maybe)?
Another 3/4 weeks and most of them will be well on their way back to Africa.

Sparrowhawk in Garden

       Sparrowhawk in my garden today after just catching
       a starling.

Mount Tabor and Fly Flats

I checked the fields between Woodlesford and Mount Tabor this morning to see if yesterdays Mediterranean Gull, found by Nick, had returned. No sign of the bird though there were plenty gulls and corvids still feeding in the fields so there is a possibility it might return.
160+ B H Gulls
28 L B B Gulls
5 Common Gulls
c85 Rook with their juveniles
c40 Jackdaws and a few Carrion Crows
c35 Starlings
1 Skylark
15+ Meadow Pipits some moving through high >SW
2 Linnet
40 Woodpigeons
13 Stock Doves

Fly Flats
Barnacle Goose is back with the Canada flock
1 Tufted Duck
7 B H Gulls >SW
1 Redshank flyover at The Withens >NE

Linnets breeding and anyone familiar with this dragonfly?

I've put pictures over on the Calderdale-wildife blog.

Jackdaws

Just for the record, two juveniles with an adult in a small tree next to Todmorden Bus Station this afternoon.

4th Med Gull for Mount Tabor

Yesterday I noticed the local farmer was cutting the fields and that a couple of Black-headed Gulls had joined 5 Lessers to feed. So I returned today to find the place buzzing with Gulls. 30+ Lesser's 10 Common and some 150 Black heads. On closer inspection I found a stunning adult summer Med Gull in with the Black heads, my fourth for this site, unfortunately for some reason I had left my camera at home, but Dave soon arrived on site just in time to see the bird fly off to the west so hopefully he will post some photos later tonight.

Green Withens and Ringstone

From Alan T today - no sign of yesterday's reported White Stork but a drake Common Scoter there this morning and another, female/immature type at Ringstone Res'r this afternoon.
The Ringtone bird was distant,but still present this evening as I passed on the way home

Mount Tabor

Summer plumage adult Mediterranean Gull found by Nick on the Mount Tabor fields mid afternoon. A great find. I managed to get up there to view the bird for a few minutes before it headed off >NW at 16:10. It looked immaculate. In recent years July seems one of the best months to find them locally among the B H Gull flocks.
Will try get some photos on later this evening.
Also present in the newly cut fields were maybe 30+ L B B Gulls, 10+ Common Gulls and 100+ B H Gulls.

Mediterranean Gull - Mount Tabor

Green Withens

Report on BirdGuides yesterday of a distant White Stork over Rishworth Moor gaining height on thermals as viewed from M62 at midday. 

Nothing doing up there yesterday evening per TW. 

We occasionally get reports of White Stork in summer possibly from the Harewood House collection !

Blackstone Edge Reservoir

From PG - earlier today a good move of Swifts with a few Swallows 08:30 ish,  and later - a bonus bird for Calderdale nowadays - a single Common Tern >SW

Little Owls, Norland Moor

Just spent an hour watching the Little owls on Norland Moor, 2 adults and one fledgling, couldn't spot any more.

Its only a 5 minute walk from home for me, I've walked the path only recently and  didn't even know they were there.

Thank you Brian for the 'heads up' in an earlier post, I'll probably return later to see if I can get a few record shots, cheers :)

Ovenden Moor

Top end of Ogden, across Ovenden Moor and back by the golf course this morning
A solitary Whinchat was a prize worth tramping round for. Never a common bird in Calderdale but not an easy bird to find here nowadays though we do find a few returning birds in the autumn.
2 Reed Buntings
2 Linnets
A few Meadow Pipits still feeding young
2 Curlew
A few Swifts and Swallows
1 Kestrel near The Withens
Juvenile Wrens in the bracken

distant Whinchat

Mute Swans

The 8 juv Mute Swans are doing very well at Shibden park also 5 young  Coots and 2 juv Grey Wagtails....long time (if ever) I have seen 10 Mute Swans in Calderdale at the same time .....great news

Cold Edge

A bit noisy up there this aft with the water sports on the top dam  but I did manage 2 Little Grebes on the lower pond. Not a lot else other than 1 Curlew and a singing Willow Warbler along with a few Linnet, Goldfinch, Meadow Pipits, Swallows and Swifts.

Wednesday walk for those not at work

Hugh Firman has organised a walk on the moors with Moors for the Future this Weds 13.7.16.
It has taken a bit of setting up so they are hoping for a good number of participants from those lucky enough to be able to go mid-week.

Full details on the Calderdale Wildlife Blog. (Panel to the right of the posts.)

By the way, Hugh has chipped a bone in his elbow in a fall while out surveying, so is off work for a while.

If you need more details please email or ring Julie Swift   -    Julie.Swift@calderdale.gov.uk.

Also you're all very welcome to my talk on Tuesday - I have pictures of Striated Caracara, Tussac Bird, Falkland Thrush, Falkland Siskin, Cobb's Wren, "Puffing Pig" harbour dolphins, five species of penguin, Albatrosses, etc. etc. Also plenty of pics of fantastic plants, and of museum material on the extinct endemic canid, the "Warrah". Poster with details over on the Calderdale-wildlife.blogspot. (7.15pm Tues 12th July at Halifax Central Library in the basement meeting rooms.)

Ogden

Just an hour or so this afternoon at the lower end of the golf course and Stodfold area at the lower end of Hunter Hill.
1 Little Owl
1 Oystercatcher flyover >SW
Several Linnets, Goldfinches and Meadow Pipits
2 House Martins
1 Grey Wagtail flyover >SW
40+ juv Swallows with adults near Stodfold and 20+ juv Pied Wagtails along the very muddy lane leading to Mixenden Reservoir

For Info - from BL

http://henharrierday.org/2016-events.html

Cold Edge and Fly Flats

I was driving up Cold Edge Road by Nolstar when I spotted a wader coming over from Hunter Hill. Leapt out of the car  as it went right over at speed gaining height. Typical Godwit with fast powerful flight, larger than Golden Plover and Redshank with a very long bill. I just couldn't get any plumage detail as it disappeared high into the grey sky and it was gone heading >SW probably in the direction of Ringstone maybe (?)
Elsewhere - not a lot !

Withens Head - Curlew and Snipe calling and c40 Starlings nearby

Fly Flats
1 Kestrel
3 Common Sandpipers
1 Wheatear
2 + Curlew
2 Lapwing
c400 Canada Geese
6 Carrion Crow
Just a few Swifts high >SW
No gulls

Our Garden - Weds. 6th
Female redstart hanging around for at least an hour.  Pity about the quality of my pictures!
During the same period we saw one female reed bunting, one male linnet feeding on the ground under the bird feeders and a few meadow pipits including some juv. ones.  There seemed to be a lot of bird activity generally.

Swales Moor

Ringby Lane late morning. Not a lot to report other than a nice juvenile Stonechat along the lane at the top of the hill.
A few Meadow Pipits and Linnets along with a solitary Skylark.
A few Swifts and Swallows.
A few corvids and 10+ Lesser Black-back Gulls loafing around on the top near the processing plant.

Walshaw

Had a nice stroll up towards the plantation near Walshaw.  Lots of activity, spotted fly again same place as last year, oystercatcher behaviour suggests young, curlers, willow warblers etc. And hundreds of sheep streaming past where I sat.  Lovely day !

Norland

Spent an hour up on moor yesterday.

Plenty of pipits, swifts, swallows. Mistle Thrush. Greenfinch in hedgerow near car. 1 Little Owl.

Our Garden
Watched a buzzard on and off for about an hour yesterday while we were having our lunch.  A tractor was cutting the grass in fields across the valley and the buzzard kept coming to have a look but didn't land.  A carrion crow was trying to see it off.
Curlew flew over silently.
Young Pied Wagtails around.

Cold Edge

This afternoon, tricky up there on the strong and blustery westerly though it was sunny and hot.
1 Little Grebe on the lower pond
1 Moorhen on the top pond
No waders at all though a scattering of Linnets, Goldfinches, Meadow Pipits, Swifts and Swallows
1 Willow Warbler still singing
1 Grey Wagtail flyover >SW
Blackbirds still feeding young

All the photo's I got of this individual Swift this afternoon (and this is the best) show an enlarged throat - I wonder if this is just a full crop ready for returning to the nest ? I have never seen (or noticed) this before with Swifts - has anyone else ?

Apart from that, just 1 Small Heath butterfly and 3 Large Skippers on thistles by the small plantation

our garden

Gt. spotted W'pecker feeding juv. with sunflower hearts from our feeder.  Large family of great tits but only a couple of young blue tits.  Jackdaws eating all fat balls and wood pigeon and stock doves eating up seed which has dropped onto floor.  Curlew flying around adjoining field alarm calling - couldn't see anything obvious but grass is long as hasn't been cut yet so could have been a fox.  Hear little owl calling now and again.

Ringstone

Up at the hide doing some repairs this morning with Geoff S so not a lot of time for birding though at least 5 single Curlews went west along with a few Swifts. We were alerted by other wader calls around 10:50 and 2 Black - tailed Godwits came through, briefly flying around the reservoir obviously looking towards the possibility of dropping in to rest and feed. They looked fantastic in flight, still in summer plumage. With little shoreline to tempt them in they soon left going high to the west.
6 Tufted Duck
A few Swallows
 Meadow Pipits feeding young
1 Moorhen
1 Kestrel
Also with the help of Steve D we finished the task in hand and the hide is up and running again with just one or two minor jobs to finish off sometime.

house sparrows

For us house sparrows are a very occasional visitor (about once/twice a year) but this year they have nested nearby and I have seen about 11 regularly, including recently fledged.  Maybe not very exciting to most people but very unusual for us!
Two dippers and a grey wagtail at Mill Bank this morning.

Mytholmroyd

One of two juvenile grey wagtails regularly seen from the bridge onto New Road seems not to have any long tail feathers. Rather the outline of a robin!

Buzzards

2 buzzards over Erringden this afternoon. Also 3 whitethroat holding territories around Jumble Hole this year

Breeding Dipper

An adult and a juvenile were in the Calder at Todmorden Bus Station this evening at about 6pm, although I have no idea of the actual nest site. It is possible there might have been other juveniles further downstream, unfortunately I was not able to hang about to check.

Fly Flats

Weather was hot and humid, not often like this up there. There was even a bloke 'skinny dipping'!!
Also met up with Alan T having done the rounds at Cold Edge.
1 + Common Sandpiper
8 + Curlew
c30 Lapwings
c60 Rooks came in briefly to feed in the top fields but soon left towards Ovenden Moor or Thornton Moor.
2 Starlings (not often seen up here)!
1 Sand Martin went though >NE
2 Kestrel
No sign of any returning juvenile Wheatears yet and no Swifts feeding over the reservoir today.

Raptor Persecution - update !

https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2016/06/22/hands-off-our-hen-harriers-picnic-at-grimwith-reservoir-yorkshire-dales-national-park/



https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2016/06/18/henrys-picnic-sat-25-june-yorkshire-dales-national-park/

Colnebridge area

Sand Martins in and out of two holes under the Leeds/Brighouse railway bridge, overlooking the canal. Same site as previous years. Female Goosander and 4 juvs at the junction of the Calder and Colne rivers. About a dozen Swallows nearby, including juvs being fed. Grey Wagtail by the canal, Cormorant over the river, and Blackcaps calling in the undergrowth.

Ringstone

A report from Alan T earlier on today 10:00 ish prompted a call up there this afternoon in the rain for the 8 Common Scoters - which are right on queue for this time of year in our area ! They were still there at least up till 18:00 (Vicki J)

Distant shot 6 males and 2 immature/female type Common Scoters

Luddenden Dean

Yesterday afternoon - very quiet in the upper dean with hardly anything doing.
1 Chiff-chaff
1 Blackcap
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Grey Heron
4 Willow Warblers
2 Mistle Thrush
and a few other usual species

Mistle Thrush

Little owl

At least one newly fledged little owl chick near Jack Bridge. Colden. This has always been a reliable site, but nice to get proof of breeding this year.

Withens Clough and reservoir circuit

Overcast today though it did stay dry while we were up there. We were maybe hoping for one or more of these species - Stonechat, Whinchat, Tree Pipit, Grasshopper Warbler and Cuckoo but we drew a blank on all 5... That's how it goes sometimes ! Other birds made up for it though.
2 Siskin
4 Lesser Redpoll
1 Garden Warbler
3+ Blackcaps
2 Common Sandpiper (just a little shoreline showing)
1 Green Woodpecker
2 Curlew
7 Lapwings >W
104 Canada Geese
Distant common Buzzard but no Kestrels
Grey Wagtails seem to have had a good year for breeding success with 2 pairs and several independent juveniles seen.
Several Meadow Pipits, Swallows, Swifts, Reed Buntings, Linnets and Willow Warblers and a bonus with some nesting House Martins.

Male Linnet

Fly Flats

Nothing much new there from yesterday morning other than..
1 Herring Gull >N
c60 Lapwing
1 Dunlin
Still around 50+ Swifts feeding over the water though I guess numbers will increase dramaticacly in the right weather conditions over the next few weeks
The reservoir is now overflowing with all the recent rain
35 Rooks (including juveniles) came in from Ovenden Moor direction again to feed on the in-bye with the Lapwings and Curlew

Rooks

Jumble Hole

Cuckoo still calling this evening. 2 whitethroat calling. Newly fledged nuthatch in the woods. Green woodpecker heard, but not seen.

Fly Flats

Late morning with the reservoir filling up rapidly with all the recent rain and no shoreline left.
Still the usual waders showing but not a lot else other than c30 Rooks (an uncommon bird at this location) foraging in the in-bye with their newly fledged youngsters.
c60 Swifts - now building in numbers along with 8 Swallows making the most of hatching insects.
1 Red-legged Partridge
2 L B B Gulls

Oystercatcher

Calderdale Species Audit List

Has any one got a list of species in Calderdale with the relevant amber green and red codes on it ..??

Hardcastle Crags and Crimsworth Dean

Mist on the tops so had a go at Crimsworth Dean first but not a lot doing throughout the woodland so I gave from Midgehole to Gibson Mill a go -and was lucky enough to locate the  3 singing Wood Warblers  (all found yesterday by Roger R.).
I managed to get a few shots of one individual below.

Weekend !

Male Redstart and a Cuckoo in Luddenden Dean on Saturday and 3 Wood Warblers singing in Hardcastle Crags yesterday (RR)
Also Cuckoo (first report from Ogden this year) (BS)

Hen Harrier Rally

Anyone interested in this?  More details to follow

https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2016/06/12/hands-off-our-hen-harriers-picnic-rally-25-june-2016-north-yorkshire/

Baitings

Was just passing Baitings this lunchtime, and stopped the car for a 2 minute look. A male common scoter on the water made me glad I did.

Elsewhere, 2 avocet were reported this morning at Higher Chelburn Reservoir, just  out of our area our side of Hollingworth Lake (thanks to Nick Wilkinson). Could turn up at Whiteholme, which is a very short distance from there?
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?hl=en&mid=14SBlMNttRi-g95Ri42MSfoMID5Q

Well done the National Trust!

https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2016/06/10/national-trust-pulls-grouse-shooting-lease-in-peak-district-national-park/

Can I suggest people e mail them to congratulate them on this welcome move (as suggested in the article).

Hen Harriers

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/en-gb/169/787/736/stop-the-illegal-persecution-of-rare-hen-harriers-in-england/?taf=1

Pied Flycatchers

We have had some breeding success in a nestbox supplied by the bird group in woodland near Hebden Bridge. A pair have raised 6 young, who are now on the verge of fledging. The male is suspected of being a first summer, but is being a very attentive parent, which young males aren't always great at.

Steve Downing and Mike Denton ringed the chicks (both licensed to do so) so with some luck we may find out a little about their future, or at least whether they return next year to the same area.

Photos are 'record shots' - my camera and its operator are pretty poor.

Red Kite

1 north over midgley moor yesterday 

Wood warbler audio

A short audio clip of the wood warbler calling at Jumble Hole. Just phone recording, so obviously the bird cannot be seen.

Shibden Mute Swans

8 cygnets in the boating lake.

Jumble Hole

Wood warbler in full song today at lunchtime. Spotted flycatcher still present this evening, along with a cuckoo.

Broadhead clough

Lovely evening walk through the wood up to the moor and back home via daisy bank 

Wood warbler singing and a cuckoo no tree pipits 

RSPB Community

Thanks to BL for this link below

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/ourwork/b/investigations/archive/2016/06/01/proceed-with-caution.aspx

Migratory Birds

https://www.change.org/p/save-europes-migratory-birds-stop-the-wind-turbine-farm-in-eilot-now

This link is worth looking at and signing
Thanks to Nick Carter for the post link

Jumble Hole on a roll

Spotted flycatcher tonight.  It's a bumper year so far up here.

SWIFTS

Has anybody else noticed what appears to be a shortfall of swifts this year? I've only had 2 so far in my part of Elland.Just wondering if any one else had noticed a decline.

Luddenden Dean

Cuckoo still singing in the upper Dean this afternoon with no other summer visitors other than Willow Warblers, a Blackcap, Swifts and Swallows. 

1 Common Buzzard very high >W

Grey Wagtail in the stream near Jerusalem Farm

Reminder for House Martin records

House Martin Survey

House Martins are in serious decline and this has been especially notable in Calderdale in recent years with a big crash in our breeding population. The Conservation Group propose to undertake a survey this year and would like to record all House Martin observations (especially breeding record) so we can log this on to a database.
Steve D is heading this up and collating the information.
We have some simple recording forms including columns for -:
Date, Time, Weather, Location, GPS, and Activity i. e. passing through, feeding area, nesting, migrating, No of adults, No of young etc.
Information can be posted on the blog or text or the forms can be emailed by request if you leave a message on the blog email

info@calderdalebirds.co.uk

Just in case anyone is unsure of identification - House Martin is the blue bird, white underparts and is the Swallow like bird, the one with the white rump. They usually nests on houses and buildings with the nests plastered on the the wall just under the eaves or  troughins
Thanks for all the help you can give with this Calderdale wide survey.

Jumble Hole

3 male whitethroat in a singing battle this morning close to the house, including one in the garden. Blackcap seem very evident this year too.

Siskin

My son regularly has 5 siskin coming to his feeders. 2 pairs and a male. He lives in Cornholme near the main road.

Blake Dean 6pm Friday.

Not much to report - lots of common stuff (willow warbler, song thrush, chiffchaff, curlew) but not a squeak from the (currently) less common things. No redstart, tree pipit, wood warbler, spotted flycatcher, cuckoo, etc.

Luddenden Dean Cuckoo

Finally got a record shot of one of the Cuckoos in the Dean.  Plenty of Willow Warblers.  Box number 6 has fallen to the ground and found a Squirrel trying to break into a box where Great Tits were nesting.  It managed to scare it off but for how long who knows?

High Royd

I thought perhaps just a chance of Sedge Warbler singing in the old sewage beds, now overgrown with a small area of  phragmites along with willows etc. No sight or sound of a 'sedgie' though some of the habitat looks ok - if you could see and get close enough.
2 Garden Warblers singing along with 4 Blackcap, 4+ Willow Warblers, 1 Chiff-chaff, Great-spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatches.
No Swallows or House Martins and just 2 Swifts
Plenty Orange-tip Butterflies along the canal

Various sites

I tried the scrub area at the back of Park Wood Crematorium where Lesser Whitethroat has been recorded in the past. Nothing doing though the area looks really good with mature woodland bordered by large areas of established Hawthorn, Blackthorn and Brambles. Blackcaps, Willow Warblers and a Chiff-chaff singing there.

Later on I checked another local site for Reed Warbler. At least 2 singing males with one showing quite well flying up out of the vegetation to catch flies. Don't see that activity very often as they skulk in the reeds.

Later on I was lucky enough to find this Long-eared Owl which seemed to be raiding a Blackbirds nest (they were going berserk)! Tricky getting a shot to focus in the vegetation in the fading light.

 Long-eared Owl

Last nights sunset

 

One Great Black-backed Gull flyover was unexpected >NW and Grey Partridge calling as well as a Little Owl on  a nearby rocky outcrop

Hen Harrier Day Peaceful Protest

Posting from BL - Hen Harrier Day Peaceful Protest Sunday 7 August, 2016, Dunsop Bridge in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire.

http://raptorpolitics.org.uk/2016/03/03/hen-harrier-day-peaceful-protest-2016-dunsop-bridge-in-the-forest-of-bowland/

Hardcastle Crags

We checked a lot of woodland areas today between the crags Midgehole car park and Blake Dean and returning on the other side of the valley to Gibson Mill (pot of tea and Coffee and Walnut cake there - very nice) !
We didn't find a lot, but at least 2 of our targets were met with a male Pied Flycatcher-  and also a single Wood Warbler singing. Both very scarce birds in Calderdale nowadays !
1 Cuckoo calling near Blake Dean but no sign of Tree Pipits at the traditional spot. We had 2 possibilities of singing Redstart but very distant and unseen therefore couldn't confirm their presence.
A good few Song Thrush, Blackbirds and Chaffinch's as well as Blue and Great Tits
1 Dipper feeding young
1 Grey Heron
A few Willow Warblers and Blackcaps
Very few Swifts or Swallows and no House Martins at all - they are usually high over Midgehole car park !

Wood Warbler photos below were the best I could get as it flitted through the canopy. But what a gem to see and hear.

 Wood Warbler

Luddenden Dean and Castle Carr Road

Lovely afternoon in the dean trying to find a few summer migrants
1 Cuckoo
1 Grey Wagtail
1+ Green Woodpecker
2 Blackcap
c10 Willow Warblers
1 Spotted Flycatcher in the scrub near 'The Lowe'
1 Little Owl
+ a few other commoner species along with 6 Orange-tip Butterflies near Jerusalem Farm, 2 Small Tortoiseshells, a Large White and a Green-veined White in the dean.
Nice to meet up with Muxy also having a search fro summer migrants.

 Grey Wagtail

 Pied Wagtail

 Wheatear - female

 Albino Rabbit

Little Owl

Jumble Hole

A pair of garden warblers were finally back on territory today! Although the whitethroat seems to have quietened right down.
A pair of treecreepers moved around together in the woods, and a small flock of siskins seemed unseasonal.
I had a concerted look for woodcock last night at dusk, and none were seen or heard.

Hartshead and around

On the Yellowhammer hunt today, there were 3 calling from the hedgerows near Hartshead church - about 100 yards out of area, and about half a mile from the main colony at Kirklees Hall. Another bonus was a single Tree Sparrow searching through the road grit next to the car, directly opposite the church; but no sign of other T.S's - very strange, but worth further checking next week. Also a Kestrel and Sparrowhawk were hunting over the fields nearby.

Wheatley Valley

An hour or so this morning first thing to check the former reclaimed landfill site between Shroggs Road and Brackenbed Lane.
Just a few warblers singing...
Pair of Whitethroat
1 Garden Warbler
2 Blackcap
1 Chiff-chaff
4+ Willow Warblers
2 Stock Doves
3+ Song Thrush

Thursday PM

Cuckoo reported calling on Thursday afternoon near Cat I'th Well by SF.

White Holme and the Drain

On a walk to White Holme Drain, I heard a whimbrel calling from somewhere on White Holme Moss.  Also, raven, common sandpiper, pair of tufted duck and lots of meadow pipits.
Taking a scenic route home, I also saw a little owl near Baitings House.

Regards, Chris

Spot the Tawny Owl !

I went out looking for Tree Pipit this afternoon, without success, and ended up playing pee-po with this Tawny Owl instead.!

Ringstone

Called up there late morning for about 40 minutes.
1 drake Goosander
1 LR Plover skulking around the shoreline and in and out of the vegetation as unfortunately not much shoreline showing.
2 lots of House Martings totalling 32 (4 and 28) went through leaving high >NNE after stopping very briefly to feed over the water.
Just a few Swallows and Linnets about along with a Willow Warbler.

2 little gems !

From an undisclosed local site this afternoon.

 Pied Flycatcher (male)

 

2 of the same Spotted Flycatcher

House Martin Survey

Please see last Fridays posting and log/report any sightings of House Martins especially if you suspect they are on or near a breeding site. Thank you.

Fly Flats and Withens Head

A real struggle late morning with bright sunshine and glare off the water combined with a strong north - easterly - just the usual with nothing new - other than a good bit of shoreline appearing !
1 Sand Martin >NE over Ovenden Moor
No sign of any Golden Plover today.

And from yesterday a great find by NK at Ogden across lunchtime - 2 Greenshank on the shoreline at  12:05 but they must have moved on shortly after. Some nice shots on Nigel's blog.

Fly Flats and Withens Head

Not  a lot doing this morning but managed a Yellow Wagtail at Withens Head in the fields by the farm late morning. The farm dogs spooked it and it took off and despite prolonged scanning I couldn't re-find it - even with a second look after lunch when the rain came in
3 Golden Plover in fields along the top road at Fly Flats - but I didn't leave the car unattended !
2 Golden Plover at Withens Head in the usual top field
4 Black-headed Gulls at Fly Flats in displaying mode !

 Canada chicks starting to appear !

Oystercatcher

Jumble Hole

Cuckoo calling Friday and Saturday. Whitethroat and blackcap are back on territory, and in full song. Still waiting for garden warbler.

Elsewhere, a common buzzard was a surprise flying low over Hebden Bridge town centre at noon.

Ludd Dean - Cuckoos

Following  Dave's last week I thought I'd have a quick look this aft in the Dean for Cuckoos.  Two flew from the North facing slope, one landed mid valley while the other went across to the small wood on the other side and started calling.  Another birder on that side of the valley looked to have a good view near where it was singing.
Checked Spa but nothing of note.

Lost Rookery

Hi again,

Something I noticed a week ago but forgot to post: the rookery around Mytholm turning circle seems to have virtually disappeared. Possibly this is old news - I don't visit the Fox & Goose as often as I used to! I could only see one nest in the trees nearest the brook, and I don't know if that was occupied. Perhaps there are a few others I missed? A few years ago there were twenty nests in the area. If anyone can confirm, this would be a sad loss, although maybe some of the local human residents might not see it the same way.

Undisclosed site

1 of 2 Barn Owls seen tonight, sadly not breeding probably due to a crash in the number of voles this year. Also very few Shorties about compared to last years record numbers.

Swifts

Hi,
I heard a brief screech in Todmorden town centre yesterday, but was not able to scan upwards as I was busy at the ATM. I didn't hear any further calls, and assumed it must have been birds passing through.
This morning, however, there were four birds circling the Wellington Road area, and I assume the same four birds were  in the same area when I returned from work this evening. I am sure they were later arriving back in the late 1990's when I first got interested?
I haven't seen any House Martins in Todmorden yet, although I did spot some in suburban Manchester yesterday..

House Martin Survey

House Martins are in serious decline and this has been especially notable in Calderdale in recent years with a big crash in our breeding population. The Conservation Group propose to undertake a survey this year and would like to record all House Martin observations (especially breeding record) so we can log this on to a database.
Steve D is heading this up and collating the information.
We have some simple recording forms including columns for -:
Date, Time, Weather, Location, GPS, and Activity i. e. passing through, feeding area, nesting, migrating, No of adults, No of young etc.
Information can be posted on the blog or text or the forms can be emailed by request if you leave a message on the blog email

info@calderdalebirds.co.uk

Just in case anyone is unsure of identification - House Martin is the blue bird, white underparts and is the Swallow like bird, the one with the white rump. They usually nests on houses and buildings with the nests plastered on the the wall just under the eaves or  troughins
Thanks for all the help you can give with this Calderdale wide survey.

Jumble Hole

Whitethroat and blackcap calling persistently from my garden today. Still no garden warbler in the usual places yet.

Booth Wood / Ryburn Valley

A couple of hours this morning on my dog walk. River Ryburn and surrounding area.

2 Kestrel
1 Sparrow Hawk
4 Chiffchaff
5 Willow Warbler
1 Blackcap
2 Green Woodpecker
1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker
3 Dipper
1 Pied Wagtail
2 Grey Wagtail
1 Nuthatch
+ Lots of usual species.

Jumble Hole

I took a quick look up Jumble Hole this evening, and was delighted to find a male pied flycatcher singing at the top of an oak tree. I have been searching for this species for 13 years up here, as it was a former breeder in the early 90's. I have put up more than 20 nest boxes over the last 11 years, and with a bit (ok, a lot) of luck he'll attract a mate and finally breed again this summer.

Luddenden Dean

A Cuckoo in good form this afternoon in the upper Dean with the sound carrying a long way. !
The only summer migrants were a few Swallows, as singing Chiff-chaff and 10+ Willow Warblers

 Distant Cuckoo

Pied Wagtail

Shibden Park

A bit of an odd one but a Heron seems to be feeding with the ducks at Shibden!  It is very tame and soaks any bread in the lake before eating it.
The pair of Mute Swans are back on a nest again.

Manshead / Hubberton area

Walked around the area I saw the Golden Plover a few days ago. There were 37 up there today.

3 Curlew,
2 Lapwing
1 Swift
5 Wheatear
Plenty of Skylark.
.

Fly Flats etc

Weather pretty awful again with hail despite the forecast saying otherwise !
1 Swift high >NE
1 House Martin >NE
4 Black-headed Gulls high >NW
3 L B B Gulls
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Kestrel
4 Common Sandpipers
1 Oystercatcher + usual sp.

Withens Head - 4 Wheatear
Nolstar fields - 12 Golden Plover

Swifts

Just a few reports so far following the 2 last week over Brighouse from
 MH on Friday 22nd April.
1 over Mount Tabor on Sunday 1st May (MM) with one over Brighouse also on Sunday (SB)
2 over Northowram (AC) and one over Walshaw yesterday evening (NCD)
Hopefully an influx in the next few days !

Immediate vacancy for paid field worker on twite recovery project

 

Nick Wilkinson from the monitoring part of the RSPB/NE Twite Recovery Project is seeking a research assistant to start immediately.

 

The fieldwork will mainly involve assisting with surveys of breeding twite at multiple sites and nest finding and monitoring, but may also include plant surveys on farmland and some data inputting. Suitable candidates should have good bird id and survey skills, be able to follow instructions methodically, map and record observations accurately, and be able to cope with long hours of walking over rough terrain. Any nest finding experience would be a bonus. This is a four-month contract (full time), starting early May to late August.

 

For further details, please contact Nick either by email on nick.wilkinson@rspb.org.uk or phone 07920 593908.

Wheatley Valley

Former landfill site down Shroggs Road - went just to check in case of any migrants this morning
Not a lot !
1 Blackcap
2 Chiff-chaff
3+ Willow Warblers
4 Song Thrush battling it out in song - sounded great
1 Jay
1 Stock Dove
usual sp...
Not a lot else !

RSPB report

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/ourwork/b/martinharper/default.aspx

Raptor

Just seen a what looked like a Harrier flying fairly high above Triangle this morning. Mobbed by 2 Carrion Crows (for size comparison).

Calder near Colnebridge

Common Sandpiper flushed by the riverbank. Canada Goose on eggs (they're everywhere !) 2 Mistle Thrushes. Grey Wagtail apparently taking food to a nest site, and a second bird further upriver. Pied Wagtail. Whitethroat showing briefly, but not calling. 2 Chiffchaffs. 30 House Martins and 6 Swallows. 2 Linnets and a Mute Swan there yesterday. And a late-ish Redpoll on the garden feeder today.