Mixenden Reservoir

After a morning on Soil Hill, I had just got home to ACs message about incoming Whooper Swans. I failed to pick them up flying over Soil Hill, once I had driven back up, but from the vantage point, could see some Swans on Mixenden Reservoir, so headed down.

• From the photos I took of the flock, I click-counted 112 Whooper Swans on the reservoir itself, with an additional flock of 56 that continue north and dropped onto Ogden. These are presumably all the birds that AC had north over Shibden. A brilliant spectacle! 

• A single drake Common Scoter was also on the reservoir when I arrived 

• A Red Kite flew south high up at 12:30. Sounds like there has been a few Kite sightings around Halifax today

In total I managed 25 species in an hour at the reservoir, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S131838914

Also on Soil Hill during the morning, a single Jack Snipe, 7 Teal and 2 Wheatear

-Whooper Swans

-Red Kite

-Common Scoter

Blackstone Edge

 Another male Goldeneye

Soil Hill

 A blustery but clear walk this morning, producing a few good species despite the strong winds

• Highlight was an Osprey that flew north over Taylor Lane at roughly 07:40. Frustratingly I made a real mess of my attempts to photograph it, and it all too quickly dropped below the hill. Remarkably this is the second individual this week, after one flew north over Taylor Lane on the 20th. On that occasion, I also made a pig's ear of the photos! 

• One Jack Snipe was flushed on the check of the wetter areas of the site. 

• There were seven Teal on the NK Pond this morning

• Two Stonechat were on the walls at the bottom of the North Slope. No Wheatear today, although a male had been present on Taylor Lane for the two days prior.

• A single Redwing was at the bottom of the North Slope, and five Fieldfare were feeding on Taylor Lane.

In total managed 42 species this morning, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S131508920

-Osprey

Whiteholme

 2 Male Wheatears. One, first summer, has brownish wings

A third Wheatear flew SE along Byron Edge drain

Blackstone Edge

 Goldeneye pair

Brent Geese

19th March, 3 Pale Bellied Brent Geese at Fly Flats found by BS is only the second Calderdale record. Also had a first summer Red Kite over twice.

Blackstone Edge

 Another male Goldeneye today

Whiteholme

 Singing male Reed Bunting

Soil Hill

 A very enjoyable walk this morning, with a good variety of species. Was hoping for an early Wheatear but it did not arrive.

• Highlight was a Woodcock flushed at the bottom of the North Slope. Also, a single Jack Snipe flushed from a different area.

• There was a single Long-tailed Tit in the garden of Rabbit Dell along Taylor Lane, not a species I have encountered often on Soil Hill. 

• A pair of Raven flew south before returning back north. 

• A single Teal was flushed from the bottom ditch, and two Goosanders flew NW.

• Three Stonechat were at the bottom of the North Slope; 2 females and a male

• A single Lesser Redpoll flew north over Taylor Lane

In total managed 48 species this morning, with Starling being the only notable omission! the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S131089519

-Woodcock

-Jack Snipe

-Long-tailed Tit

Shibden Park

 Cormorant

Blackstone Edge

 This is the first Pied Wagtail I have seen up here this year

Halifax

 Singing Dunnock in Winding Road

Cold Edge Road

Yesterday afternoon I checked some of the fields near Nolstar. Occasionally manage to find small flocks of Skylarks there in March. Probably migrants or birds returning to our local uplands. Big surprise to find a nice flock of 35 though there could have been more hiding in the field undulations. Awful conditions in the wind and snow flurries but they were feeding away. I've no idea what they were finding to eat !

Lapwings and Starlings were also in the same field - all spooked as a male Sparrowhawk flew through. The Skylarks just hunkered down and thankfully, were not detected.

22 Golden Plover also together in one spot on the edge of the moor with vocal Curlews, and more Starlings and Lapwings.

Blackstone Edge

 Male Goldeneye

Also, my first Skylark of the year was at Byron Edge

Whiteholme

 Oystercatcher

1 of 2 male Red Grouse

This is a nice patch of 2 different Cladonia lichens. I think the one with red (spore filled) fruiting bodies is C. floerkeana, while the one with cup shaped fruiting bodies is C. fimbriata.

Byron Edge

There is a single early flowering Coltsfoot by Byron Edge drain: altitude 385m (1263 ft)

 

Hebden Bridge

 Pair of Dippers

This shot shows feather tracts and eyelid quite nicely

Jay House  11-03-2023

The two Curlews (M & F) arrived last week. I think these are the same pair which have been returning for the past six years. As far as I'm aware they have never bred successfully.

 

 Cromwell Bottom Reserve 7-03-2023

The very elusive Water Rail finally appeared briefly this morning until a barking dog came charging by and scared the living daylights out of the poor bird.

Whiteholme

 Teal pair

Shibden Valley

Pair of Stock Doves

Also, on New Bank, my first flowering Blackthorn of the year.

The earliest widespread tree blossoms in spring in Calderdale are Blackthorn (white) and Cherry Plum (commonly pale pink).

 

Around and about...

Curlews, Lapwings and Oystercatchers are being reported on a regular basis during the last week or so. It's likely that some of these birds will be moving on though others will soon be following, as many use Calderdale as a stopping off point though a few others will stay for the summer.

A 50+ flock of Brambling were reported today (PGr) from woodland above Cragg Vale near Withens Clough today. Skylarks have started singing at times on the moorland fringes when conditions have suited them.

Skeins of Pink-footed Geese are sill occasionally being seen passing over as they start to return towards there summer quarters. Iceland will be a favoured destination as the daylight lengthens. Whooper Swans will be following in the not too distant future and into March. Always worth listening for as well as watching for them. They will occasionally pass over during the night.

It's worth listening out for Tawny Owls after dark too with a few reports recently from woodland areas.

Stonechats have also been reported regularly, in suitable habit, over the winter period. Amazing how these, mainly insect eating birds, survive throughout our winter weather.

Withens Clough

Two drake Goldeneye in various stages of display to a single female on 21st Feb. In Calderdale we seem to be getting fewer of these superb ducks that come to winter on some of our upland reservoirs. 

It seems like both drakes had moved on today though the female was still there, thanks to an update from NG.

Ogden - late afternon

Message from JJL of a Great Crested Grebe this afternoon prompted a walk up Hebble Brook Clough and around the reservoir as the light was fading. The grebe was still there, appearing fast asleep on the water. Two adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls were also on the water. A Buzzard also went over and a very distant Barn Owl was briefly seen over the moor. 

Great Spotted Woodpecker in the woodland along with a few Siskin in the alders with Coal/Blue and Great Tits, Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch and a single Treecreeper. Song Thrush singing. On last light 22 Canada Geese went off in the direction of Mixenden

Mixenden Reservoir etc

A check at Mixenden res'r this morning first thing. It's been really quiet at this site over the winter apart from the gulls. Mainly Black-headed and Common Gull with an occasional L B B Gull, though a few Herring Gulls, both adults and juveniles appear there most days to bathe and preen then move on. This morning was no exception with 50+ each Black-headed and Commons along with 8 Herring Gulls. 

Just about to head off around 09:15 when a distant flock of geese appeared over Bradshaw / Soil Hill area just at the same time as a text from DJB (yes, back on his Soil Hill patch) with a skein of c50 Pink-footed Geese. Fortunately they came high over the res'r heading in the direction of Mount Tabor. Always a great sight to see these skeins over Calderdale.

Just got home, and a Buzzard went over the house >S calling as it went. Always good to see.

Byron Edge

 Mallard pair

Beacon Hill

 2 Stock Doves flew west.

The photo is of a female Hazel flower bud, in front of male catkins.

Hazel is monoecious: that is, male and female flowers occur on the same tree. But the females can only be fertilised by pollen from a different tree. Each bud consists of several flowers, each of which has 4 red stigmas to catch wind-blown pollen. One fertilised flower can produce one nut, and  the original bud will form a bunch of 1 to 4 nuts.

A recent episode of University Challenge had a team that had not heard of Hazel catkins: 4 brainboxes sadly divorced from the Natural World.

Blackstone Edge

 Stonechat pair

Blackstone Edge

 Mallard are back

Whiteholme

 Oystercatcher

Blackstone Edge

 Male Stonechat