Lee Mount - 20th February

75 Pink-footed Geese went over Lee Mount >NW around 11:40 - probably the same skein that JM reported over Clifton, Jay House Lame heading this way soon after 11:20

Castle Carr Road

16 species. Fog had lifted this afternoon but a light drizzle. 1 Curlew flew over calling and 28 Lapwings were on the moor though couldn't find the usual Stonechats or the Little Owls !

Cold Edge

Covered in fog up there this morning but some brief clear(ish) spells just enough to make the walk worthwhile.

Walking up the lane, 120 Fieldfares and 110 Starlings were on the overhead wires so I managed a fairly accurate count before they all headed off towards Hunter Hill.

Otherwise, the best was an early returning Redshank that flew over calling, but unseen.

Around 55 Black-headed Gulls nearby, a pair of Goosander on the top dam with 10 Common Gulls.

Manged 29 species in total including a Stonechat, c50 Canada Geese and 4 Greylags, 1 Grey Heron and 2 Moorhens.. Despite the fog, singing birds included Stock Doves, Robins and Chaffinches

On the way home a Ring-necked Parakeet was in the top of the tall alder trees by the mini-roundabout at the top of Clough Lane. BS also had a drake Goldeneye on Mixenden Res'r this morning, it left as the fog lifted.

Cold Edge

1 Oystercatcher.

Also: 1 Curlew, 1 Lapwing

Fieldfare 43, Starling 350

1 Pheasant

Wainstalls

4 Greylag Goose

Ogden area

Nearly two hours this morning checking the fringes of the golf course in very low overcast cloud - but it stayed dry, so that was a bonus.

c40 Lapwings very mobile moving overhead then returning towards Back Lane area fields. 

Single Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers with both Song and Mistle Thrushes in good song along with very vocal Robins.

Plenty small birds along Union Lane, Rocks Lane and Lane Head included a good show of Blackbirds,  2 Redwings, tit species and a small flock of Chaffinch with 2 Greenfinch being a first for me this year and a single Siskin on  a garden feeder.

A pleasing morning, 31 species was not a bad haul though I didn't get time to do a reservoir circuit.

Recent news

Not  a great deal to report of late but it's been good to receive messages of returning waders that seem to be coming back earlier each year, though many will be moving on further north and using Calderdale as a stopping off point in the meantime. Curlew, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, and Ringed Plover so far along with some wintering flocks of Golden Plover and the occasional Snipe.

The 1st winter drake Scaup was still around on the ski-lake at Cromwell Bottom yesterday along with several Goldeneye and Tufted Duck.

Song Thrushes have now stated singing in earnest along with Mistle Thrush, Robins and Great Tits.

3 Whooper Swans turned up on Baitings res'r on Sunday and last Thursday 5 Snow Buntings briefly on Rishworth Moor. Pink-footed Geese are still on the move over Calderdale with several skeins reported in the last week or so.

 The Treesparrows on Jay House continue to thrive through feeding. These are our two oldest birds rung by Steve Downing in 2019. The Blue over BTO is the oldest being rung on 21st May. Photos taken today.

Mixenden Res'r etc......

Yesterday 10th Feb a nice find from NK with 5 Wigeon on the water included 4 males / 1 female type. We managed to get on there and see them at a distance. We also gather from BS that the Wigeon had gone this morning though 3 Oystercatchers were there first thing. 

Also yesterday afternoon just before the drizzle set in a Barn owl was about in that area with 2 Song Thrushes and a Mistle thrush singing near Stodfold. Earlier in the day, with plenty of snow still laying on the top there were 3 Skylarks on Soil Hill and 8 Meadow Pipits, but little else.

3 Whooper Swans reported from Baitings Res'r this morning (DF). They were still there at 11:45 (PGr) along with another single Oystercatcher flyover.

The recent first winter drake Scaup near Cromwell Bottom is still showing on the ski-lake this morning (JB).

Gordon Denison

Calderdale birdwatchers were deeply saddened today to hear the news that Gordon passed away peacefully at home yesterday. He reached a very good milestone in his life as he celebrated his 90th birthday in November 2023. 

This is the photo taken at his 90th seen here holding the 'Annual Species Champion' trophy, a double-headed eagle, which he initiated back in 2003. He used it as an incentive to local 'birders' to record as many species as possible in Calderdale in each calendar year. He also left some funds to continue the yearly updates !

A keen and knowledgeable birdwatcher for many years he was well placed to inspire us slightly younger 'birders' with such friendliness, good humour, generosity and lots of enthusiasm in shared interests. Thank you so much Gordon.

Many wonderful comments have been shared today. We will ensure these are passed on to Anne and his daughter Jayne and the family in a card and later in a tribute to Gordon which will be included in the 2023 Annual Report.

Cold Edge

2 Pink-footed Geese

Parts of a flock of 45 Greylag Geese, including 1 albino

2 of 3 Stonechats

Wainstalls

1 of 2 Herring Gulls

Posting for Nick D - possible Caspian Gull ?

Photos taken in fields near Mount Tabor on Monday 5th Feb. 

Possible 1st winter Caspian Gull

Any thoughts welcome ........

 

Ogden and Cold Edge - 6th February

 

Another decent duck for Calderdale with a nice drake Shoveler from CS this morning. Seemed very settled with the Mallards at the duck feeding area. A reasonably common duck in other parts of West Yorkshire but still a bit 'hit and miss' in Calderdale. 

Drake Shoveler

Cold Edge 

The site certainly lived up to it's name in the gusty wind this afternoon. 

Nothing at all on the waters though I was hoping for Goldeneye they don't seem to be tempted at all to our upland waters as yet this winter (there were 8 on the ski-lake at Cromwell Bottom over the weekend.)

94 Canada Geese in the fields

135 Fieldfare flew over probably on a roost flight and managed to get a count from photos

1 Reed Bunting

3 Lapwing flyovers >SW

1 distant Barn Owl

1 Raven

A few each Black-headed and Common Gulls

Cromwell Bottom

First winter drake Scaup on the ski-lake located on Saturday (JB). Still there today though distant and this was the only half-decent shot I could get. Certainly a scare bird in Calderdale.

Albert Road / Pellon Reservoir

Nick asked me to post these photos of an adult Yellow-legged Gull he took on Friday 19th Jan from Asda car park, with other gulls on the roof of the reservoir buildings.

Yellow-legged Gull at the top of each picture along with 1 Herring Gull (pink legs). Also a few Common Gulls and Black-headed Gulls and a Jackdaw.

Mixenden and Ogden

Mixenden Res'r - still nothing much doing at this site recently - same today. It's really been dead !

Black-headed and Common Gulls with an occasional Herring Gull bathing then passing through and just the one adult Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Fared slightly better at Ogden with 3 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls though I went searching for the recent Redpoll flock and maybe a chance of finding the Common Redpoll individual that was seen there earlier this week. I did find a Siskin flock of c30 birds in the alders at the north end, 3 Lesser Redpoll with them.

Also a Barnacle Goose with the Mallards - probably the same as the one at Cold Edge yesterday though maybe same as the one with the Canada flock at Brearley over the weekend.

1 Sparrowhawk, Great-spotted Woodpecker, 2 Bullfinch and not a lot else.

Soil Hill

  After yesterday's success with finding Jack Snipe, today Harry Coghill and I headed back up, this time equipped with a thermal imager, and hoped to try to find an individual before it flushed. We were in luck, as although there was much less activity than the previous day, we were still able to locate one Jack Snipe trying its best to remain motionless so that we might not spot it. 

  This is the third time I have been able to locate this species using this method before they fly off. It is amazing to see them like this.

-Jack Snipe

In total managed 29 species this afternoon, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S158558263

Soil Hill

  After flogging away since November without any success, today finally produced my first Soil Hill Jack Snipe of the winter. And not just one; in total three flushed out of their regular locations. Presumably a byproduct of the cold weather we are experiencing, as well as the water level dropping in their preferred wet areas. 

  Hopefully they will linger into the spring, but we will have to wait and see. 

-Jack Snipe

In total managed 26 species this afternoon, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S158507683

Ogden

  A trip down to Ogden with Harry Cog & Charles Gunn in search of a year-tick of Kingfisher turned up trumps when filtering through the Redpoll flock on the south bank. In addition to at least 20 Lesser Redpolls, there was a bird that had the impression of being larger and certainly greyer. Additionally, photos showed white undertail coverts and whiteish flanks, and we concluded that the bird was certainly a Mealy (Common) Redpoll. 

  Sadly, due to the heavy footfall of the public, the flock was quite mobile and getting good pictures proved difficult. It took us some time to confirm the bird's identification, and not long after the flock flew off into the woodland and could not be located despite two hours of searching.

  I shared the photos with a few birders I know who were happy the bird was a Mealy Redpoll, but any critique of the identification is appreciated. Thanks to CG for the 'back of the camera' photo, showing the pale undertail coverts. 

-Mealy Redpoll

In total managed 32 species today, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S158137322

Soil Hill

Afternoon visit today once the morning drizzle had passed. Fairly steady birding overall, but three skeins of Pink-footed Geese were the highlight, all passing west over Halifax.

1st Skein of 83 at 11:35.
2nd Skein of 41 at 11:40.
3rd Skein of 186 at 12:30

Other birds of note included my first Lesser Black-backed Gulls (four) since the 30th of November

-Pink-footed Geese & Wainhouse Tower

In total managed 29 species this morning, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S158026693

Soil Hill

  Been a steady December on the Hill, largely a consequence of the horrendous weather we have been enduring, but today I enjoyed probably the best views I've ever had of the local Grey Partridges. They were feeding near the Taylor Lane turnoff from Perseverance Road, a group of six. Presumably, the same family group that has been around since the summer, indicating another successful breeding season at this site.

  Other birds of interest; a flock of 99 Pink-footed Geese headed slowly west. They were picked up elsewhere, and they were distant already when I got photos, so my count is probably out by one or two birds.

-Grey Partridge

In total managed 28 species this morning, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S157397754

Mytholmroyd

Kingfisher

Adult female Goosander:  the bill is bright pink, and there is no white line between eye and bill

Hebden Bridge

Goosander pair

Beacon Hill

Some of 196 Common Gulls here

Waxwings

Several more Waxwings reported again this last week including up to 9 at Silverwood Avenue, Pellon. Also up to 18 in the Lane Head area of Brighouse in the last few days.

It's definitely worth checking any sites where there are berries especially on rowan trees.

Winding Road Halifax

6 Waxwings here this morning

10 birds on the Calderdale list that shouldn't be,,,,

 Short toed snake Eagle

Red Footed Falcon

Black - headed Bunting

Woodchat Shrike

Roller

Great Shearwater

Wilson's Phalarope

Desert Wheatear

White's Thrush

Baird's Sandpiper

(Northern Long tailed Tit )

Merry Christmas..........

Waxwings

Nick D found 5 Waxwings in a yellow berried rowan at Silverwood Avenue, Pellon on 13th. Still there on 13th, yesterday.