Fly Flatts

This afternoon with NCD - we were fortunate that the rain and hail stopped but the blustery wind was hard work!
1 winter Sanderling as above
14 Ringed Plover
17 Dunlin
4 Common Sandpiper
6 Redshank
1 Snipe
3 L B B Gulls
1 Wheatear
2 Grey Partridge

Bird flying at window

For a week now a colleague has been telling me about a bird with a white front that has been flying at her patio windows every day. I explained why it was probably doing what it was but we couldn't identify it. She has now managed to take a photograph and the bird is a DIPPER. A river does flow underneath her decking - the house is off Crag Road in Mytholmroyd - but I would never have guessed that dippers flew at windows in this way. (Another colleague has googled it and come up with a Norwegian dipper but this local one will be our version, won't it??)
Is it just me who has led a sheltered life or is it common for dippers to do this. It's not just once a day, but it can be there for quite a long time, banging on the window.

I'll pass on to her any info you may have

Ringed Plover

Had a trip out this afternoon, found a pair of Ringed Plover with one chick. David knows the location if anyone wants to check them out.

Followed this with a trip to Fly Flatts, only one sanderling, a number of dunlin and plenty of Ringed Plover. Difficult to assess numbers due to the wind and the terrain - lots of birds sheltering in the rocks. Nice to meet you up there Brian.

Cold Edge

I didn't expect too much this afternoon in that strong blustery wind!
1 Wheatear
1 Little Grebe
1 Curlew
Several Swifts moving through otherwise just a few Linnet and Meadow Pipits and 1 Skylark.

Well done to BS on his way up to Fly Flatts again to check the waders.

Fly Flatts

0615-0930hrs  Torrential rain turning to showers  Gale force WSW>7 dropping slightly.

14 Ringed Plover
19 Dunlin
5 Sanderling
6 Redshank
7 Common Sandpiper
8 Pied Wagtail
Most of birds in SE corner until bike race meeting started then area cleared.
Full report and pics, West Yorkshire Birding.
BS

Fly Flats 21st May

Todays totals, 3 Sanderling, 8 Dunlin, 4 Redshank, 3 Common Sands, 16 Ringed Plover a few Curlew, 1 Red Grouse drinking from the reservoir, 20+ Swifts and 2 Swallows.

Dunlin Fly Flats

Had a trip up this morning, Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Sanderling still up there. This Dunlin stood out from the rest on account of it's small size and colouring. Not too good on splitting waders into subspecies and collins doesn't cover arctica but there's been a few reported about the country so thought it a possible candidate. It's the right hand bird in the second picture, stayed distant so couldn't do much better. Staying near the tyre by the boathouse.

20th May Fly Flats

Todays birds, 15 Ringed Plover, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Sanderlings, 6 Common Sandpipers, 1 Oystercatcher, 6 Redshank, 9 Dunlin, 4 Curlew and a Snipe near the top gate. Horrendous conditions this PM thanks to AC for the lift home.

Knot and Sanderling

Digi scoped images of Sanderlings
at Fly Flats today.

Digi Scoped picture of Knot at Fly Flats today.

Fly Flats

Todays birds, 1 Knot, 7 Sanderling, 13+ Dunlin, 10+ Ringed Plovers, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 6+ Redshank, 3 Oystercatchers, 5+Common Sandpipers, Curlews, 2 Wheatears, 1 LBBG, 2 Red Grouse. Nothing much at Cold Edge. Is anybody looking at Whiteholme because its usually a lot better than Fly Flats and Fly has so far been excellent this spring. Photos to follow later.

Ringed/Little Ringed Plovers

Above - 4 Ringed Plover plus a Dunlin showing it's rear end behind the Canada 'deposit'!

Below - Ringed Plover at the back and Little Ringed Plover at the front showing some of the differences to look for in these species.

Ogden

Back Lane area;
c200 adult Starlings feeding on grubs/larvae then heading off back to feed young at Illingworth/Mixenden ? Jackdaws and Magpies also having a feast but we could not identify the food source as we couldn't find any! Not sure if they were caterpillars or grubs in the ground? Mostly feeding in turf in the juncus areas.
5 Curlew
1 Wheatear

1 Cuckoo also heard calling towards the back of Ogden plantation mid afternoon.

Fly Flats

Most of the Dunlin from yesterday had gone overnight leaving 5 there this morning.

14 Ringed Plover were around the rocks near the boat house and 1 Little Ringed Plover was with them. (I got some shots of the 2 species together but not had chance to sort through them yet) Will post these later if they are any good! Other usual waders present were 4 Redshank and 4 Common Sandpipers with others nearby including Curlew, Lapwing, Golden Plover.

1 White Wagtail was present on the mud at the far end of the res'r and on the far bank. This was a superb male showing a large black bib, the black on the back of the head was cleanly cut behind the neck to the very pale grey on the back.

Also present
2 Red-legged Partridge near the top road
1 Wheatear
1 Kestrel
1 Swift >N
1 Swallow >N and 6 >S
Red Grouse
No Twite
Far too many Canadas!

Roils Head

Blackcap singing at Roils Head this PM, also Whitethroat still singing here.

Wind Turbines & Birds

Just came across this video by accident. This may or may not be an isolated case of how dangerous wind turbines can be to birds in fine weather. I used to think that they only posed a threat when shrouded by cloud or mist. Makes you think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9srPoOU6_Z4&NR=1

Fly Flats 17th May

Fly Flats PM. 29 Dunlin, 11 Ringed Plover, 6 Redshank, 4 Common Sandpipers, 2 Lapwing, 2 Snipe and a few Curlew. Worth checking this site on a daily basis for the rest of May.

Fly Flatts

3 Ringed Plover and 1 Little Ringed Plover on the stoney areas near the boat house this morning. Also present;
7 Dunlin
4 Redshank
4 Common Sandpipers
2 Oystercatchers
1 Wheatears
c12 Swallows
11 LBB Gulls
Too many Canadas!
2 Rooks over

Survey 2011

Swifts/Swallows/House Martins
CBCG with the help of Calderdale Countryside Service are undertaking a Calderdale wide survey this year to locate breeding sites of individuals or colonies of Swifts, Swallows, House Martins - and with luck a few Sand Martins!

We are anticipating a press release in the near future asking members of the public to report sightings/locations of nesting birds and we may need help from local birders to check some of the reports.

In the meantime can make a note of any records and during the summer to check out sites you already know of from previous years. We will need a site location/postcode or grid reference and estimated numbers of nesting pairs.

Rather than publicise nest sites on the blog please email or text Jane Uttley or myself as you locate them - or email info@calderdalebirds.co.uk

This survey will provide a good basis of information for Calderdale and something we can build on in future years. Hopefully this will lead on to help us find ways of protecting and encouraging these special summer visitors.
Many thanks
Dave

Fly Flatts

1 of 4 Dunlin

2 of 6 Ringed Plover

Fly Flatts 0730-1000hrs. Gale force NW heavy showers.

6 Ringed Plover
4 Dunlin
7 Redshank
5 Common Sandpiper
2 Oystercatchers
5 Golden Plover
1 GBB gull...................>W
1 Gropper reeling, near boathouse.
+ usual sp.
BS

A Swift One

Spent the afternoon down Elland filming Swifts........or at least trying to........which reminded me that Calderdale Bird Conservation Group are collating information on Swift Breeding colonies.
We need your records.....and now is a good time to go out looking for nest sites in the evening.
In Manchester, I lived in the middle of a colony and the birds would fly round the houses almost at head height just before the sun went down. They would get lower and lower and the noise would get louder and louder until, one by one, they disappeared into their nest holes.
These were old red brick Victorian merchants buildings, and the birds would find missing bricks or small crevices behind fascia boards, or would use ledges behind the soffits on the gable ends. Quite a spectacle on a warm summers evening.
I had at least 100 Swifts over the ski lake this afternoon. They're going to be nesting somewhere nearby.