Cuckoo

Cuckoo heard calling this afternoon at the back edge of Norland Moor

Tree Sparrows

Today while feeding the tree sparrows I tried to fix wire cages round the feeders to deter the corvids. Unfortunately it was not highly successful; the corvids were detered but so were the sparrows! I tried 2 sizes of netting thinking the first was too small,despite the holes being larger than the cages in my garden(provided by the RSPB)I waited about an hour and though there were lots of tree sparrows(some begging for food) none of them ventured onto the feeders. I shall go up again in a day or so and see what has happened. If anyone is around perhaps you could report back to me. I do not think they will go hungry as they seem to be happy eating off the floor on the spilt seed.

Cross Border Ramblings

My walk today started on the outskirts of Littleborough taking me up to Whiteholme then down to Withens Clough and onto Mytholmroyd. The early part of my walk produced Green Woodpecker calling from a telegraph pole, Grasshopper warbler reeling near the Animal sanctuary and then a Fox amongst a rocky out crop, closer investigation once I reached the rocks revealed the remains of a Coot.

As I headed up hill towards Whiteholme i paused to look up a gully where a Reed Bunting was calling, turning to see a large raptor hovering, as it soared off heading west it revealed itself as a Common Buzzard. Arrival at Whiteholme produced 3 Ringed Plover on the near shore close to the overflow and a Common Sandpiper. Continuing on round a Pied wag was gathering food whilst in the top left hand corner another Common Sand and another Ringed Plover patrolled the shore whilst 2 female Mallard attended to 11 ducklings between them.

The next stretch onto Withens Clough produced a single adult Redshank in the drainage channel and nothing more other than 2 Mipits.

Withens Clough  returned a Raven, single Common Sand and a flyover of a Spitfire and Hurricane (very unexpected and spectacular to hear and see these iconic planes in flight). Near the new building a Whinchat called giving away its position on wires to the rear of the house, briefly before flying to the trees in front of the building and out of sight.

The rest of the walk was unfortunately uneventful.

NE let us and Buzzards down!

Important stuff from Steve Downing, hard to believe this should be allowed to happen in this country! Despite assurances that they would consult widely with interested parties before doing anything NE have closed down the consultation [needed the money for ash die-back] where Steve represented Calderdale / NERF. So Buzzardgate out of the way they have done it anyway. The story can be found at http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/may/23/government-licenced-buzzard-egg-destruction Martin Harper's blog on the RSPB website is worth reading and there is a piece on Raptor Persecution Scotland. There are 18 documents acquired by the RSPB under FOI and I haven't had time to read them all yet. The documents are available on Harper's blog. Marco Mcginty sums up the anomalies in the licence applications at the end of the comments section on RPS. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/may/23/government-licenced-buzzard-egg-destruction

Fly Flatts and Withens Head

Fly Flatts
NE gusting with hail !
2 Redshank
2 Common Sandpipers
3 L B B Gulls trying to take Canada Goose chicks ( and there are many)
4 Greylag Geese with chicks
2 Curlew
2 Lapwing
Just a few mipits

Withens Head
2 Wheatear
1 very short billed Curlew ((not a Whimbrel)
1 Redshank

2 Interesting Birds from Orford Ness

 

All from David Crawshaw - any takers? Lower 2 are of the same bird

Raggalds Flood

Not a place to go and stand this morning - difficult enough from the car with the gusting wind and drizzle. Still rewarding!
1 Ringed Plover
2 Redshank
1 Oystercatcher
5 Lapwings

Mixenden Res'r

Rough sea there this morning!!! Along with a cold temperature of 6c, NE F5 gusting 6 and drizzle making conditions difficult - especially for the hirundines trying to survive.
c60 Swallows and 12+ House Martins feeding over the water in the shelter of the plantation, Swallows were even venturing deep into the woodland pines in search of food.
No Swifts
1 Willow Warbler trying to sing and a single Treecreeper in the plantation along with 2 Great Tits
30+ Jackdaws nearby and 1 Pied Wagtail

Dawn Chorus Walk - Hardcastle Crags - Sunday 26th May

Dawn Chorus Walk




Get up early on Sunday 26th May for an unmissable natural spectacle at Hardcastle Crags. Let our local bird expert lead you on a guided tour through the beautiful dawn chorus, as our feathered friends wake from their slumber and join together for an outstanding orchestral performance. After a four mile walk, enjoy a hot drink and light breakfast in the cafe at Gibson Mill.

Booking essential on 01422 844518. £5 fee includes breakfast. Meet at Midgehole Car Park at 4.30am. For more info go to: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hardcastle-crags/things-to-see-and-do/events/

Same bird tighter crop, any ideas??

Another Mystery Yorkshire Bird for you All

Ringstone

A brief visit this afternoon - lots of shoreline showing perfect for waders but not much doing
1 f Goosander
6 Lapwings
2 Reed Bunting
1 Common Sandpiper
6+ Swallows
7 Mallard
2 Meadow Pipits

Photo comp...

Taken today in Yorkshire....??

Ripponden

Cuckoo heard calling at 6am this morning over on Ripponden Bank area. It is three years since I heard one anywhere near the Ryburn Valley.

Hardcastle Crags

A reasonably good result today from the crags whilst walking to and beyond Gibson Mill and beyond from the Midgehole car park.
2 singing Wood Warblers - 1 at 200 m or so, as previously reported, along the main track before the mill and another one 100 m or so past the mill and singing in the woodland behind the wood stock pile. Great to hear these two singing and watching them feeding in the mid canopy area.
Not a sign of Pied Flycatcher unfortunately but a pair of Spotted Flycatchers was good to see, again along the main track.
1 Great-spotted Woodpecker
2 Green Woodpeckers
4+ Nuthatch
1 Cuckoo heard
20+ Siskin including 2+ singing males in the tops of pine trees
30+ Swifts
20+ Swallows
Several Willow Warblers mainly beyond Gibson Mill and 1 male Blackcap singing was the only other warbler
A pair of Grey Wagtails feeding young
1 Dipper
...and some splendid song from c6 Song Thrushes in the valley drowning everything else out!

Luddenden Dean

Pretty quiet in the dean this afternoon but was rewarded with a male Redstart briefly in the upper dean though it was not singing but moving around in the hawthorn scrub.  Also 1 Cuckoo calling and a few Swifts moving through and a female Wheatear on the big rocks near the 'cati'.

Hardcastle Crags, 19th May 2013

Wood warbler singing its head off (both song types) this afternoon, to the left of the main track to Gibson Mill, about 1/4 mile before.  Also a pair of grey wagtails catching beakfuls of mayflies near the mill.  The woods looked especially lovely today and why they aren't brimming with wood warblers (and pied flycatchers) is a mystery to me.  The habitat looks very similar to the Bolton Abbey woods.

Chris

Other news today

Hardcastle Crags - Wood Warbler still singing near Gibson Mill from PS - wonder if there are any more about?
2 reports of Marsh Harriers moving through today - one cream crown at an undisclosed site (MH) this morning and this afternoon the same or another over Northowram was a nice garden tick for Andy. !

Marsh Harrier

Marsh Harrier from Thursday first summer male in the upper valley.

Other news (yesterday)

Will try and remember it all. !!
1 Sanderling at Green Withens (SL and TM)

1 Ringed Plover at Raggalds Flood (KM) along with a Yellow Wagtail in the evening ( BS)

Wood Warbler along the track to Gibson Mill at Hardcastle Crags (DF) in the afternoon

Red Kite over Northowram (AC) and another or the same in the upper valley (MH)
Not a bad day for starters following on from a Marsh Harrier the day before in the upper valley  )DF)  which went straight through.