Longfield and Lee Dams

Longfield

About a dozen Canada Geese seemed to be the only waterfowl about.
3 Lapwing on the fields over Lumbutts Road were the only obvious waders: they were well back from the road so there may have been others.
On the plus side, there was a Wheatear (possibly two) and a norhtbound Swallow flew over the dam. Several Meadow Pipits were singing over the fields to the south, and odd snatches of Skylark could be heard from Langfield Common.
A good number of Pied Wagtails were about, and half a dozen of them suddenly flew up to pursue a low-flying raptor that was heading north and about to cross the Calder Valley. Not my strong suit, identifying raptors disappearing into the distance, but I suspected female Merlin - smallish, brown falcon with no obvious tail band.


Lee Dam

2 pairs of Canada Geese.
1 Moorhen.
2 Willow Warblers singing, amongst other woodland stuff, including Coal Tit.

Ringstone

Just passing Ringstone at last light, stopped and it looks like the 11 Whooper swans, I'm guessing the same 11 as last time??,  were back on

Ringstone Edge

A barnacle goose flew in late this morning, with a lone Canada goose.  Also a willow warbler singing nearby.

Regards, Chris Jepson - Brown

Fly Flats

I had over an hour at the top end this morning thinking there could be some movement of hirundines from the south, across the reservoir and into the coll towards Oxenhope. Nothing doing on that score, just a trickle of Meadow Pipits heading >NE.
At 11:30 I picked out 2 waders from the south and thought at first maybe Bar-tailed Godwits from the pattern and speed of flight. Then I got the calls (pi,pi,pi,pi,pi,pi,pi) and 'not barwits' these and not Curlew flying at that speed of wingbeat - Whimbrel. After a circuit and unfortunately not landing, they went straight over the top end of the reservoir calling and I managed a couple of record shots with the best one below.

 Whimbrel

 

 

Curlew

 

I was surprised by the length of the bill (on the photo) on Whimbrel in flight though they may look longer when in flight, with head up, from when they are standing and feeding (?). The primary pattern on Whimbrel is quite different compared with this Curlew taken a few minutes later, though it's not always obvious in 'the field'. Also the male Curlew has a shorter bill than female so it's not always easy.

 

Not a lot else in the strong >NE wind - just 1 Wheatear and the usual other species.

Colden and Jumble Hole

Edge Lane, Colden

A nice spread of  'common' upland species, with 28+ curlew, 40+ lapwing, 10 skylark, 25+ meadow pipits, 2 red grouse, snipe chipping, and a common buzzard

Jumble Hole

Later in the afternoon, a common buzzard flew north, and 2 house martins finally arrived. Still no swallows as yet. 3 willow warblers and 2 chiffchiff

Common Scoter female at Ringstone last Sunday 3rd April, and White? Wagtail today

with thanks to AT for texting the alert to DJS

this was following a male Pied Wagtail - 

could it be a female White ?

Mankinholes today.

Buzzards

A very interesting article in this link. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35916515

Out and about

This morning from AT - 7 Teal at  Ringstone who also found a pair of Shoveler there on Thursday

I caught up with a few rookery counts and tied in a check at Ryburn Dam and Baitings
3 adult breeding plumage Cormorants but little else and no Mandarins about.
Just Canadas at Baitings.
High Royd - poor do there with lots of construction work and surprisingly not a sign of any hirundines over the filter beds.
1 Great-spotted Woodpecker excavating a nest hole and 2 Nuthatches nearby

Fly Flats, Withens Head

Fly Flats
A quite morning first thing though things improved as the morning progressed.
No migrant waders - usual suspects including 4 Redshank
No hirundines passing through which surprised me !
No Twite at the feeding station though more seed put down  - just in hope !
2 Wheatears and a few Meadow pipits
Nice vocal flock of 103 Golden Plover (count from photo's) must have got spooked on Ovenden Moor but returned to the moor.
Plenty Canada's as usual, 1 Barnacle Goose and 8 Greylag Geese
1 drake Tufted Duck
1 Red Kite over very high >W was a nice surprise

 Barnacle Goose

 Distant Red Kite

c103 Golden Plover

Withens Head and top end of Cold Edge
No sign of the Ring Ouzels from earlier this week
1 Wheatear
1 Little Owl
1 Pied Wagtail
2 Ravens high >SW
2 Kestrels

Mytholmroyd AM

Scout Bottom

6 chiff chaff

1 willow warbler

2 nuthatch on feeders

Plus usual species

Redacre Treatment Works & Woods

10 swallows & 2 house martins over the treatment works

3 grey wagtail

1 treecreeper

3 chiffchaff

1 nuthactch

Plus usual species

Norland Moor

Another Ring Ouzel - male seen  towards the north eastern end of Norland Moor on Monday afternoon 4th April and a male Wheatear nearby (John M). Both have probably moved on by now (?)

Mega forX -Halifax birder Sean Gray

Well done to x - Halifax birder Sean Gray for finding the isle of mans first Dark eyed Junco...His link to some fantasic pictures are here  http://www.grayimages.co.uk/new-photos/dark-eyed-junco-point-of.html  (as always )

White Wagtail (?)

This was in the fields around 50 m away up the road from Wainstalls towards Cold Edge today and I'm almost sure it's an alba wag probably a female  (?)

Mixenden Stodfold

1 Swallow over Rocks Road quarry this afternoon heading towards Mixenden Res'r
Not a lot else found in the strong blustery wind though there was some shelter in the valley
2 Little Owls
4 Curlew
1 Grey Wagtail
2 Grey Heron
50+ Meadow Pipits were in the fields but they  moved on quickly
1 Kestrel

Grey Wagtail

Cold Edge

It was very cold up there this morning - nothing new there then!!!
Reward was 2 male Ring Ouzels above the top dam in fields between Moorlands Farm and Withens Head Farm. I got some distant shots and will see if they are good enough for posting later on.
No sign of any Wheatears.
1 probable White Wagtail near the former Moorcock pub and now a farm.
2 Grey Heron
Pair Goosander
2 f Goldeneye
2 Tufted Duck
Lots of Meadow Pipits
2 Reed Bunting
Usual Curlew, Lapwing and 3 Snipe "drumming"
Gulls are well gone now
Barnacle Goose back with c 70 Canadas and 2 Greylag Geese
1 Little Owl calling
1 Moorhen

 Meadow Pipit

 Ring Ouzels

 

 Snipe display

 Snipe display

Snipe display

Mytholmroyd AM

Scout Bottom area
5 chiffchaffs
1 nuthatch
1 g s woodpecker
1 grey heron
Plus usual species

Elphin Brook
1 grey wagtail
1 dipper
1 sparrowhawk f on the bank. It flew off to a tree by the Calder & then in the direction of Daisy Hill. First time I've seen a sparrowhawk on Elphin Brook.

Redacre treatment works & wood
3 chiffchaffs.
1 kestrel
2 nuthatch
1 grey wagtail
Plus usual species

Osprey

Osprey headed north at 14. 22 today low over Northowram also seen over Queensbury..

Yesterday (and today)

Well done to A T yesterday for 6 Swallows over Ringstone and a female  Common Scoter. Also via BS from  HC - a Swallow at Fly Flats
Another report of a local Barn Owl is fantastic news from SN via BS - see Brians blog.
Castle Carr Road - no sign of any Wheatears after the few we had last week - I guess there will be a second wave soon though they are very scarce breeders nowadays yet we get plenty Spring and returning Autumn migrants.

Today
From Matt - a nice early Willow Warbler at Jumble Hole (just past Hebden Bridge)
and from NR at Mytholmroyd - Scout area - 5 Chiff-chaffs singing this morning
Cream crown Marsh Harrier >W over Copley this afternoon. Ian S
Peregrine and a Sparrowhawk over Beacon Hill and a Kestrel carrying prey near the town centre all late morning.
Drake Common Scoter on the Ski-lake at Cromwell Bottom this morning could still be there ? From AT and GWH et al.
Swallow over Northowram this evening from AC

Ogden Garden

A brambling on the cherry tree in the garden for short time yesterday afternoon.

Out and about

With the weather as it was yesterday I decided to catch up on a few Rookery counts in the outlying areas but didn't find much else of interest in the drizzle ! Rooks very busy at the nest sites with 2 small new colonies found and most of the others so far about a par on last year. Full details when all the sites  have been covered so thanks for all the help with still further results to come in in the next few weeks.
1 adult Black-headed Gull on Baitings Res'r along with a pair of Tufted Duck
2 Common Buzzards
Plenty of Meadow Pipits about on the upland