2 barred crossbill

does anyone have the details about the 2 barred crossbill at oxenhope
i know it was only one report but it would be my first ever vagrent
thanks

Waxwings

Dave Sutcliffe reports 12 Waxwings in Rowan Trees outside 44 Stansfield Close Hanson Lane now (9 am)

Re: the White Crows in Halifax. There is a picture of a white Jackdaw in last quarter's Birds (RSPB mag.) I think it's Gilbert White (coincidently) who writes about white Rook squabs being occasionally found during the annual harvesting of them for food back in the 18thC.

Fly Flats/Ogden

Fly Flats this morning (in the mist)
1 f Goldeneye
1 f Tufted Duck
1 Raven
1 Golden Plover
Lots of Red Grouse getting vocal now

Ogden
1 f Goosander

Sparrowhawk Attack

Just a little note of something that happened yesterday. I was having some work done to the outside of my house when Pete ( the Builder) called me , saying there was a bat flying around the top of the house. I went outside to have a look and while we were watching , a Sparrowhawk suddenly appeared and chased the bat for about 10 seconds , before disappearing into the distance. We presumed it might have thought it was a small bird , but it failed in its attempt to secure its evening meal .The bat reappeared about 16 minutes later non the worse for its encounter Has anyone else ever seen a similar thing with a bat?

Mount Tabor

Posting for Nick Dawtrey. 2 unidentified swans near Mount Tabor this afternoon at 3.45 pm in poor light heading west. Any pointers to help identification anyone as the bill colour is difficult!

Elland GP and Clifton

6 Little Grebes, 2 GC Grebes, 12 mallard, a single Wigeon, 11 Blackbirds, 7 Moorhen, Cormorant, Heron, 10 Tufted, 14 Goosanders, 7 Coot, c250 BH Gulls

c 250 Lapwings and 50 Golden Plovers at Jay House Lane

Great views of a female GSWoodpecker attacking a nutholder in the back garden.....

Ogden Garden

Male and female Brambling on the ground feeder this morning

Ogden/Sunny Vale

Miserable place in the mist and drizzle this morning - nothing of note.

Went down to Sunny Vale in Shibden Valley
6 Goosander - 2 of them were taking turns trying to swallow a very large fish, they gave it up as a bad job! A Cormorant or a Grey Heron would have made short work of it.
2 Grey Heron
1 Kingfisher
1 Little Grebe
27 Blackbirds
52 Redwing
2 Siskin

We also checked Crossley Gardens (near Pellon Lane) for possible Waxwings, apparantly a lot in the north-east! In one rowan were c12 Blackbirds, 2 Redwings and 1 Mistle Thrush.

RSPB Twite Project Officer vacancy

Just to let you know that the funding has been achieved for the RSPB's Twite recovery project and the vacancy for a Project Officer has been advertised, see


http://www.rspb.org.uk/vacancies/details.asp?id=tcm:9-201590

Volunteer vacancy

There is an opportunity for a 16 to 25 year old to volunteer with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust in the Aire/Calder valley if you know anyone who might be interested follow this link:

http://www.environmentjob.co.uk/index.cfm?page=viewad&ad=16445

Ogden Garden

A small mixed flock of redwing and fieldfare landed in a tree in the garden this morning. Estimated number circa 20. The light was poor in pretty misty conditions.

Wheatley Valley

2 white Carrion Crows still present in the area
1 frequents the area upstream from Mixenden flats and the other is half a mile up the valley still around Whitegate in the fields by Shaking House Farm.

Ogden

Vis mig 10 till 2 pm
All birds heading >north
166 Fieldfares
417 Starlings
14 Mistle Thrush
32 Redwings
1 Grey Heron
4 Pied Wagtails
4 Meadow Pipits

Also present (including some moving through >N)
27 Blackbirds
51 Chaffinch
32 Greenfinch
3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
1 Green Woodpecker
1 Kingfisher
12 L T Tits
21 Robins
10 Wrens
7 Goldcrest
12 Coal Tits
3 Jays
2 Stonechats

Fieldfare - Colden

120+ fieldfare in the lane leading away from The New Delight pub, Colden Clough, nr. Hebden Bridge. They're in the same group of trees every year.

thrushes

1 thrush was on the pylons outside my house at 3pm today
i dont know what it was
it flew of east by south east making a noise like a ringed plover
it was blackbird sized
please could somebody help

November Swallows!

2 Swallows at 12.50 today at Outlane from GD. A really good record this one Gordon.

Fly Flats

This morning
3 Ravens high over Nab Hill
1 female Merlin chasing down a single Meadow Pipit over the moor - outcome unknown!
12+ Red Grouse
c70 Fieldfares >E over the moor
1 Greenfinch >S (a bit of a surprise over this site at this time of year)
2 pairs of Stonechats and 2 Wrens
1 Black-headed Gull
No Twite

Also 1 female Goosander on Ogden

Ogden Garden

A small flock of fieldfare and redwing landed on a tree in the garden and stayed for about two minutes. Estimated number about 15.

Clifton Beck to Jay House Lane

Kingfisher by the beck
Kestrel just behind Bradford Road
20 Long Tailed Tits in the wood
30 Redwings going towards Jay House Lane, but only a couple of Fieldfares
6 Mistle Thrush
2 Pied Wagtails by the muck stack
Slightly different ratio of Lapwings to Golden Plover, today Muxy, with approx 200 Lapwings and nearly 250 Golden Plovers. They made a really impressive sight in one large,mixed flock, which became even more dramatic as a female Sparrowhawk put the lot up !