Wainstalls and Luddenden Dean

We found just 1 Brambling behind the Delvers this afternoon (6 there earlier in the day thanks to NK) but the finch flock was very flighty.

1 Merlin paced through north as we neared the 'caty' but the rest of the dean was fairly quiet until we got to the lower lodge area and the eastern hillside where there were loads of Blue and Great Tits, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Green Woodpecker and 2 Nuthatch along with Chaff's Goldfinches and Coal Tits - probably all being helped with the feeders in a nearby garden.

10+ Reed Buntings were around the top lodge at the end of Castle Carr Road but there were no sign of any waders on the moor as we walked back to Wainstalls.

Luddendenfoot Bat

As promised, and thanks to Steve Greenbank for the photo, here is the bat that thinks it's a bird. Photo was taken around midday over Luddendenfoot Heronry.

Cold Edge and Fly Flats

This afternoon at Cold Edge;
1 male Stonechat by Moorlands Farm
1 Curlew singing
1 Golden Plover
6 Lapwings
25 Fieldfare
4 Greylags and 4 Canada Geese
1 pair Tufted Duck

Fly Flatts
1 Red Grouse
1 pr Canada Geese
6 Carrion Crows - and that was it!

Nests and Territories

Apart from our local Herons....anybody seen any other nest-building or territorial activity?

Various sites

Swales Moor (am)
12 Skylark
c25 Linnet
1 Twite
1 Reed Bunting
1 Pied Wagtail

Ploughcroft
1 Green Woodpecker

Mixenden Res'r
1 Goosander
1 f Goldeneye
1 Green Woodpecker

Shroggs Road (reclaimed landfill site)
50+ Siskin + 1 Lesser Redpoll
7 Redwings

Cold Edge (pm)
3 Oystercatchers on the top dam
2 Tufted Duck
4 Greylag Geese and 2 Canadas
1 Peregrine over

Withens Head
1 Little Owl

Herons 'n' Bats

Filming Herons building their nests at Luddendenfoot this morning. Looks like 6 active nests this year...certainly 5. Only one pair building as the others were sitting already with their partners out fishing somewhere.

Interestingly, the pair that were building had a third bird perched by the nest playing gooseberry. I assume that this was one of last years youngsters as it didn't appear to be competing for the attention of either of the two nest-builders.

Even more curious was a day-flying bat that I first saw around 11.45 flying above the tree canopy. I didn't manage to get any footage unfortunately, but a visiting birder, (S. Greenbank), managed to get a still as it cleared the trees. The bat was quite large with a rufus body and was still in the air at around 2.00 in the afternoon.

I have asked him to try to post a picture after he returns home.

Mixenden Res'r

1 female Goldeneye

4 Goosander

1 Cormorant

2 adult L B B Gulls with 20 Common Gulls and 40 B H Gulls

Mixenden Res'r

1 female Goldeneye
4 Goosander
1 Cormorant
2 adult L B B Gulls with 20 Common Gulls and 40 B H Gulls

Swales Moor

Usual suspects this morning including the colour ringed Twite still there, but no Linnets.

Moving birds
1 Curlew >SW
1 Sparrowhawk >NW
12 Common Gulls >NW

Ogden Garden

A flock of 20 Waxwings in a tree in next door's garden this afternoon.

Todmorden today

7 Lapwing at Longfield Pond along with 8 Mallard and about 20 Canada Geese.

A Kestrel was being mobbed by a Crow over Gauxholme, and a Raven flew over Ramsden Clough reservoir going West.

Round and about....

3 Mute Swan at Triangle,1 Shelduck , 25 Lapwing and a peregrine at Ringstone

Mixenden and Ogden (golf course)

3 Tufted Duck were on Mixenden res'r this afternoon along with 2 adult L B B Gulls and 40 mixed B h and Common Gulls
1 Green Woodpecker
6 Stock Dove
c60 Woodpigeons

c25 Waxwings were feeding on insects from the tree tops near the old fish-farm pond just below Ogden golf course. These probably included some of the birds seen earlier in the day at Ogden car park. They flew back towards Ogden late afternoon to roost.

Various sites

Swales Moor (still in the thick fog this morning - it seems to have been foggy all winter up here!!)
The colour ringed Twite (present at this site since 28th Dec 2010) is still there with 4 Linnets today. Sean Grey came back to me on the bird's ringing origin - it was ringed at Heysham in 2010 - many thanks Sean.
Also present
10 Skylark
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Reed Bunting
1 Pied Wagtail
2 Grey Partridge
c60 carrion Crows

Moving birds >NE included 1 Skylark, 4 Golden Plover (2,1 and 1) and 1 Curlew

Green Woodpecker over Ploughcroft

Huddersfield Birdwatchers Club

I have received an invite today from Alf King (Hudds BW) for members of Halifax Birdwatchers Club to attend their next meeting on 8th March to sell our report. The meeting will be held in The Old Court Room in Huddersfield Town Hall beginning at 7.30 pm and will include a talk by Paul Hobson entitled "The Wood".

Brighouse & Hartshead

Male Mandarin on the canal.

Grey Wagtail & G S Woodpecker in Wellholme Park

2 singing Yellowhammers near Hartshead

2 Little Owls at Kirklees Park

2 pairs of Bullfinches

c40 Siskins with a few Redpoll in amongst

Waxwings and Curlew

About 20 Waxwing were in the car park area at Ogden this lunch time. (P.R.)
Also a curlew flew low overhead calling. (B.H.)

Tree Sparrows hit the Press

Press release from Calderdale Council re Tree Sparrow Project at Jay House Lane. Not sure about the "hundred or so" but I believe a visit last week estimated 40 to 50 so maybe our box work is paying off.
www.calderdale.gov.uk/council/news/pressreleases/detail.jsp?id=24054&ref=index

The Birds and the Bees

Can I bring blog readers attention to the next meeting of the Halifax Scientific Society which will be a talk by Edie Jolley and Charlotte Weightman covering hay meadow management (particularly in the in-bye areas) and the value of these habitats to wildlife including birds and bees. As CBCG members will know Charlotte worked with us on the Seeds Project and is now working with RSPB on the Twite Recovery Project which is continuing this work. The meeting will be held on 8th March at Halifax Central Library meeting room (downstairs) beginning at 7-15pm.

Bird Report update

Apologies to the birder who visited Woodlesford News today for a report and they didnt have any, they had just sold out. Ive now delivered a further 20 copies. Im now starting to work on the 2010 report so if anybody hasnt subbmitted there records yet then do so asap.