Bar-Tailed Godwits

2 bar-tailed godwits this afternoon at ringstone,from the roadside,in a howling wind. the 'photo's where taken with a hand held camera at a distance. the birds where initialy bathing & preening,so i had to wait a few minutes for these record shots.hope others saw them.

Mystery Photo !

Identity revealed - easier now!!

Lapland Bunting

 

 

 

With apologies to David Crawshaw for the delay in posting this mystery photo he took from Orford Ness recently.

Any takers ??

Other news today

A Marsh Tit reported today from Stev L near Bowers Mill Barkisland/Stainland - upstream from the pond. This is a real rarity for our area so if anyone gets chance to check the site out and re-locate it that would be a great - and try to get some record shots if you can (photo's)!!.

Several Swifts reported from the ski-lake area at Cromwell Bottom again today

Pair of Blackcaps still feeding on our garden fat-balls again today - they move all other birds on and they even see off the local Nuthatch. I think the Grey Squirrels might be tougher opposition !!

6 Common Sandpipers and LRP reported from Green Withens Res'r as well today. (GS)

Waxwings still about with 21 reported at Valley Grove near Bradshaw this morning before moving off south (PR and BH)

Redstart today in a large garden near the golf course between Midgley and Mount Skip (MH)

Hunter Hill and Mixenden Res'r

Mixenden Res'r
2 Great-crested Grebes this afternoon
1 Grey Heron >SW
1 Goldcrest singing
1 Nuthatch

Hunter Hill (in heavy drizzle)
An obvious 'fall' with 21 Wheatears (19 in one field and 2 near the golf course) together with c40 Meadow Pipits and 4 Pied Wagtails. They were all low down on the east face seeking shelter out of the wind and rain.
2 male Ring Ouzels were a nice surprise feeding in Slaughter Gap, then headed off towards the top fields near Cold Edge Road
1 Green Woodpecker calling
No hirundines

Wheatley Valley

Early start this morning looking/listening for warblers, but the weather was cold and not much song at all though a Vixen was doing her rounds and looking heavy with milk !
1 Roe Deer
1 Chiff-chaff
1 Whitethroat
2 Blackcap
8 Willow Warblers
1 Goldcrest
2 Bullfinch
4 Song Thrush
1 Jay
No hirundines through

Other news today

White Stork dropped in to Brearley Fields near Mytholmroyd this morning (Andy H)around 9.30. It had a small ring on its left leg - this is probbaly one of the Harewood birds roaming around as they seem to each year around this time! Still a good bird to see - Nice one Andy.

King Cross

7.30 this morning 30 to 40 Waxwings flying around near the big road junction. They must have found a few berries, probably the same flock reported in the area the last few days. Good to see them still around.

Lee Mount

An 'Eagle eyed' daughter this early evening spotted a pair of Blackcaps in the garden on the fat ball feeder. Unfortunately they were soon disturbed by one (of the many) local cats that pass this way. Good spot though, a first for us on a feeder. They are seen/heard in summer in the trees at the back and we have had winter records of them eating raisins and apples on the grass but good to see them on the feeder - maybe the cooler weather with fewer insects about today was a factor (?)

Yesterday as I drove down the Valley from Halifax to Tod.  I had the pleasure of seeing a flock of 30-40 waxwings in the trees across the Burnley Road from the Allan Fold.  later I had the joy of seeing hundreds of Hirunidae over the Calder especially near Sandbed.  Possibly even a Swift amongst them.  A spring like no other!

Wheatears & Waxwings

3 Wheatear Butts Green Lane at 4.45pm

My neighbour saw c20 Waxwings at Newlands Rd earlier today (I thought they would left by now?)

Callis Bridge

The first young 'uns of the year this morning at Callis - 8 Mallard ducklings. Also a Dipper, 2 Grey Wagtails, a Chiff Chaff and 2 Willow Warblers.

Buzz

A buzzard calling over Mytholmroyd today at 8.45am.

Ogden Garden

Two redpolls on the garden feeders this afternoon. Hopefuuly three photos attached

Jumble Hole

Bits seen whilst gardening today:

- willow warbler and 2 chiff chaff
- green and great spotted woodpecker
- goldcrest
- buzzard over the house mewing twice this morning
- sparrowhawk
- 2 curlew over

After the rain shower at 5pm, the first house martins of the spring (here) were at Eastwood sewage works (9 of them) joined by more than 41 swallows.

Ringstone

Two Common Sandpiper at Ringstone this morning and a Ringed Plover at Whiteholme saturday.

Blake Dean

Did another circuit of The Ridge, from Blake Dean, hoping to pick up my first ring ouzel of the year.  I failed on my mission, but did see a good cluster of perhaps 4 or 5 wheatears across from Brown Scout, plus the usual lapwings, curlews and oystercatchers.  There was also a willow warbler singing near the old churchyard.
I also had a quick look up Withens Clough, Cragg Vale on my way home, but the only thing of note here was a male stonechat and a couple of linnets.

Chris

Jumble Hole evening dog walk - 9pm

- 5 separate tawny owls calling (3 m, 2f)
- 2 woodcock roding. The first of the year here
- 3 pipistrelle bats

During the day, a green woodpecker was in the garden, and 3 jays were flying slightly excitedly around, with one doing an excellent impression of a lapwings call. Never heard that before!

Arctic Tern

Long shots  of the Arctic Tern at Elland ski lake tonight. 5 Whooper Swans still there at 19:00.

Other news today

An interesting day today !

From Soil Hill this morning - 1 Ring Ouzel (NK)

Ringstone Res'r - the first returning Common Sandpiper (DF)

Elland Gravel Pits ski-lake - 5 Whooper Swans still there late morning from yesterday (DF) - but no further reports this afternoon so guess they have moved on ? Update, still there at 7 pm. (DF)
Also located on the ski-lake early afternoon an Arctic Tern (SL) and still there early evening (DF)

Also from Elland a report (via TM) of a flock of 30+ Waxwings this morning around Lower Edge and Lowfields area so guess they could still be around the area tomorrow

4 House Martins around King Cross early evening (DJS) and a flock of c15 Swallows over Pellon, straight through this evening (NCD)

Other news

From yesterday - 3 Ring Ouzels near Midgley on their way through (NC) and 1 at Roils Head headed off towards Norton tower early evening (NCD)

Today - 2 Ring Ouzels on Wholestone Moor this morning (RR)

Doing well for migrant Ring Ouzels so far this year! - with another last Sunday at Fly Flatts (BS)

Another Ring Ouzel at Roils Head today (17th) from Nick