5 Shoveler this morning on the ski-lake at Cromwell Bottom from Steve L was a very good find. Not a common bird locally. They were also seen later from Tony M and I managed to get down there later on and they were still on the ski-lake at 2 pm with the drake looking very smart!
No sign of the Scaup on the fishing lake unless it's hiding away on the ski-lake?
1 f Tufted Duck
1 Cormoramt >E
Earlier I picked out a singing Dipper in the stream at Dean Clough, Halifax - just by the car park where the culvert exits under the mills. It's really encouraging to find Dippers so close to the town centre, though this is a regular spot for them.
Mixenden Res'r held 5 Goldeneye still this afternoon 1 drake and 4 female type but the weather was terrible so I didn't stay long!
No sign of any Waxwings at King Cross !
Quite a few Redwings around this morning but not seen later in the day so perhaps they had been roosting nearby.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Licencing of upland grouse moors and gamekeepers.
Responsible department: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Given the continuing levels of illegal persecution of birds of prey the Government is called upon to introduce a system of operating licences for upland grouse shoots. Following any proven offence
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Jayhouse Lane
Jayhouse Lane this dinner time
C400 Lapwings
C150 Golden Plover
Hundreds of Common and BH Gulls
1 Little Owl
17 Comorants on the pylon behind Sainsburys Brighouse this morning.
C400 Lapwings
C150 Golden Plover
Hundreds of Common and BH Gulls
1 Little Owl
17 Comorants on the pylon behind Sainsburys Brighouse this morning.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Fieldfares and Redwings
Had over 100 Fieldfares in the field behind the house this afternoon, feeding with 150+ Starlings. Tried to count them but they were very flighty so hard to get accurate number. Also picked out just 4 Redwings and a single Mistle Thrush on the wall trying to look superior to the flock.
3 Goosander on Longfield Dam as we drove past.
3 Goosander on Longfield Dam as we drove past.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
King Cross
A good find this morning with 3 Waxwings at 12 noon just by bottom of Warley Road (RH)
3 still there at 13.00 (NCD) and 10 >W over Tesco's at 13.10 (AC).
In between - we missed the lot !!!!- might have another try this afternoon.
There are still quite a lot of berries around King Cross on the small trees so the birds could stay around for a day or two. Easterly winds forecast in the next day or so - maybe a few more will turn up ?
Update! we tried again this afternoon tramping around King Cross for an hour but we couldn't track any Waxwings down though we did have a male Peregrine over heading towards Peoples Park from Wainhouse Tower direction. Also 3 male Bullfinch feeding on rowan berries, 20 Starlings and 2 adult L B B Gulls over >E.
3 still there at 13.00 (NCD) and 10 >W over Tesco's at 13.10 (AC).
In between - we missed the lot !!!!- might have another try this afternoon.
There are still quite a lot of berries around King Cross on the small trees so the birds could stay around for a day or two. Easterly winds forecast in the next day or so - maybe a few more will turn up ?
Update! we tried again this afternoon tramping around King Cross for an hour but we couldn't track any Waxwings down though we did have a male Peregrine over heading towards Peoples Park from Wainhouse Tower direction. Also 3 male Bullfinch feeding on rowan berries, 20 Starlings and 2 adult L B B Gulls over >E.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Swales Moor
This afternoon the Linnet flock was about 20 strong but I couldn't get anywhere near them to check for possible Twite
2 adult L B B Gulls >N
1 Sparrowhawk >N
1 Kestrel
2 Grey Partridge
8 Red-legged Partridge
A few Common Gulls around
2 adult L B B Gulls >N
1 Sparrowhawk >N
1 Kestrel
2 Grey Partridge
8 Red-legged Partridge
A few Common Gulls around
Mixenden and Cold Edge
Mixenden Res'r this morning
4 f Goldeneye
100+ B H Gulls adn c40 Common Gulls and that was it !
Cold Edge (and it was cold up there!!)
14 Canada Geese
4 Greylag Geese
2 Meadow Pipits
30+ Common Gull
c50 Carrion Crows
c30 Jackdaws
1 Pheasant
c20 Red Grouse
1 female Sparrowhawk, sitting the cold wind out behind a hedge near Balkram Edge but no sign of the usual pair of Little Owls - I guess they were seeking better shelter somewhere nearby instead of on a stone wall.
4 f Goldeneye
100+ B H Gulls adn c40 Common Gulls and that was it !
Cold Edge (and it was cold up there!!)
14 Canada Geese
4 Greylag Geese
2 Meadow Pipits
30+ Common Gull
c50 Carrion Crows
c30 Jackdaws
1 Pheasant
c20 Red Grouse
1 female Sparrowhawk, sitting the cold wind out behind a hedge near Balkram Edge but no sign of the usual pair of Little Owls - I guess they were seeking better shelter somewhere nearby instead of on a stone wall.
Waxwings
c15 briefly in a tree on Crowtrees Lane near Rastrick Library at 13:36hrs this afternoon. They flew off in the direction of Carr Green J&I School after a Mistle Thrush disturbed them.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
High Royd and River Calder
High Royd this afternoon
2 Teal
12+ Mallard
1 Grey Heron
2 Grey Wagtail
14+ Pied Wagtail
120+ Carrion Crows on the filter beds
2 Nuthatch
I tried for Water Rail but viewing the beds is almost impossible now - I guess there would be a chance of hearing them though! No Coot or Moorhens.
Luddenden Foot
1 Kingfisher on the Calder
Brearley
3 Goosander
1 Goldcrest (first of the year for me)
1 Jay
17 Canada Geese
Black-headed Gulls c100 on Brearley Fields
29 Herring Gulls >W late afternoon (17 and 11) following the calder and quite low down they looked really interesting - mostly adults.
2 Teal
12+ Mallard
1 Grey Heron
2 Grey Wagtail
14+ Pied Wagtail
120+ Carrion Crows on the filter beds
2 Nuthatch
I tried for Water Rail but viewing the beds is almost impossible now - I guess there would be a chance of hearing them though! No Coot or Moorhens.
Luddenden Foot
1 Kingfisher on the Calder
Brearley
3 Goosander
1 Goldcrest (first of the year for me)
1 Jay
17 Canada Geese
Black-headed Gulls c100 on Brearley Fields
29 Herring Gulls >W late afternoon (17 and 11) following the calder and quite low down they looked really interesting - mostly adults.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Today's news!
The day started off well with 2 Shelduck at Ringstone Res'r followed this afternoon with the 1st winter Scaup still on the fishing lake at Brookfoot and a Water Rail on the River Calder - all thanks to JB.
This afternoon from NCD and DF a large flock of Brambling in the woodlands in Crimsworth Dean with probably 150 or so though they were flighty and difficult to pin down. They were in and around the woodland near the 'house in the dell' about a mile upstream from Midgehole car park. There is quite a lot of beech woodland up there so there is a good chance they could stay around for a while. (?)
And from NCD yesterday 3 Greylag Geese at Cold Edge but not a lot else.
This afternoon from NCD and DF a large flock of Brambling in the woodlands in Crimsworth Dean with probably 150 or so though they were flighty and difficult to pin down. They were in and around the woodland near the 'house in the dell' about a mile upstream from Midgehole car park. There is quite a lot of beech woodland up there so there is a good chance they could stay around for a while. (?)
And from NCD yesterday 3 Greylag Geese at Cold Edge but not a lot else.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
2013 Bird Records
Our recorder Nick Dawtrey thanks all those who have sent in their records and would welcome any further Calderdale records for last year - by the end of January please.
Nick is especially after any Water Rail records as so far it looks like we have none for last year!
Thanks to Nick too for his diligence and care as our local recorder.
Nick is especially after any Water Rail records as so far it looks like we have none for last year!
Thanks to Nick too for his diligence and care as our local recorder.
Swales Moor
Pretty dead up there this morning with nothing moving at all. The usual corvids were on the top in good numbers but the best I could find was 18 Meadow Pipits, 2 Bullfinch and 3 Greylag Geese over.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Fly Flatts, Withens Head and Mixenden Res'r
Nothing at all moving this morning but a lot of Red Grouse visible and flying about near the wind farm and across the moor.
The only other bird seen was a Golden Plover and calling on the moor, this is early though I have had them before in January up there even when snow has been on the ground.
Just 3 female Goldeneye on Mixenden along with 6 Mallard
Red Grouse
The only other bird seen was a Golden Plover and calling on the moor, this is early though I have had them before in January up there even when snow has been on the ground.
Just 3 female Goldeneye on Mixenden along with 6 Mallard
1st winter male Scaup
Photographed distantly yesterday (20 January) from the road as access is a problem here but interesting to notice the marked difference in plumage of this individual in comparison to the photographs taken on 5 January by DF.
Assuming it is the same bird it is rapidly moulting into adult plumage, it will be interesting to observe how its moult progresses providing it hangs around of course.
Assuming it is the same bird it is rapidly moulting into adult plumage, it will be interesting to observe how its moult progresses providing it hangs around of course.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Ogden
This afternoon
1 very red fox asleep and sunning itself on a wall.
1 Goldeneye drake
1 adult Cormorant in breeding plumage flew over
Red Grouse up by 'The Giants Tooth'
The woodland was very quiet
1 very red fox asleep and sunning itself on a wall.
1 Goldeneye drake
1 adult Cormorant in breeding plumage flew over
Red Grouse up by 'The Giants Tooth'
The woodland was very quiet
Woodcock
Check out Nigel's - Queensbury Birder blog for some great shots of a Woodcock picked up in a Queensbury garden today after flying into a window! Thankfully the bird was alive, though stunned and later released.
Swales Moor
A very interesting 2 hrs this morning up there picking up a light movement of big gulls and a skein of Pink-footed Geese (eventually)!!!
1 Common Buzzard over and another reported heading down the Wheatley Valley from Ogden late morning thanks to Nigel, but I couldn't pick it up!
54 'pinks' >NW changed to >W as they got over Mt Tabor at 11.05
28 Herring Gulls >W mostly singles though two groups of 9
5 Great Black- backed Gulls (2 and 3) >SW
10 Common Gulls >NE
230 Woodpigeons >NE
1 Pied Wagtail >SW
Around the site
1 Green Woodpecker heard
17 Linnets but no Twite
10 Meadow Pipits
c40 Lapwings over the fields toward Shelf
1 Kestrel
Masses of corvids
Great visibility high today though haze in the valleys - The Red Arrows were giving the sky a going over towards Lincolnshire too. I couldn't pick out the aircraft but the vapour trails gave it away!
1 Common Buzzard over and another reported heading down the Wheatley Valley from Ogden late morning thanks to Nigel, but I couldn't pick it up!
54 'pinks' >NW changed to >W as they got over Mt Tabor at 11.05
28 Herring Gulls >W mostly singles though two groups of 9
5 Great Black- backed Gulls (2 and 3) >SW
10 Common Gulls >NE
230 Woodpigeons >NE
1 Pied Wagtail >SW
Around the site
1 Green Woodpecker heard
17 Linnets but no Twite
10 Meadow Pipits
c40 Lapwings over the fields toward Shelf
1 Kestrel
Masses of corvids
Great visibility high today though haze in the valleys - The Red Arrows were giving the sky a going over towards Lincolnshire too. I couldn't pick out the aircraft but the vapour trails gave it away!
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Wainstalls area
A very good afternoon, especially for Little Owls with 2 at Balkram Edge, another 2 along Castle Carr Road and yet another 2 in the upper dean.
1 Sparrowhawk female
1 Common Buzzard over > SW
1 male Kestrel
2 Raven 'cronking' over very high >NW
1 male Stonechat
c180 Fieldfares off to roost
3 Goosander flyovers towards Cold Edge late afternoon
Also of interest were a few small groups of big gulls heading up the Calder Valley late afternoon but they were too far away for identification though they were probably Herring Gulls with Gt B Backs!
No sign of any 'pinkies'. !!
1 Sparrowhawk female
1 Common Buzzard over > SW
1 male Kestrel
2 Raven 'cronking' over very high >NW
1 male Stonechat
c180 Fieldfares off to roost
3 Goosander flyovers towards Cold Edge late afternoon
Also of interest were a few small groups of big gulls heading up the Calder Valley late afternoon but they were too far away for identification though they were probably Herring Gulls with Gt B Backs!
No sign of any 'pinkies'. !!
Starlings II
Went to look for the starling flock in Bacup Road. We were too early for the fly-past so we drove up Sourhall Road. Saw c200-300 birds on wires and in field then they gradually joined up in a huge flock - more birds joining all the time and flew onto one of the pylons on opposite side of the main road. By now we'd driven down to the main road and across it onto a track. After 10 mins or so they took off in a flock from the pylon and swirled above us for 10 mins before settling into long grass/reeds on the hillside. Bob estimated c2,000 birds in total. 20 fieldfare in field at the side of Sourhall Road.
Sandra
Sandra
