Today's news

Mixenden Res'r - the diver is still there at 10:00 this morning but proved elusive this afternoon in the stormy conditions though BS found it still there late afternoon, see Brian's blog link West Yorkshire Birding.

Also from Vicky J - 7 Bramblings in a garden at Highroad Well this morning, feeding on seed on the ground with one bird also seen on the feeder. Also 2 Redpoll.
It's good to know a few Bramblings are turning up this week.

From Pete Gr - Cromwell Bottom a pair of Goldeneye on the lake and c20 Redpoll in alders this afternoon.
At Jay House Lane there were a few Tree Sparrows with masses of birds to the north of the lane including 500+ Golden Plover (maybe a lot more?) , c150 Lapwings, and Fieldfare, Redwing and Starling flocks. The birds can be very distant so they are tricky to count and check for rarities even with a scope. Well worth checking in the next week or two with a chance the birds could be nearer? I guess they like it as it is well away from any disturbance ! Or who knows they may move away if ground and weather conditions deteriorate further !

A small flock of 40 to 50 Pink-footed Geese >W late afternoon near Walshaw and a Woodcock nearby (NCD DF)

Bramblings - Manor Heath

We went to look for the Bramblings as my wife has never seen one and found a mixed flock of Chaffs/Brambling of around 20 birds exactly where had been described.  They were very flighty with lots of dog walkers around and to be honest I was really struggling to determine between the two. Managed to get this record shot of the one nearest the Woodpigeons which I am sure is a Brambling.  I would estimate the flock was approximately 3:1 in favour of Chaffinch.

Mixenden Res'r

Diver still present this morning
1 Grey Wagtail
c180 B H Gulls
c 35 Common Gulls

Mixenden

Checked out the site late morning with Alan T - Great Northern Diver still present along with a Little Grebe

3 Herring gulls dropped in though they headed off >W after a brief stop

100+ mixed Black-headed and Common Gulls

1 Grey Wagtail flyover

5 Canada Geese came in

The diver photo was taken last week and also the white Carrion Crow which is still at Upper Brockholes after many years !

Recent photo's

Kestrel in Luddenden Dean and G N Diver at Mixenden

Cromwell Bottom etc..

Went with Nick D this afternoon, somewhere with a bit more shelter than the tops today!
Cromwell Bottom
16 Cormorant
9 Tufted Duck
1 Goosander
6+ Grey Heron
1 juv Mute Swan
14 Teal just above the wier
Several Bullfinch
1 Siskin
1 adult L B B Gull
182 Canada Geese
plus a few other bits and pieces....

Jay House Lane
We couldn't locate any Tree Sparrows in the cold wind - they will be there somewhere !
6 Stock Dove
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Pied Wagtail

Shelf Moor
c70 Lapwing near the trailer field

Queensbury - was covered in snow and coming down thick and fast - we saw a 'rarity' - a gritter wagon outside BS's garage - nice one Bri (sorry we didn't have time to stop though)!!!!

Mixenden Res'r
Great Northern Diver still present

Manor Heath Park

I have just received a report , via Bruce, from Lawrence, of at least 3 Brambling in the last few days in Manor Heath Park, along the inside of the wall running parallel to Manor Heath Road. There are some tall trees there including Beech with an understory of Holly etc. so it will definitely be worth a look in the next few days. Many thanks for the report.
 

Last Call

Last call for bird records for 2014. Could people please send records in for inclusion in the 2013- 14 report within the next week, thanks.

Other news today

C. 100 redwings plus 20 starlings close up, near to road, Saville Park left of chippy at around1pm. Steve B.
And from Steve L around 11:00 - 2 adult Whooper Swans at Ringstone Res'r.

G N Diver still on Mixenden Res'r 16:15
A pair of Goosander at Ogden late afternoon.

Withens Clough

Cragg Vale - Withens Clough. From Pete G this morning c 60 Brambling in some beech woodland up the tarmac track 300 m or so from the car park which is just below the Res'r embankment.
Also 4 Goldeneye on Withens Clough Res'r. ( 2 drakes).
Thanks to John M for picking the Bramblings out for us this afternoon. They were mostly sitting in the tops of trees and were very quiet and difficult to approach.  Also a Nuthatch with them and a few Chaff's. Further up the track c70 Redwings, c30 Fieldfare and a c10 Starlings.
And calling in the valley a Green Woodpecker
Well done Pete G for a very good find with the Bramblings..

Mixenden Res'r and Swales

Diver still there this morning.
Little Grebe in among the willows
Female Sparrowhawk
17 Herring Gulls >W over Hunter Hill about 09:30

Swales Moor - late morning
1 Meadow Pipit on the top but nothing else other than corvids
11 Herring Gulls >NW
4 Great Black- Backed Gulls >NW looked massive and impressive (1 adult and immatures)

This Sparrowhawk flew into our window today and become somewhat immobile. I soon brought it round. The First Aid course some of us did in December came in very useful although CPR was rather a delicate task!   I had forgotten how sharp their talons are and she held onto my finger until she had a selfie taken with me. She few off later non the worse.

That expression reminds me of some of my friends after a few glasses of wine.

She has my finger - ouch! The glove was on the wrong hand - silly me.

Mixenden Res'r

It was good to meet up with BS this afternoon and check on the G N Diver which is still there. The weather was quite misty with light drizzle so we didn't find a lot else other than Woodpigeons heading to roost in the plantation and 3 Chaffinch flyovers.
9 Herring Gulls headed through towards Mount Tabor. The other B H and Common Gulls were heading in the other direction towards Ogden.
We both heard 2 Curlew like calls but didn't see anything in the mist and were not 100% sure if wasn't someone's dog whistle!!!

Luddenden Dean (yesterday)

Afternoon walk along Castle Carr Road from Wainstals found not much other than a Little Owl fluffed up in the cold!
Down in the Dean was more productive with another 2 Little Owls and c150+ Chaffinch heading up to roost but not a sign of any Brambling with them, unfortunately.
Near the Hullet amongst the Holly and Hawthorn I ventured on a tit flock foraging through. A Chiff- chaff called several times, a surprise indeed at this time of year and it took some finding, eventually in a thorn bush with Blue Tits and still calling.
2 juvenile Great Black backed Gulls headed>NW and a large flock of Herring Gulls followed them over the moor. The Herring Gulls were calling all the time and I'm not sure how many there maybe 100+ ,  till I check the photos I took as they went over - c120 on photo check
1 drake Goosander >S

Mixenden Res'r

G N Diver still this morning with 3 f Goldeneye keeping their distance. Also 1 Little Grebe.

Copley

There was a group of 8+ Goosander, mostly females, on the Calder just W of the railway viaduct at Copley, glimpsed from a train Friday 11.00.

Mixenden Res'r

G N Diver still showing well
17 Canada Geese
1 Greylag Goose there but left >SW with the Canada's at 09:30
1 Moorhen
1 Little Grebe
2 L B B Gulls with c100 B H and 20+ Common Gulls

Jay House Lane

From Mike St.

At J H Lane today there were 500+ (the most I've ever seen there) Golden Plovers, with 250+ Lapwings - wheeling and circling overhead before settling in the fields - virtually a 'murmuration' !

Also 19 Tree Sparrows, and a Common Buzzard near the M62.

 

Looks like the Tree Sparrow colony is holding it's own -a good sign.. djs

 

Mixenden Res'r

Late morning
G N Diver still present
1 drake Goosander came in
3 Teal left >SE
1 Grey Wagtail
1 ad Herring Gull with c60 B H and  c25 Common Gulls
1 Sparrowhawk in the plantation accompanied by Magpies

Twitchers !!!

Well done to Daniel (alias Dish Fish) for getting on Winter Watch tonight - he was with the twitchers (rubbing their thighs with Chris Packam and Martin) watching the Harlequin Duck on the River Don in Aberdeenshire. That was a long journey and back for a twitch done with great enthusiasm I guess.

See the link Dishfish birding blog for info on his trip and videos and lots of other interesting features on his blog.