Whiteholme

Dunlin 3 of 4
Also: Ringed plover 1
          Common sandpiper 3

Lesser Whitethroat, 12 May

Just a note to say that today Mick Cunningham has written a helpful detailed comment about this bird.

Soil Hill - updates from the week

A much slower week overall. Windy conditions have kept activity down overall. 

Waders

The Lapwings on the bottom field have been absolutely hammered by the crows, I think the chicks I saw a couple of weeks back lasted a dat. No Lapwings were on that field today, but there are still a few lingering in other fields. Oystercatchers are still present and Snipe are still drumming daily. Curlews are also still regular. 

Migrants

Numbers well down this week due to the cold weather of possibly due to individuals settling down. The Sedge Warbler was on fine form for most of the week, and was joined by a second singing bird on the 16th but there was no sign of the second bird on the 17th. 

-2nd Sedge Warbler

Sand Martins were present in good numbers up until Monday when northerlies started. Since then they have been much harder to come by. Just two birds on the 15th and again on the 17th. 

Whitethroats are still in good form, but a number of birds are remaining quiet in the wind. I suspect there is still a minimum of 7 territories. Willow Warblers are similar but their activity has dropped well off, making it diffiult to judge how many territories are still active.

A handful of Wheatears have been present through the week, but no more than two on any single day and none on the 16th and 17th. The Stonechats remain present, but have not spent so much time watching them. 

The only other bird of note was a Green Woodpecker on the 15th

-Green Woodpecker

Heath Hill/Sentry Edge

Mile walk - 4 linnet, little owl, 2 swallow nest sites, a few swifts and a stoat. Skylarks, lapwings and curlew(although no juncus) appear to be resident in the heath hill field but unfortunately it will be cut any time.

I would be grateful if someone could i.d. this month for me? 

Last few days !

Always trying to improve photo skills but I had the wrong lens on for the Tawny Owl and Cuckoo near Ogden earlier this week. The Cuckoo was in very good voice !

 Tawny Owl

Cuckoo

Shibden Valley

Four days ago I saw a Lesser Whitethroat next to Kell Lane - about 100m north of where I saw one in 2017. It was in a large hawthorn west of the road, about 50m above where Staups Lane joins Kell Lane.
My experience makes me think that descriptions of this species in guide books leave something to be desired, and I'd be interested to know what other bloggers think.
Vinicombe et al (The Helm guide to bird ID) say that the head is grey, often with darker lores and ear coverts, the upperparts are grey-brown, and the underparts appear clean silky-white. Svensson et al (Collins bird guide) say the bird is always grey-brown above with greyer crown and tail, and darker grey ear coverts - darker than crown; and their pictures show buff underparts. Neither mentions any difference between the sexes.
My bird was small and very active, making it difficult to see all its features (I didn't see the legs, for example). It stayed in the bush, and after maybe a minute flew off - when the white sides to the short tail were clearly seen.
The sun was shining, and to me the cap and ear coverts both looked light to mid-brown - with no difference in colour. The upperparts were mid-brown, and the underparts a clean light buff (not "silky-white"). I didn't see a whiter throat, but cannot exclude this. And I didn't see any grey in the upperparts.
There are several races of Lesser Whitethroat worldwide, but I have to assume that in Calderdale in spring I'm looking at the W European race.
In the past I have seen Lesser Whitethroats that fit the above textbook descriptions, and in which the white throat stands out. What I wonder is whether these are males, and whether females differ from males in having brown caps and ear coverts, (similar to the sex difference in Common Whitethroat).
This would make the bird I saw three days ago a female. I haven't seen it again as yet, (and I haven't seen a grey-capped bird either!).
The latest two issues of Birdwatch have included three photos of Ferruginous Duck, but I don't recall any recent ones of Lesser Whitethroat. It's not hard to see why, given the way the bird refuses to stay still in the open in the way its Common cousin (and Ferruginous Duck) often does. If photographers could get more spring photos of UK Lessers (before there are any juveniles to muddy the picture), maybe a sex difference will become apparent?

Mixenden Reservoir etc

This morning - also did the plantation and part of Hunter Hill including Slaughter Gap.
The reservoir was very quiet on arrival but an  hour or so later a good number of hirundines had arrived probably due to the cold >NNE wind and the attraction of insects over the water.
60+ House Martins
30+ Swallows
c10 Swifts
1 Sand Martin
Also a Redshank present

Shelter in the plantation produced Chiffchaff, Blackcap, several Willow Warblers and a Jay but not  a great deal else.

Hunter Hill
2 Curlew
4 Skylarks
4 Meadow Pipits
1 Cuckoo - very vocal
Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk over towards Ogden
Checked the Dotterel fields but nothing doing other than lots of corvids - Carrion Crows, Jackdaws and Magpies. Lapwings having a hard time.

Slaughter Gap was quiet apart from Willow Warblers singing.

Soil Hill - updates from the week

Quite a lively week with a few bits to report. Migrant numbers remained good with at least 8 Willow Warbler still present and Whitethroats now also up to the same number. Sand Martins increased during the week with at least 10 in the quarry on the 9th. Oystercatcher, Snipe, Lapwing and Curlew still present daily. Both Red-legged and Grey Partridges still encountered on occasions.

04th May

YELLOW WAGTAIL flew westward across the bottom of the north slope, calling frequently. Sadly did not appear to stop and continued towards Ogden. Bird was extremely yellow so presumably it was a male. 

1 Wheatear

1 Stonechat

1 Jay flew south

05th May

WHINCHAT female was perched on the heather on the western side of the summit early morning. It then made rapid progress to the fence line at the top of the north slope before it flew down the slope where I was unable to relocate it. This all happened in the space of about 5 minutes. 

2 House Martin flew north

1 Goldcrest

1 Wheatear

-Whinchat

06th May

WHITE WAGTAIL 2cy female at the bottom of the north slope, in presence of a male Pied Wagtail. Another frustratingly brief encounter and I was unable to relocate the bird.

1 Chiffchaff
2 Wheatear
2 Stonechat

-White Wagtail

1 Sedge Warbler. In the evening returned to the site to see the Sedge Warbler NK had seen in the morning. Bird was elusive but has been present every day since and has been particularly showy at times. 

-Sedge Warbler

07th May

1 Cuckoo singing from Ogden

1 Stonechat

1 Wheatear

1 Swift, my first of the year here. Have been seen every day subsequently.

08th May
2 Wheatear

09th May
RED KITE flew slowly north over the Hill. Botched my camera settings unfortunately.
1 Green Woodpecker
1 Blackcap
1 Stonechat
1 Wheatear

-Red Kite

10th May
HOBBY flew over Taylor Lane and south in very windy conditions.

Ogden Garden

Cuckoo heard from the garden today and yesterday

Rishworth FINALLY a Swift....

I FINALLY got a Swift, there were three over the house screaming and feeding....

Cuckoo

Cuckoos heard 6th May.  One at Widdop reservoir and one Jacks Bridge (New Delight).

Sedge Warbler

Sedge Warbler at Willow Valley Golf Club Clifton this morning.

Shibden Park

7 May: Mute Swan - 7 cygnets

Beacon Hill

7 May: Whitethroat

Shibden Park

'Chinese goose' - Anser cygnoides   (photo 4 May)
This is the domesticated descendent of the wild Swan Goose, which breeds in SE Russia, Mongolia, and N China. The large bill with a basal knob is characteristic. It has white and dark forms, though this one is a mix of the two.

Beacon Hill

26 April:

Little owl

Sky-watch...

At last...... a single Swift this afternoon - straight through, no lingering, but I was pleased to eventually get one after much sky- watching over the last couple of weeks.
HC at Haworth got in excess of 200 Swifts through today. Right place today Howard.

It's a relief that some have arrived as when they are scarce at this time of year I start wondering if some catastrophe has occurred to them on migration from Africa. It must be a tremendously hazardous and arduous journey. They are amazing birds. Lets hope the national decline in recent times takes a turn for the better in the next few years.

Green withens 0630-900

Seemed very quiet in the low fog but still 6 wheatears around plus all the usual birds

Now 2 willow warblers 1 in the junction and  other by the clough by the depot plus a very smart stonechat
1 swallow flew north best of all a collared dove flew east

Soil Hill - updates from the week

Much slower week on the whole. At least 5 Whitethroat around the Hill now, Willow Warbler numbers remained consistent (Peak count 8) with a slight dip during the poorer conditions mid-week. Oystercatcher, Lapwing and Curlew present daily. At least 2 pairs of Red-legged Partridge around. Few bits from the week...

27th April

6 Wheatear

1 Stonechat

28th April

As previously posted 11 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Cuckoo and 2 Wheatear

29th April

1 Green Woodpecker calling nearer Ogden

Singles of Stonechat and Wheatear

30th April

1 Goldcrest

2 Wheatear

01st May

1 Raven flew east

Single Wheatear

02nd May

1 Greylag Goose and 3 Cormorants flew N over

1 Sand Martin blogging

1 Wheatear

03rd May

3 Snipe. Highest count of the week but recorded daily

2 Sand Martin

3 Wheatear

-Wheatear

-Whitethroat

Colouring on these birds

    The bottom pic is a lot lighter bird this is why I asked for ID