Ogden

 Nuthatch

Also, Teal 1 pair

Beacon Hill

 Treecreeper

Beacon Hill

 Little Owl

Closed Hazel catkins. Each catkin consists of 240 male flowers. They will ripen and release pollen in February.

Beacon Hill

 Adult male Kestrel

Todmorden Town Centre

 Yesterday I saw the first Kingfisher I've ever seen on the Calder in the centre of Todmorden. It flew upstream past the bus station as I was passing on the adjacent footpath. Thinking it might perch in one of the trees overlooking the river just N of Stansfield Road I retraced my steps but to no avail. The river is culverted at Wellington Road just N of here, so where it went is a bit puzzling.

However, while looking for it, a small brown bird shot off the concrete bank, which my wife confirmed as a Dipper when it flew past her - she'd sensibly stayed downstream near the market. 

Today, another Dipper sighting at the Wellington Road bridge over the Calder - it had been perched on the river level monitoring equipment case, and rather oddly flew off high over the adjacent houses.

 Kirklees Estate just inside the recording area 13-12-2022.

Great to see a flock of at least 12 Yellowhammers in the Kirklees Estate. M, F and juveniles.

Cold Edge

 Another photo of the Wigeon

Cold Edge

 Male Wigeon

20 Greylag Geese (18 in photo). Also 82 Pinkfeet NW

1 pair of Stonechats

Bird Report update

The 2020- 21 bird report is now also available at The Fox and Goose at Hebden Bridge.

Withens Clough

 A stunning adult male Black Redstart turned up in the clough this morning. Well done JM and thanks for the photo.

 

This site also produced a winter record in February 2021.

Two juveniles Black Redstarts were also present at Withens Clough reservoir from at least 1st September 2022 and stayed there a few weeks and reported as last seen on 22nd October.

Great birds to find !

Red-throated Diver

We received some photos yesterday of a bird seen on the River Calder near Hollas Bridge on 16th November. What a find, Dawn. ! Thankfully these photos were passed on to Mick H and identified as a Red-throated Diver. A rare bird for Calderdale though occasionally found on our upland reservoirs. They breed in Scotland and more northern areas including Iceland and northern Europe and winter along the coasts of the UK.

Red-throated Diver

This is the 10th record of this species for Calderdale. The first since the last one at Fly Flatts on 21st March 2015 (HC).

Beacon Hill

146 Common Gulls with 10 Stock Doves

Beacon Hill

 Male Kestrel

Ogden etc.

Two drake Goldeneye turned up on the reservoir yesterday - but they wern't there today. They looked really smart in pristine plumage. Another one on Cold Edge dams today - this time a single female. Always a welcome sight at this time of year as they prepare to spend the coming winter in he UK. Also at Cold Edge a Little Grebe on Spring Mill Dam.

Ogden has a decent flock of Chaffinches, though tricky to find at times as they forage on the weedy areas that were left high and dry with this years low water levels. A single Brambling was with them yesterday (BS). There is also a really good flock of tits and finches including Lesser Redpolls, Siskins and Goldfinch with Blue/Great /Coal and Long-tailed Tits and accompanying Goldcrests, Treecreepers and Great-spotted Woodpecker. A Chiffchaff was with them on 7th. 

Tawny Owl

 Recent Tawny hiding away...

Mytholmroyd canal

 Goosanders

Soil Hill

  After the last few days of easterlies, rain and fog, the switch back to southerlies produced an excellent burst of VizMig. It petered out after just a few hours, but between 07:00 - 09:00 there were quite a few birds moving, especially Woodpigeons. 

• In the first hour after sunrise 07:00 - 08:00, 5,069 Woodpigeons went south, all down the Ogden valley or directly over the Hill. There were a few hundred additional birds in the next hour, but the overall reduction in the volume of birds was obviously very noticable. In addition there were 19 Stock Doves that went south, including two separate flocks of seven.

•  There was a noticeable increase in Starlings. They started moving later in the morning, with tight compact flocks moving through making it difficult to count them. I suspect the total of 827 that I managed is quite an undercount. 

• Still a few finches moving, with 10 Brambling going south, almost certainly an undercount as well. A flock of 11 Lesser Redpoll blogging at the bottom of the North Slope was a nice addition to the day list.

In addition there were a few other birds of interest around. Two Teal flushed from the bottom of the North Slope and two Raven were blogging during the morning. 

In total managed 45 species this morning, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S121549790

Trektellen count here; https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/767/20221030

-Woodpigeon

-Brambling

Soil Hill

 Had a quick visit this afternoon once the fog and rain finally cleared, and was able to find a few nice bits.

• A very confiding Jack Snipe was the highlight of the walk, relying on its camouflage as they tend to do.

• Three Teal were on the NK Pond

• There was a flock of nine Long-tailed Tits on Ned Hill Track, which is my 101st species for the Hill this year.

In total managed 37 species this afternoon, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S121181288

-Jack Snipe

Shibden Valley

Perched Nuthatch

Soil Hill

 Slightly late update from yesterday's excellent morning session up the Hill. I was optimistic that the switch to southwesterly after the easterly arrival would induce some lively VizMig and so it transpired. My watch lasted from 07:30 - 10:30 although movement dropped off significantly after 10:00 with just a few additions afterwards. 

• The most abundant species was Fieldfare with 3308 going south during the morning, mostly in large flocks as opposed to a constant stream. The largest flock was in excess of 250 birds. There were also large numbers of Redwing moving with 934 heading south, largely in their own flocks but sometimes also mixed with the Fieldfares.

• A small group of eight Whooper Swans flew southeast high and over to the east as viewed from the Hill, at 08:45.

• There were a few flocks of Woodpigeon that flew south, with 449 going south.

• Although not masses of finches moving, there was a nice variety with 8 Brambling being the highlight. Brambling is the 100th species I have recorded on Soil Hill in 2022.

In addition to the migrating birds there were a few other bits to enjoy this morning;

• A check of the various pool yielded a single Jack Snipe.

• Halfway down the North Slope a Tawny Owl was roosting on one of the fence posts, my second day-roosting individual on the Hill this year.

• There were nine Teal, which is my highest count of the autumn so far. Eight of these were on the NK Pond, with another in the Bottom Ditch.

In total managed 48 species this morning, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S121086547

Trektellen count here; https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/767/20221022

-Fieldfares

-Whooper Swan

-Jack Snipe

-Tawny Owl