Mixenden res'r etc....

The recent adult Great Black-backed Gull was there again on 21st and 22nd though I failed to relocate it after 11:20 yesterday when all the gulls were put up off the embankment and the water with many moving off. Just a single Cormorant on the water but still no sign there of any Goldeneye this winter. It was formerly a regular wintering spot for them !

Little else in the very wet woodland other than 3 Goldcrests feeding close together in the pine trees.

Brief check at Cromwell Bottom ski-lake this morning. The 2 Scaup are still there, looking good, as are 12 Tufted Duck and 7 Goldeneye  (including 4 drakes).

A small flock of Siskin were also reported c150 yds down from Cromwell Lock (GS).

Song Thrush singing at Midgehole, near Hardcastle Crags (NG) and another at Cromwell Bottom this morning.

Cromwell Bottom - ski-lake

 A day for ducks......

The Tufted Duck flock seems to be increasing daily with a maximum count today of 27.

Also, and enjoyed by a good few observers, were at least 10 Goldeneye (5 drakes), 3 Shoveler (1 drake), 2 Scaup, several Goosander and a drake Pochard which has certainly been a scarce bird in Calderdale in recent years. Also today from JB - a Little Grebe.

Certainly a site worth checking on a regular basis at this time of year.

Mixenden Reservoir (and recent updates)

Site visit 16th January.

Bonus bird was an adult Great black-backed Gull, most of the time just resting on the water, looking a real 'bruisers' of a bird compared with 3 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls and up to 20 Herring Gulls nearby. Also on the embankment 20+ Common Gulls and 40+ Black-headed Gulls. The  gulls here like to drop in, bathe and preen then move off, with others arriving almost continuously at times during the winter period.

Nothing else on the water other than 1 drake Mallard.

Over the years this site has produced some outstanding sightings so it's always worth a check even though it is often disappointing !

The woodland was so wet - a welly job so didn't venture far in.

Elsewhere 6 Brambling were located in Luddenden (MH) and throughout the day a big move of Pink-footed Geese reported passing over the Calder Valley probably in excess of 800 birds.

4 Whooper Swans passed over Northowram (AC) heading south late afternoon and 11 Whooper Swans at Lower Gorple on the 15th .Upto 8 Crossbills , 30 Sisking and a few Redpoll are showing well in Walshaw Dean Plantation (MH , AC)

The 2 Scaup at Cromwell Bottom ski-lake seem to be well settled having been reported there since 5th November 2024 - presumably the same birds ?.

Also on the ski-lake a small flock each of Tufted Ducks and with Goldeneye drakes now starting to display..

  Pink-footed Geese have been seen in good numbers so far this year with aprox 2 to 3 thousand birds heading west ...

Cromwell Bottom and Castle Carr Road

 Finally got a bit of  birding yesterday 15th Jan.

Cromwell Bottom ski-lake

2 Scaup still present and sticking together. Looks like they are paired up now with the drake looking particularly good. I suspect these are the long stayers from the end of 2024 when they both were in immature plumage.

Still limited viewing of the lake but also present as far as I could see were 18 Tufted Duck, 9 Goldeneye (inc 5 drakes), 14 Cormorant, 4 L B B Gulls (inlcuding 1 intermedius), 3 Herring Gulls, 7 Coot, 3 Moorhen and 2 Grey Heron along with just a few B H Gulls and 2 Common Gulls.

An afternoon  saunter along a short stretch of Castle Carr Road produced a nice surprise with 2 Golden Plover on the edge of the moor that called and sped of towards Cold Edge. Also 6 Red Grouse becoming vocal and 3 Fieldfares

Shroggs Park - Mistle Thrush in full song yesterday afternoon

River Ryburn and Mid Jannuary

 A walk along the river Ryburn today produced 19 Mandarin Duck by far my biggest count in Calderdale in fact anywhere , the 12 males  were in perfect plumage and 7 female types . Dipper , Moorhen and Mallards made for a great walk, Cromwell was very busy with 23 Tufted Duck , 2 Pochard , 2 Scaup , 8 Goldeneye , 5 Teal .500 Black headed gulls( the odd one or two with full black hoods)  , 100 Common Gulls , 3 LBBGulls (1 intermedius) and 6 Herring Gulls...

Shibden Park

Ring-necked Parakeet 1

Lots of overnight snow !

Not much to report today though  the feeder was  busy with Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed Tits.

Most interesting was a superb looking Grey Wagtail in the crescent feeding off the snow and searching the walls and fences. Not much like their usual stream-side habitat but it must have been finding food as it was there most of the morning.

Cold Edge

3 of 50 Fieldfares

Also, 66 Greylag geese!

Soil Hill, Ringstone Edge & Cromwell Bottom

   Had an enjoyable day out birding around Halifax with Harry Coghill. We started at Soil Hill (of course) where we flushed two Jack Snipe, had a flyover Golden Plover, a heard-only Redpoll and two Raven blogging in glorious conditions above the fog.

  Whilst there a message came through from DF that there were two drake Pintail on Ringstone, which would have been a Calderdale tick for us both. So we finished off our loop around the Hill before heading over. Upon arriving at Ringstone we quickly found the Pintails in the middle of the reservoir, with two drakes and two females sadly never coming close. In addition, a pair of Wigeon was close to the willows on the north bank.

-Pintail

  Now midday we decided to head over to Cromwell Bottom for a Calderdale tick of Scaup for HC. We arrived but couldn't spot any Scaup from La Casa so headed down to the canal bank. From one of the spots where it is possible to view through the fence we managed to pick out the Aythya flock at the western end of the lake but viewing was nearly impossible. We did manage to pick out the female Scaup, but couldn't make out the male. At least four Goldeneye were also on the lake, along with four Coot.

  Whilst we were watching we spotted a group of four ducks come in from the west and circle the lake. Although we only caught the end of the group, we noticed that the first bird was certainly a drake Wigeon. Fortunately, the group looped around and we were shocked to see the other three birds in the group were female Pintails, so a different group to Ringstone. They looped high above the lake three times, before heading off southwest, although the Wigeon later returned and landed on the lake. 

-Pintail & Wigeon

We finished off the day with a visit to Jay House Lane, but failed to find any Tree Sparrows. 

In total managed 32 species at Soil Hill, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S206721238

In total managed 14 species at Ringstone Edge, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S206725297

In total managed 32 species at Cromwell Bottom, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S206733532

Shibden Park

Single Mute Swan still here. The knob at the base of the bill is a little more swollen than in the photo of 5 November - suggesting that the bird is a male?

Stump Cross

3 Greenfinches: a welcome sight

Short -toed Eagle..Accepted by the BBRC

 

Whiteholme

 1 of 3 Ravens. I still sometimes have difficulty separating Raven from Carrion Crow when a flying or perched bird is seen against the sky, from the side, and there is nothing nearby for size comparison. There is not a vast size difference between a large Crow bill and a small Raven bill. The new photographic 'ID Handbook of European Birds' mentions a useful Raven feature that can be seen well in the lower photo of this bird (which has a small bill for a Raven): "the distal part of the upper mandible is strongly curved".

Red -throated Diver

 Red -throated Diver in Hebden Bridge today for its second day..Mayroyd Marina and Falling Royd...

Latest news

Still no news of the Slavonian  Grebe following the recent frost and icing on the lake at Lee Dam where it stayed for a good while. Several check have been made by several observers at the dam and nearby water bodies including the River Calder and the Rochdale Canal.

A lot of interest today with another Calderdale rarity. A Red-throated Diver found in a most unexpected location - the marina at Hebden Bridge where it appears to have stayed most of the day. Later reported on the canal and the river. As far as I know the last report was of if it drifting down towards Mytholmroyd so it could well be worth looking for tomorrow or the next day or two.

Grebe update..

 The Slavonian Grebe still at Lee Dam today but the water is freezing up rapidly other than the inlet stream (BL). The bird will probably move on elsewhere if the freeze continues......

A single Snow Bunting yesterday from Rishworth Moor (TW) but no sign of it today (LD)

North of England Raptor Forum

The recent conference last Saturday was a very interesting and informative day. Very well organised, this annual event this year was held locally at the Shay Stadium. 

Masses of hard work and dedication from many people. Not only out 'in the field' but also for producing  NERF's most recent publication. Great encouragement all round to every one of us to 'keep up the good work'. With thanks especially to our local stalwarts and organisers on the day - SD and TW.

The 2023 publication is available to download for free on the NERF website.

https://raptorforum.wordpress.com/

Beacon Hill

 10 Red-legged Partridges

Some of the news from the last few days......

The Slavonian Grebe was still being seen at Lee Dam though the pond was icing up yesterday. If the icing gets worse it may move on but for the present it seems to be content to stay at this site. (BL et al) 

4 Whooper Swans went west over Mytholmroyd on Tuesday (MJB), perhaps the same 4 that were present on Baitings res'r on Monday (SB). A single Whooper was on the Albert Road, Pellon Res'r yesterday afternoon (NcD).

2 Common Scoters were on the ski-lake at Cromwell Bottom yesterday (M.Sh).

There were also several reports of Barn Owls being seen in daylight late afternoons - obviously out hunting early during the cold, icy weather.

A few Crossbills, Siskins and Redpolls were reported around  Walshaw Dean along with a few Fieldfare (MJB AC). Fieldfares and Redwings were also seen around the Akroyd Park area and Cunnery Wood in the last few days (RH).

A very smart looking adult Mediterranean Gull has also been showing on and off at Ogden Water in the last week or two (DJB, JJL and BS et al).

Shibden Park

1st cy female Tufted Duck. The iris is orange, (not bright yellow).

Also, 2 males.