22nd December

Not many birds about yesterday, but this unusual cloud formation seen from Roils Head made the national news.

18th December, Snow Buntings

2 and an half hours spent today at Soil Hill (the coldest place on Earth) trying to photograph the 8 Snow Buntings that were present. Top 9 taken with Panasonic Lumix fz18, bottom 2 digi scoped, fuji f30 through Lieca scope.

11th December

2 Great black-Backed Gulls south west over the house were the only birds of note today.

10th December

24 Golden Plovers in with 33 Lapwings at High Road Well Moor today, not much else doing.

9th December

Walk over Roils Head abandoned due to heavy hail storm, but still managed 14 Herring Gulls going west and 22 Collared Doves sheltering in the pines. 1 Skylark at High Road Well Moor, also 82 Black-headed Gulls and about 20 Lapwings present.

5th December

Down with the dreaded lurgi for the past 5 days so little birding done. Only birds of note 2 Herring Gulls over today and 10 west yesterday.

1st December

In my opinion December is the worst month of the year, dark nights, the over hype of Christmas etc. Decided to get the bus up to Wainstalls but the key to the house got stuck in the door and by the time I got it out I had missed the bus, so walked it instead. The Goldeneye was still at Cold Edge also 4 Moorhens, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Red Grouse and a couple of Pheasants. Bumped into Dave and Jen and added Little Owl and 3 Stonechats but not much else. Thanks for lift back home Dave.

27th November

Out with SC this PM. 13 Stock Doves, 1 Redwing and 1 Tree Sparrow at Jay House Lane. 1 Goosander, 1 Little Grebe, 10 Yellowhammers, 2 Bullfinch, 8 Pheasants, 1 Little Owl and 1 Tawny Owl at Bradley Hall Farm.

24th November, Cold Edge

Had a walk to Cold Edge Dams and back today, best I could do was 1 Goldeneye, 2 Tufted Ducks, 1 Red Grouse, 1 Kestrel, 1 Common Gull, 5 Chaffinch and 3 Goldfinch, not very good for a 3 hour walk.

The work of Falco tinnunculus ? Roils Head 23rd November

 The work of a Kestrel I assume, either that or Alice Coopers in town. Wouldnt like to be a vole.

This Carrion Crow had a chunk of bread stuck on the end of its bill.

20th November

 Digi Scoped Kestrel.

Out on the moors again with SC. A ringtail Hen Harrier was the highlight today, also 3 Common Buzzards, 3 Kestrels, stacks of Red Grouse, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker then had to pack in when the fog came down.

19th November

Out with SC today, first stop was to look for the Rough-leg but no sign so checked the Scammonden Valley, nothing doing there. Moved on to another moorland site which started off very quiet but eventually picked up with a ringtail Hen Harrier being conitinually pestered by a Short-eared Owl, also 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Kestrels and a few Redpolls. Missed the Crossbills and Bramblings that were present.

More Rough- leg photos

 Rough-legged mobbed by Kestrel.

All taken with a Panasonic Lumix fz18, in the rush to get to the bird I left my digi scpoing camera at home. Once again thanks to Tim for the lift, he's probably got some better shots than me, lets hope it sticks around for the weekend so other deserving Calderdale birders can catch up with this brilliant raptor.

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah 197

 Rough-legged Buzzard on our southern border.

There is a god of birding after all. After the dissapointment of 13th October when Karen Mather took brilliant photos of a Rough Leg in Calderdale I thought thats it another Calderdale mega missed, no chance of one turning up for at least 20 years, then yesterday Tim Walker rang me to say a friend of his was watching a Rough Leg on our southern border but the fog had come in and there was no point looking for it further that day. So today I made sure I was up early to here the good news that it was still there, Tim kindly picked me up and within half an hour we were enjoying great views of the bird. Most of the time it was out of our area but on occasions it drifted into Calderdale air space so a tick for my Calderdale list taking me on to 197,  I think, will have to check that. Wheather its the same bird as the 13th Oct we do not yet know???

13th November, unusual visitor

 Harris Hawk

Back on the local Grey Hound track this PM, was surprised to come across a falconer with an Harris Hawk. May I suggest a bigger bird mate a Harpy Eagle might do the trick.
One Skylark at Tower Hill.

12th November

Decided to have a walk up to Cold Edge today. Not much doing, a Goldeneye was probably the best bird. Reed Bunting, Kestrel, Mallards and 1 Red Grouse were also noted. 30+ Red Grouse flew past me at the old Withens Hotel, wondered what had put them up, I soon found out when I reached Fly Flats as the moors were swarming with beaters and shooters, turned round and walked back home. 1 first winter Herring Gull flew west at Wainstalls on my way back.

7th 8th 9th 10th 11th November

After Sundays emergancy tooth extraction spent the last 5 days kicking about Roils Head in the hope of finding a second Shorelark for the area (1st one 27th November 1997). The conditions have been the same for the last five days as it was when I found the bird 14 years ago (thick fog) however with the amount of dogs running around up here now the chance of anything staying is slim, Im sereously thinking of packing this site in, its just got so bad.
5 Grey Partridge still at Tower Hill.

5th November Soil Hill

A rare visit to Soil Hill today looking for Snow Bunting. 1 SB was flushed from the north side of the hill and flew off calling, not relocated in the next 3 hours. Also 4 Linnets, 2 Skylarks, 2 Golden Plovers north, 1 Kestrel and several LBBGs.

3rd November

Black-headed Gull at Mount Tabor yesterday. Can not work out if this bird is just getting its dark hood or just loosing it.
Today a nice surprise was only my second ever local Grey Wagtail flying noeth west and my second Jay at Roils Head. Not much else although the gull numbers seem to be slowly increasing.

OH MY GOD

 Juvenile Rough-legged Buzzard by Karen Mather.

Stunning images of a Rough Leg 1km south west of Ringstone Edge on 13th October. Birders twitching the Great Northern Diver at Ringstone that day had no idea of what was sat on a post 1 minutes drive away.
Unfortunatly the observer didnt know who to contact and news didnt break until the bird had gone, still a great find for Halifax. Myself and DJS had a good look at the site today 1st November but no luck.

30th October

Usual walk produced nothing much, a Reed Bunting being the most exotic find today. Did take a few more snaps of Common Gulls at Mount Tabor.

28th October

 Carrion Crow

 Common Gull

 Black-headed Gull

Just my luck, a week after the Filey trip and 2 Olive Backed Pipits turn up in the country park, still present after 3 days. I have to settle for taking pictures of Black-headed and Common Gulls and in a fit of depression even a Carrion Crow. Did have a rather robust looking accipiter go over Tower Hill but couldnt get enough on it.