Friday 27 May 2011

Blacktoft Sands 27th May

Sedge Warbler digi scoped.


Yellow Wagtail digi scoped.



Black-tailed Godwit digi scoped.




Water Rail digi scoped.






Pair of Garganey with young Pochards digi scoped.



Marsh Harrier female with just killed young coot. Panasonic Lumix

Marsh Harrier pair. Panasonic Lumix.


















27th May Blacktoft Sands

Old Moor let me and Roy down again by not holding on to the Least Sandpiper over night. Anyway Ive seen one before in Yorkshire at Blacktoft in 1999 but it would have been a lifer for Roy. We went to Blacktoft in stead but before we got there I picked out a Honey Buzzard flying along side the M62 between juntion 35 and 36 heading south west at 11.25AM, unfortunatly for Roy it was on my side of the car and he couldnt see it (another lifer for Roy gone). Blacktoft started slowly with few waders about apart from the usual Avocets and the odd Greenshank, 26 Black-tailed Godwits flew in later on. A Water Rail and Yellow Wagtail were found at Marshlands and Marsh Harriers were seen food passing on 4 occasions and a female was seen to kill a young coot and carry it off. A Common Gull was an unusual find at this time of year and Sedge Warblers were singing and showing well. We were running out of time and we still hadn't seen the reported pair of Garganey, with only 15 minutes left before we had to go we found them out side first hide and watched them for 10 minutes before they flew off. A great afternoons birding and good to get out of Calderdale for a change. Photos to follow later.

Wednesday 25 May 2011

25th May evening

Had a couple of hours out with SC this evening, went looking for DJSs Redstart but no luck. I did however have a Spotted Flycatcher which was a year tick for me. Other birds included Peregrine, Buzzard, Blackcap, Grey Wagtail, BHG, Great Spotted Woodpecker and the usual moorland species.

25th May Fly Flats

Returned with DJS this PM. 16 Ringed Plover, 14 Dunlin, 5 Redshank, 5 Common Sands, 2 LBBGs, 2 Wheatears. 2 Wheatears also at Cold Edge Road.

Tuesday 24 May 2011

Sanderling at Fly Flats 23rd May

Sanderling at Fly Flats.



Returned to Fly Flats Warley Moor Reservoir with DJS this PM, terrible conditions but we managed, 14 Ringed Plovers, 17 Dunlin, 4 Common Sands, 6 Redshank, 1 Snipe and 1 Sandering, also 2 Grey Partridge near the main gate.





Saturday 21 May 2011

Iron Prominent

Found this Iron Prominent in the house last night.

Fly Flats 21st May

Another visit brought 3 Sanderling, 8 Dunlin, 4 Redshank, 3 Common Sands, 16 Ringed Plover, 1 LRP, a few Curlew, 1 Red Grouse, 20+ Swift, 2 Swallows. Very windy so no photos.

Friday 20 May 2011

106

A Great black back east over the house this tea time takes me to 106 for Calderdale so far this year. Whitethroat still singing at Roils Head.

Soaked to the skin at Fly Flats

Braved the weather conditions and went back to Fly Flats this PM, got a right soaking but still managed 2 Sanderling, 9 Dunlin, 15 Ringed and 1 Little Ringed Plover, 7 Common Sands, 1 Oystercatcher, 6 Redshank, 4 Curlew and a single Snipe. Thanks to AC for the lift home.

Thursday 19 May 2011

Roe Deer





A local Roe Deer seen late evening.





Fly Flats 19th May

Knot at Fly Flats, Warley Moor Reservoir.


Sanderlings at Fly Flats today.








Went to Fly Flats this PM and met up with NR and later PJWS, another good wader day with 7 Sanderlings, 1 Knot, 13+ Dunlin, 10+ Ringed Plover, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 6+Redshanks, 3 Oystercatchers, 5Common Sands, Curlew, 1 LBBG, 2 Wheatear and 2 Red Grouse.

After a late tea had the Blackcap singing at Roils Head again.











Wednesday 18 May 2011

18th May

Male Blackcap singing at Roils Head this PM, also Whitethroat still singing here.

Below some of last nights moths caught in the back garden.


Clouded bordered brindle.


Scalloped Hazel.

Dagger species.







Tuesday 17 May 2011

Fly Flats 17th May




Fly Flats this afternoon had more of a feeling of Morecombe Bay. Visited with Dave and Jen and had 29 Dunlin, 11 Ringed Plover, 6 Redshank, 2 Snipe, 4 Common Sandpipers, 2 Lapwing and a few Curlew, also 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel and 2 Wheatears. No sign of reported Green Sandpiper.





Monday 16 May 2011

SYMPTOM OF THE UNIVERSE

Du du du du du du du der, du du du du du du du dud der. Spent the last few days trying to photograph Jackdaws after recent events but the worst hey fever ever ever kept me inside most of the weekend. What to do then, picked out Black Sabbaths Sabotage album and was reminded of what a great track Symptom of the Universe is, the lyrics dont make much sence but who cares, Ozzy sounds great and Tony Iomi's riff is heavier than a Brontosaurus. Picked up the six string and worked out most of the main track but then it changes into some weird spannish classical ending, Great stuff.

Friday 13 May 2011

12th May

Yesterdays Whitethroat at Pellon Church Yard, replaced after blogger somehow removed yesterdays postings.

Thursday 12 May 2011

12th May, went to Church

Whitethroat.

Chiffchaff.

Willow Warbler.

Went to Pellon Church yard for the first time in 4 years and a day looking for a Redstart reported by AZ. No sound or sight of it but did have singing Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap.







Wednesday 11 May 2011

Roils Head 11th May

A Whitethoat singing at Roils Head this PM is the first ive had here in a few years.

11th May

Out this evening with SJ and AZ, first stop Fly Flats, 2 Dunlin, 4 Redshank, 5 Common Sands, 2 Curlew, 5 Red Grouse, 1 Buzzard, 2 Wheatears. Cold Edge, 1 Whinchat, 1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling usual Oystercatchers.

Tuesday 10 May 2011

10th May

Walked to Cold Edge then on up to Fly Flats this evening, got a soaking. Fly Flats 4 Redshank, 3 Oystercatchers, 5 Common Sands, 1 Wheatear, 1 Kestrel, 2 Golden Plovers near the Windfarm. Oystercatcher at Cold Edge Road. Cold Edge Dams 1 Grasshopper Warbler further up the hill than the 3 last week, 3 Goosander, 7 Curlew, 1 Common Sandpier, 1 Snipe and 2 Wheatears. Met Howard who kindly gave me a lift home.

Sunday 8 May 2011

8th May

Not much happening at Cold Edge this PM, a Little Owl was the first Ive seen this year. Last night got soaked at Hardcastle Crags whilst out mothing, birds included Tawny Owl and Woodcock.

Friday 6 May 2011

6th May

Common Crane and Spotted Redshank to right.


Common Crane at Fairburn Ings.



Red Kites at Weardly.





A day out of Calderdale with Roy. First stop was going to be Old Moor for the Stone Curlew but it had left over night so we visited Fairburn Ings for the Common Crane instead. The good run of waders continued with a superb summer plumaged Spotted Redshank feeding at the Cranes feet. We then moved on to the Red Kite spot for Roy to try out his camera and practise different settings. Unfortunatly the lighting conditions were poor and we both had to over expose just to bring out any colour on the birds, still managed a few not bad ones out of 300. 3 Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk were also present and a Peregrine was seen at our last stop, Swillington Ings but not much else.











Thursday 5 May 2011

Ton up and more 5th May

Bar-tailed Godwit at Fly Flats.

Sanderling at Fly Flats.


Went back to Cold Edge this PM and met up with Dave and Jen. 2 Grasshopper warblers reeling and showing briefly. Dave then found a male Whinchat which put me on 99 for Calderdale for the year. I decided to walk to Fly Flats with them in the hope of finding a few waders with the water level being low. Had a Buzzard and Raven and an odd Rook over the reservoir then saw Dave Barker in the distance waving us over, on reaching him he pointed to the far shore and said Bar-tailed Godwit. A stunning summer plumage bird and 100 for the Calderdale year list. On scoping the shore we soon picked up a winter plumaged Sanderling, another good bird for Calderdale and 101 for the year list. In all we recorded 11 species of wader at Cold Edge and Fly Flats, a good afternoons birding in Halifax.



Wednesday 4 May 2011

Cold Edge evening 4th May

Somewhere in here there's a Grasshopper Warbler.


Shortie over the wind farm.


Returned to Cold Edge this evening with SC. Grasshopper Warblers reeling from 4 locations, only managed a brief glimps of one. A nice Short-eared Owl passed over hunting, also 12 Curlews in one field, 1 Redshank, 1 Snipe, 2 Greylag Geese, 1 Kestrel, 1 Wheatear etc.





4th May

Back to Cold Edge this PM. 3 Grasshopper Warblers reeling, is the most Ive every had here, actually saw one briefly fly low over the juncus. Waders present included 1 Dunlin, 2 Oystercatchers, 6 Curlew, 1 Common Sandpier and 2 Lapwing. 2 Wheatears, 6 Linnets and 4 Reed Buntings and a male Kestrel.

Tuesday 3 May 2011

3rd May

Walk up to Cold Edge Dams, 1 Dunlin, 1 Redshank, 1 Oystercatcher, 6+Curlew, 4 Lapwings, 1 Common Sandpiper. Moors still on fire at Ovenden Moor wind farm. Kestrel on way back + 1 Sand Martin north and a distant Common Buzzard.

Sunday 1 May 2011

1st May

Wood Warbler still in usual spot showed well today.



Down the Crags again this PM. The only bird of note was the Wood Warbler singing in its usual spot. Later at Luddenden Dean had my first Cuckoo of the year.