31st July

Out this evening with SC. 81 LBBGs in to roost at Fly Flats and 1 Yellow-legged Gull present. 2 Shorties picked up on route to another site, not much else recorded.

30th July

 Lesser Black Backs at Fly Flats.

A walk this afternoon produced very little, a Wheatear and a Little Owl being the best. Evening visit to Cold Edge and Fly Flats produced Sparrowhawk and Kestrel at Cold Edge, 160 Canada Geese, 1 Curlew and 60 Lesser Black backs at Fly Flats.

29th July

Out with DJS this evening. 57 LBBGs and 3 Redshank at Fly Flats. On to the next site, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Oystercatchers, Tawny Owl, Common Buzzard and 2 Owls sparring at dusk (probably shorties). No sign of last nights bird which I believed to be a Nightjar, if its not seen again I will have to let it go.

28th July

Out with SC in the evening, first stop Fly Flats briefly, 160 LBBGs roosting and 1 Oystercatcher present. Then on to another site, Spotted Flycatcher, 8 Grey Partridge, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Buzzard, 4 Kestrels, 1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling, 1 Tawny Owl calling and a Woodcock. We were just about to leave at 21.40 when I noticed a bird out of the corner of my eye flying away from us and over the trees, we only saw it for a matter of 4 or 5 seconds but I am fairly sure it was a Nightjar. It appeared all dark with long wings and a fairly longish tail, there were no signs of any white wing or tail markings. The only other possiblity would be juvenile Cuckoo, but it looked the wrong shape for Cuckoo, not showing such narrow very pointed wing tips and not showing such a long fan shaped tail. The last Calderdale records 19 years ago were in the exact same place. Funny me and DJS have looked for Nightjar on three occasions lately and not had any.

27th July

 Red Kites at Weardley.

 Avocet chick.

 Spoonbill.

 Marsh Sandpiper.

 Spotted Redshank.

 Juv Marsh Harrier.

Little Egret.

A trip out of Calderdale today with an old friend Terry. First stop was Weardley for Red Kites. Birds were further away today and the overcast conditions were not good for taking photos however we did manage seven birds. Next stop Blacktoft Sands for high tide. Marsh Sandpiper still here + lots of other waders, 4 Avocets with 2 chicks, Lapwings, Dunlin, 1 Curlew Sand, Ruff, 1 Curlew, 100+ Black-tailed Godwits, Redshanks, c 20 Spotted Reds, 4 Greenshanks, 7 Green Sands, 3 Snipe, other birds of note, 7 Little Egrets, 1 Spoonbill not asleep, 7 Marsh Harriers, 1 Yellow Wagtail, Grasshopper Warbler and 2 Bearded Tits.

Last nights Moths

 Lesser Swallow Prominent.

Antler Moth.

Put the Moth lamp on for a few hours last night, only caught 16 moths, the best being a Lesser Swallow Prominent and an Antler Moth.

25th July

Afternnon walk produced not much, the best being 7 Twite sat on wires. Night out with DJS in the vain hope of Nightjar, the best we could manage was a Grasshopper Warbler.

24th July Funny Wabbits

 Melanistic Black Rabbit on 23rd July.

 Albino White Rabbit with pink eyes on 24th July.

 Curlew.

 Kestrel in evening light.

 Out in the evening, usual birds, 4 Kestrels together, 2 Sparrowhawks, one carrying prey, 1 juv male Peregrine and a Common Buzzard calling. Also heard young Sparrowhawks calling from a wood. Other birds included, 2 Curlew, 2 Wheatears, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Little Owls, 2 Bullfinch, a few LBBGs passing over, 1 Grey Heron and a flock of 100+ Jackdaws. The oddest thing however was an albino Rabbit, I had seen a Black one the day before but this was a true albino, completly white with pink eyes, the first one Ive ever seen.

23rd July

 Juvenile male Peregrine.

Visited the Sparrowhawk nest briefly all ok, 4 young in the nest and one out. Less than a kilometer north heard young Sparrowhawks hunger calling from another wood. Tawny Owl was being harrased by Blackbird and Great Spotted Wood Pecker. 4 Kestrels were hunting the hillside when I noticed a bird perched on a telegraph wire which the kesies took offence to, it turned out to be a juvenile male Peregrine which took off and flew low across the hill side. Just as I was leaving a Buzzard turned up, 1 Curlew still in the cut field and a Sprawker near home.

22nd July

A trip out this evening brought me 1 Peregrine, 1 Buzzard, 5 Kestrels and a Hobby. 1 Little Owl on the way back is only the 5th one ive seen this year. On the down side got bitten to bits by midges.

21st July Blacktoft Sands

 Juvenile Marsh Harrier.

 Little Egret digi scoped.

 Spoonbills digi scoped.

 Avocet digi scoped.

 Marsh Sandpiper digi scoped.

Went to Blacktoft Sands this PM with Roy, it was great to get out of Calderdale for a change. We first went looking for the Marsh Sandpiper only to be told it had just flown off 2 minutes earlier. 20 minutes later I found it in with a group of 18 Spotted Redshanks and 100s Black-tailed Godwits (a lifer for Roy) and only the 5^th one Ive seen in this country. As well as the spot reds and godwits other waders present were Ruff, Avocets, Lapwings, 2 Dunlin, Redshank, 6 Green Sands and 1 Snipe. 2 Bearded Tits were found at the reed bases along with Sedge, Reed Warblers and 4 Yellow Wagtails. 6 Little Egrets were present and the 2 Spoonbills were asleep as they usually are. The highlight for me however were the views of Marsh Harriers imparticular a juvenile which showed really well.

20th July

Checked on the Sparrowhawk nest today, 1 of the five chicks was out of the nest in the canopy, all seem to be doing well. Further up the valley checked on the Buzzards, both adults present and one was displaying?
2 Kestrels were mobbing one Buzzard, then alarm calls from Swallows drew my attention to a hunting male Spar. Finally on my way to get the bus more alarm calls from Swallows and a Hobby flashed past at break neck speed, good afternoons birding.

16th July evening

Returned to Tower Hill after tea to find the adult female Peregrine still present. It was continuosly flying up and down the valley and at one point stooped at high speed at a group of woodies. Very windy so found it hard to hold the camera still. Also a Herring / Yellow-legged Gull west over Pellon Lane.

16th July

Usual walk over Roils produced nothing until I got to Tower Hill where a good number of Swallows were gathered. Suddenly alarm calls all around and a falcon shot through heading south, a Peregrine, within seconds it was a distant speck. 2 minutes later more alarm calls and what I can only think was the same bird comming back for a second pass, unfortunatly my camera was in its case as the bird flew directly over my head. Managed to get a few record shots but the camera was all set up wrong. A minute or two later and more alarm calls from the Swallows, this time a rather ratty looking Kestrel flew past. A few juv Linnerts at High Road Well Moor and a Great Spot over the House.

15th July

Afternoon over Roils Head, just a Whitethroat and 2 Stock Doves today. Evening out with SC, Sparrowhawk nest with 4 young, 1 Short-eared Owl and young Tawnys hunger calling.

14th July

2 Whitethroats at Roils Head and a few Linnets, not much else. Visited Ogden with SC in the evening looking for Crossbills but nothing doing.

13th July Fly Flats

Evening visit with DJS. 47 Lesser Black backs in to roost, 2 Dunlin, 4 Common Sands and a distant Shortie and Buzzard.

13th July

Walk over Roils Head produced 2 Whitethroats, 1 female Blackcap and 2 Bullfinch, several Black-headed Gulls returning. Still having blog problems, no body can comment, dont know whats causing it.

12th July

Afternoon strole over Roils Head produced 3 Whitethroats but not much else. In the evening decided to go a walk and was delighted to see a Hobby stoop on a group of Swallows but fail. Grabbed the camera but the bird was too far away to lock on.

11th July evening

 Common Buzzards.

Went out with DJS and staked out a potential Nightjar site with no luck. We did however have a pair of Buzzards one of which caught a bird but dropped it. Both adults were calling continual and were joined late on by a third bird possible a fledged juvenile. Talon grappling and display by the male was also noted.These birds were still flying together at 10PM and were joined by a large Peregrine. Tawny Owls were recorded in three different areas including an adult with young huger calling nearby, this adult almost flew into me by mistake but swerved at the last minute (its quite an experiance seeing a Tawny on a direct collition corse with your head). Other birds included a family party of Stonechats, 2 Kestrels and young Mistle Thrushes in 2 areas.

11th July Fly Flats

Afternoon visit to Fly Flats, 2 Dunlin, 1 LRP, 4 Common Sands, 6 LBBGs, 4 juv Wheatears, 2 Twite, 1 Kestrel and a Hare.

10th July

 Ringlets at Roils Head this PM.

A walk over Roils Head this PM, 3 Whitethroats present, not much else except lots of Ringlet butterflys which I havnt seen here before.

8th July

Mystery pipit shows relativley short curved hind claw whilst young Meadow Pipit photograped in the same place today shows long flatish hind claw.

2 young Whitethroats and a male were found at Roils Head this PM, got pics of the young but not the adult.