25th July

 Light Emerald

 Swallowtail

 Beautiful Golden Y

 Plain Golden Y

 Mottled Beauty

Early Thorn

Nobody going birding today so dug out the moth trap for 3 hours mothing. Above are the best catches of the night, nothing special but still some nice moths.

23rd July Gull fest

Out with DJS tonight at Ringstone Edge. There must have been somewhere in the region of 4000 gulls feeding in the fields, most were Black-headed with 100 Common and 30 or so Lesser Black Backs, there was also a large gull that we just couldnt get to grips with. We both thought there as to be a Med Gull in all that lot, but try as we might we just couldnt find one. Also present a very big Peregrine, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Common Sands, 2 Curlew, 2 Tufties and 2 Grey Herons.

Oh next day Dave returned in the afternoon and found an adult Med Gull

21st July

 Black-tailed Godwits at Ringstone Edge

Evening out with SC, a quick stop off at Ringstone proved to be very fruitfull. 4 Great Crested Grebes and 2 Tufties were on the reservoir and a Sedge Warbler was singing on the far side when I heard a Greenshank calling, the bird was picked up in flight and soon came down on the banking. Then DJS rang to tell me he was on the other side and had a field full of gulls but no scope with him, so we soon joined Dave and started to search through probably 1000 gulls. Most were Black-headed with a handful of Common and Lesser Black Backs but nothing else. Taking a quick break through scanning I suddenly picked up a group of waders flying fast and high above the reservoir, managed to get the scope on them, 7 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 carried on towards Elland but thankfully 6 came back and landed in the field with the Gulls. 1 of the birds appears to be ringed or tagged, white over red on the right leg and white over yellow on the left. Ive seen Black-tailed Godwit in Calderdale before but these are the first ones Ive actually found.
After Ringstone Edge we went to Elland GP to join the moth men for a spot of mothing but had to leave at 11.30, still a good nights birding in July.

20th July

Out this evening with SC, after visiting a Badger set to check Steves cameras we finally did some birding. The Little Owl was on the same post it was on the previous night and the Short-eared Owl was carrying prey to either a nest or young on the moor. Best bird though was a superb Hobby that flew over us, I only got on to it because I saw its reflection in the reservoir water and just turned round in time to watch it speed over the moor. Other birds included the reeling Grasshopper Warbler, 7 Greylags, 1 Tufted Duck, 4 Kestrels, 4 Oystercatchers, 4 Common Sands, 2 Curlews, 4 Stock Doves, 3 Grey Partridge and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

19th July

 Little Owl

Out with Roy this evening, tride an old LEO site with no luck, we did however have Tawny Owl, Short-eared Owl and a very tame Little Owl that allowed me to get a few shots from the car. Also 1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling, 5 Oystercathers, 1 Snipe, 3 Stock Doves and 2 Grey Partridge.

18th July

A couple of hours out this evening with SC produced 2 Short-eared Owls and 6 Kestrels but not much else.

14th July

Out with SC this evening, first stop produced a Common Buzzard being mobbed by a small falcon, too distant to id, also had a pair of Grey Wagtails feeding young out of the nest. Up at Fly had a nice male Peregrine go over, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Oystercatcher, 2 Common Sands, 8 Greylags and 300- 500 Swifts hawking over the water.

13th July

A few hours out today with Roy didnt produce much just more rain. Did have a fairly pale Common Buzzard over the Crags but not much else.