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.