27th July

Following a tip off me and Dave S checked out a potential new Barn Owl site and were not disappointed. 2 adult birds were found roosting next to what looks like a breeding site. We also dropped in to another BO site and had 3 more birds.

25th July

Todays highlights were a superb female Merlin that flew strait past us 3 times, adult Peregrine, 7 Kestrels and a Stoat which so far has managed to avoid the keepers!

20th July Caspian Tern and Cattle Egret

Me and DF had a great day out at St Aidans and Fairburn Ings. Fisrt stop St Aidans for the Caspian Tern, a real cracker, showed well all afternoon, you can see a Garganey with it in one of the phone scoped shots I took. Also at this site Black Tern and lots of Common Terns including the above juvenile. Then on to Fairburn where the Cattle Egret showed much better than on Tuesday, good to compare with several Little Egrets.

18th July Fairburn Ings

Zipped over to Fairburn Ings for the Cattle Egret with Dave this evening. Very distant seen in flight 3 or 4 times. 5 Little Egrets showed much better. End of the evening and 3 Spoonbills circled the reserve before disappearing. On our way back in Castleford and a huge Tern flew over the car going west just after 9pm, had to be the Caspian Tern that had been seen at Swillington earlier and returned there at 9.15pm.

15th July Sabine's Gull

Me and Andy C had a trip out of Calderdale today to see the first summer Sabine's Gull at Nosterfield Quarry, and it didn't disappoint showing really well for the best part of an hour. Also lots of other decent birds present, Little Egret, Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit etc.

13th July

Out with Roy this evening, at least 2 LEOs hunger calling at a local site then on to check out the new Barn Owl site and had 2 birds together in the ruined building, also Little Owl present.

9th and 10th July

Spent the last two days looking for the reported male Red Footed Falcon on our moors with no luck. We did however log Merlin, Peregrine, Buzzard, Kestrel, Short-eared Owl, Raven, Grasshopper Warbler, Stonechat, Dunlin + all the usual waders.

5th July Owling

Took my brother and his wife to see some Leos tonight and they didn't disappoint, then moved on to where a Barn Owl had previously been reported, once again found the bird strait away, also had a Little Owl for good measure. Managed to get a few phone scoped images.

4th July St Aidans

Had a trip over to St Aidans Swillington Ings with Roy and Jack, not much happening but managed to find a second summer Med Gull which was nice. All the other usual species present including 3 Little Egrets.