9th August

Returned to last nights Barn Owl site and managed to locate the new nest site, that makes 8 breeding pairs so far this year.

Juv Cuckoo

Last nights juv Cuckoo taken through car window.

8th August

After a tip off me and Phil went looking for another Barn Owl site and found not one but two, needs another look to prove breeding. Also had 3 Short-eared Owls and a juvenile cuckoo on our travels.

6th August

Out with Phil D again checking our last Barn Owl site, this time found 4 youngsters sat out waiting for supper, in all we have found 7 pairs, 5 of which have raised a total of 20 young. At two other sites 1 pair had all 6 young predated and at the other 6 eggs failed to hatch, still a very good year. Short-eared Owl close by feeding young on the ground.

4th August

Highlights today were 2 Sanderling and 2 Green Sandpipers at Fly Flats. Couldn't find the Greenshank that was present for its second day. 4 other reservoirs produced very little apart from 2 pairs of Great Crested Grebes with young.

2nd August

A quick look at 3 reservoirs produced 4 Ringed Plover, 1 LR Plover, 6 Dunlin, 1 Oystercatcher, 3 Common Sandpipers and a Curlew.

31st July

Had an evening out at Fairburn Ings with Roy for a change, Adult and juvenile Spoonbills showed well, also an unseasonal Whooper Swan, 1 Little Egret, 3 Green Sandpipers and another Barn Owl.

30th July

Me and Phil D rechecked a Barn Owl site and confirmed at least two young present and being fed by adult. We also found two new Short-eared Owl nest sites with adults carrying voles in. Loads of juvenile Kestrels about, they must have had a great year with all these voles.

28th July

A juvenile Marsh Harrier was a nice find today, it was chased off by a female Merlin. Loads of Kestrels about and just one Crossbill.

24th July

Me and Phil D checked 2 Barn Owl sites last night and found 1 pair with 4 well grown young flying about. The other site held an adult and a second bird in a cliff face hole, needs rechecking soon. Also 4 Little Owls picked up, 1 adult feeding 1 juvenile at one site.

22nd July

Same birds as yesterday although no Crossbills, Adult LEO showed well hunting over the moor and taking several voles back to 3 hunger owlets.

21st July

More Owls today, 2 newly fledged Shorties, and 3 young LEOs showed really well also picked up a Little Owl on the way home. Other birds included dozens of Kestrels, 1 Merlin, 1 Pere, 2 Buzzards, one of which was doing a good impression at a distance of a Great Skua???? 3 Crossbills including 2 juvs and a Siskin.

12th July

All the usual birds again today but nice to see a family party of 2 adult and 10 young Grey Partridge.

8th and 9th July

Lots more owls over the last 2 days, Barn Owl,5 Shorties, 2 young Leos hunger calling, lots of Kestrels including 5 driving off a Buzzard oh and above Thunder Bird 2 again.

4th July

Out with Phil D. A nice selection of waders tonight including 3 adult and 2 juvenile LRPs. Also 5 Shorties including two well grown free flying juveniles and a moulting adult with no tail. Phone scoped the above juv.

27th June

Out on the moors again, Barn Owl caught 3 voles in 15 minutes, 2 Shorties hunting, adult male Merlin, plenty of Kestrels, just 1 Buzzard, loads of waders including a nice pair of Golden Plovers.

15th June More Owls

No LEOs tonight but plenty of Shorties and our regular Barn Owl showed well. Also had a newly fledged Wheatear.

Owls

Last week been catching up with the Owl surveys, mainly doing Leos but also found a new Barn Owl site was is encouraging.

6th June evening

Tried some more sites for LEOs and found an adult hunting at one and two juvs hunger calling at another. Also found a new Barn Owl site and had 3 Shorties hunting the moors. 2 Woodcock were roding and Snipe, Lapwing, Curlew and Oystercatchers were found in good numbers.

5th and 6th June

Finally got around to checking out some Long-eared Owls last night, found two adults with 4 young hunger calling at a local site, will need to check some more before World Cup starts. Also yesterday caught up with Reed Warbler locally. Today Garden Warbler still at Roils Head and Whitethroat singing at Highroad Well Moor.

3rd June Roils Head

Finally got a good bird for Roils Head this year, a singing Garden Warbler, probably only my second at this site. Also female Blackcap present, Willow Warblers carrying food and 2 Herring Gulls east. 4 House Martins just back at local site, very late this year.

The Silmarillion

Rumors that my favourite book is to be made into a film have been sadly quashed. New Header, our hero Fingolfin the third high king of the Noldor faces the dark lord Morgoth in mortal combat.

16th May

Had another trip out to St Aidans with Roy this evening, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Little Egrets and 2 booming Bitterns were the best we could manage.

5th and 6th May

5th May, usual birds + 2 Cuckoos sparring in the air. 6th May, had a trip to Fairburn Ings then to St Aidans, Spoonbill perched in a tree at Fairburn, good views of a Bittern in flight, at least 5 Black Necked Grebes, 1 Avocet and several Common Terns at St Aidans.

2nd May

Trip to St Aidans in the evening with Roy. 1 BN Grebe, heard Bittern, 1 Avocet, 36 Black Tailed Godwits was the best we could manage.

28th - 29th April

Been a pretty hectic month the highlight being 2 Red Kites seen on 28th and 29th. All the usual other raptors seen + the odd Cuckoo, Swift, Wheatears but not many other migrants.

14th April

Finally got a Willow Warbler at Roils Head today, a week late. Later up on the moors all the usual species including at least 6 Shorties.

10th April

Went up Roils Head looking for migrants but nothing, where are they all. Did find 1 Brambling the only one Ive had this year. Yesterday 5 Redwing still here.

8th April

Out looking for migrants again but nothing doing except 1 Pink-footed Goose on a local reservoir. Loads more Shorties today + a Merlin, Sparrowhawk and 8 Buzzards.

7th April

Found 7 adult Kittiwakes at Lower Gorple this evening with DF, also 2 Shorties and a flock of 60 Pied Wagtails. Barnacle Goose and 2 Red-legged Partridge at Fly Flats, shortie on Hebden Road and my first Swallow at Gorple.