24th June

Returned to the Nightjar site this evening and had 2 birds. At least one male churring and seen well in flight, also had another bird in flight at the same time that the male was churring.

18th June Nightjar 208

After a life time of looking for Nightjar in Calderdale it finally happened tonight, when some 15 birders turned up at a site where a bird had been heard churring for the last few nights. The bird was heard from 21.55pm and then showed in flight at a distance, but there was no doubt about it. That takes my Halifax total to 208.

10th June

Nipped over to Fairburn with Roy this evening in the rain, but had quiet a good two hours with 4 Spoonbills 2 Little Egrets, 4 Avocets, 1 Black-tailed Godwit a Marsh Harrier made a kill and a Cettis Warbler was singing and seen briefly in flight.

9th June

My big 88mm Kowa scope has had to go to telescope hospital for repairs so I have purchased its little relative the 601 to see me through the next month or so. Still got the Leica apo 77 and an Opticron if 60 but wanted something light and portable for a change. Only problem is I can not use my phone scope adaptor on the 601 its too big, so have had to go back to using my fugi f30 to digi scope, tried it out on a Greylag above. Any way before me and Dave got a soaking today we managed to clock up 4 Shorties, 3 Kestrels, 1 Sparrowhawk loads of herring and lessers + the usual waders.

5th June

A good Owl night tonight with 7 Shorties, 2 Long-eared, 1 Barn and 1 Little Owl, also 2 Woodcock roding, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Peregrine, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Buzzard, 1 Grey Partridge and a Spotted Flycatcher at last.

2nd June Roller at Crimsworth Dean 207

Oh my god, just got my 207th bird for Halifax with a superb Roller at Crimsworth Dean. It was found a few hours earlier by a birder doing his local patch. About 10 other birders managed to get it before it went to roost. There are 2 other very old records, 1 shot at Fixby in 1824 and 1 shot at Halifax in 1844, thankfully we were only shooting with cameras.

1st June

Back on the moors today, all the usual waders + 5 Buzzards, 1 Merlin, 1 Cuckoo and a Short-eared Owl.

31st May

Quick dash up to Fly Flats with DF to see Brian's 3 Sanderling, this time we were in luck with the birds feeding along side 4 Ringed Plover, 3 Redshank and several Dunlin. My photos were no good so haven't posted them.

29th May Hornsea Mere

Trip over to Hornsea Mere with AC and AM to see the superb male Baikal Teal today, it spent all its time hiding on the island showing on and off from time to time. Only managed a poor phone scope shot. Also 2 Hobbies, 1 Marsh Harrier several Buzzards and 1 Little Egret.

Bank Holiday weekend

Not much doing due to poor weather, did catch up with Garden Warbler and Reed Warbler at EGP and Tree Sparrow ay Jay House Lane.

23rd May Fairburn Ings

Nipped over to Fairburn with Roy for the Night Heron but no show, did however relocate the female Bufflehead, origins very dubious. Also Spoonbill, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Avocets and a stunning sunset on the way home.

Thorne Moors 20th May

Thorne Moors with AC. Great day with no less than 25 Hobbies seen, 23 all in one view, other raptors were 8 Marsh Harriers, 1 Buzzard and 1 Sparrowhawk. The highlight was however a Crane which took off right in front of us from cover. A nesting Tree Pipit was also good to see as were several Cuckoos.

19th May

Around the reservoirs today just brought the usual species + we dipped again on a Sanderling at Fly Flats.

14th May

Nipped up to Fly Flats for todays reported Ruff, but sadly no sign. We did however have 17 Dunlin, 10 Common Sands, 7 Redshank, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Ravens, Cuckoo, Shortie, 2 Buzzards, 3 Kestrels, Wheatear etc.

13th May

Me and Roy visited St Aidans on 13th, best birds were an adult Black Tern, a first summer Little Gull and 2 Bitterns heard but not seen.

6th - 10th May

Catching up on the last week saw a few new birds for the year with a Whitethroat and Blackcap singing at Roils Head. A Common Tern at Elland and another at Cold Edge Dams. A Whimbrel flew in to Fly Flats on 10th joining the many Dunlin, Common Sands and 2 Ringed Plovers. Also got my first Swifts and House Martins of the year.

5th May

The Ring Ouzel was located again today but distant so still no decent photos. 4 LRPs showed well as did 5 Shorties and 1 Barn Owl. Nothing else new for the year. On 6th found a singing Whitethroat at Roils Head.

30th April

Todays highlights included 3 Shorties, 1 of which I phone scoped and another I got with the Lumix. 2 possibly 3 Long-eared Owls at dusk along with 2 roding Woodcock and a Cuckoo. Also re - found the Ring Ouzel but it wasn't showing well enough to get a decent picture. 3 Buzzards, two of which were eating Rabbits and lots of Snipe about.

28th April

All the usual moorland species today + a nice Ring Ouzel that I phone scoped at a distance. Pair of Stonechats showed very well and a Merlin dashed overhead having a go at a Meadow Pipit.

21st April

Had a rare evening visit to Cromwell Bottom with Roy today, highlights were a Kingfisher, 3 Goosander, 3 Blackcaps singing and a pair of courting Woodpigeons.

20th April

Over 40 species recorded today including 5 Dunlin, 7 Shorties, 1 Little Owl, 2 Stonechats, 1 eating an Emperor Moth, 4 Wheatears, 4 Buzzards etc.

19th april

All the usual birds today including 6 Buzzards, 6 Shorties, 1 Barn Owl, loads of waders, a Stonechat and lots of Willow Warblers.