One raptor we,re never short of in and around Queensbury is the Kestrel. The strong westerlies we get up here causing good up draughts along with plenty farmland makes idea habitat for this species which love to hang in the wind after taking off from a hillside.
Up to 4 Kestrels can be seen regular from the main Halifax to Queensbury road near the aptly named Crow Point below Ringby where corvids and kestrels hang above the Holmefield hillside and are usually level with you as you drive past.
Green Lane, Ringby Top, Ned and Soil Hill , Foxhill, Roper Lane and Daily fields are all good vantage points to watch these amazing birds in action.
All the above sites are used for hunting because of the land and wind conditions and there are several local undisclosed sites where breeding has taken place going back several years.
A bright icy start to the morning with sunshine and clear blue skies till near midday when the mist started coming up from the valleys cutting down visibility for a short while, typically over my dinner time. Despite the clear skies nothing of interest was seen other than the normal resident birds.
A report today from customer Mrs Coates of a large skein of Pinkies over Denholme yesterday and while she was waiting for her car Ken Jarvis came in with his so there was plenty bird talk going on.
BS