Another Buzzard for Queensbury

             A surprise over the garage,  Common Buzzard

                                         Headed off >S

Another murky misty day today even over at Leeds this morning but a nice treat when I got back to work at dinner time. At 1300hrs the clouds lifted and the skies brightened for a short period but just enough for a Buzzard to show itself over the garage car park heading >W.
Just by a stroke of luck I went out in the car park to fetch the next job in and there it was, soaring high above me before motoring off towards Northowram.
A quick panic to the car for the camera , which unfortunately I only had the small one with me, but managed to get some record shots.
In my haste to get some pics, send a grapevine text out and ring NK in case he was around Queensbury south, I got no reply from Nigel but a short while after Nick Carter rang me saying he was returning my call, silly me had pressed the next name down instead of NKs.
Nick was at the time on Bempton cliffs in the fog so it was nice to have a chat with him, sorry Nigel.
BS

Soil Hill / Raggalds Flood, pm visit

                      Duck !   Mallard low overhead

                 One of several Skylarks

                                                1 of 2 Grey Partridge

            Up to 50 Meadow Pipits and 20 Linnets mixed in.

                          Good to get the Linnets back

                                                 Raggalds Flood Pied Wagtail

A misty hill at 1630hrs with a cool E>5.

Nice to get Linnets back on the hill mixed in with a good flock of Meadow Pipits which all seemed to favour
the NE end .
Two male Wheatear were in the farm field beyond the trig point whilst 2 Grey Partridge flushed and headed down the hill.
Around 15 Skylarks were present along with 2pr Lapwings and a drake Mallard flew low overhead towards Mixenden Reservoir.

Raggalds Flood water has receded slightly today with just 2 Lapwings, 1 Pied Wagtail and a female Wheatear present.
0900hrs kick off at Leeds tomorrow so up and off early doors, may catch an early rising Red Kite.
BS

Leeshaw in the fog

                                   Flypast of Golden Plover in the fog

                                  Plenty Oystercatchers present

                                             1 Pair Little Owl

                                             Goldies in the fields

A disastrous morning with thick fog at all the upland venues and even Leeshaw was in heavy cloud though birds were good.
First bird over as I got out of the car was a single Shelduck >W just visible in the mist. This was shortly followed by 16 Golden Plover which did a circuit before heading off >NW.
Golden Plovers are now getting back in the fields with several up above the reservoir but distant and in the fog.

16 Golden Plover.....................>NW
11 Golden Plover in the fields
1 Shelduck.........................>W
7 Oystercatchers
2 Little Owl
+ usual sp.
BS

Raggalds Flood and Snipe field

                                    15 Snipe present in the juncus field

               1 of 3 mega distant Wheatears in the trailer park field.

                        Plenty Woodpigs displaying

Due to work, shopping and a broken down washer didnt manage to get out till 1630 hours so it was a dash up to Raggalds Flood which has an amazing amount of water since 2 days ago.
2 male Wheatear were still present but in the second field back to the left and difficult to see whilst 2 Lapwing and a Pied Wagtail were by the water.
Shelf Moor juncus field was in the mist but managed 15 mobile Snipe whilst 2m and 1 female were present but at a distance in the top field near the stables.
Up to 30 Woodpigeons were in the circus field, several up displaying.
Dont sleep in with losing an hours sleep tonight, there,s birds out there waiting to be seen.
BS

Shelf Moor Snipe field

                                     Shelf Moor Snipe fields, pics from 2013

                                 A record of 48 in Dec 2013

                                    A lucky shot flypast

            More settled late autumn than Spring

An 0700hrs visit to the Raggalds Flood this morning was thwarted due to thick fog so it was a check on a misty Shelf Moor trailer park field in a cold E>5.
Meadow Pipits numbers are increasing ready for moving onto the moors with around 30 present along with c150 Starling.
A single Snipe flew in but immediately moved on again disturbed by the horses now constantly tethered in the juncus field.
A good sighting today of 2 Great Black Backed gulls >W over the M621, thats one traffic jam I was pleased about.
One more dark evening then light nights at last.
Lets hope these easterlies have blown some goodies in for the weekend.
BS

Shelf Moor Trailer Park

A misty damp morning when I checked the trailer park field at 0700hrs hoping for that fall of Wheatears but not to be.
Around 15 Meadow Pipits and 3 Pied Wagtails were present along with a few corvids with BHgulls in the surrounding fields but that was it.
The weather brightened before storm clouds appeared around midday bringing a mixture of rain , hail, sleet and snow.
No chance of a dinner time today so unable to check the flood for yesterdays Wheatears and unfortunately its the same tomorrow but at least then its the weekend and a week less of the Leeds excursion.
Hopefully this weekend will bring a Swallow or two and maybe a passing Osprey and at least the clocks go forward so more chance of sightings on an evening.
Thanks to John for checking the flood today and finding a nice male Wheatear, see his Bradshaw Rambler blog.
BS

Sign of Spring, 1st Swallow and Raggalds Flood Wheatears

             Distant record shots of first Wheatears back at the flood

   Very distant poor record shots.

A cold N>4 blowing bringing snow flurries and hail showers on an otherwise bright day.
A call this morning of a Swallow over Oxenhope by HC was a pleasing start to the day, thanks for that Compo.
Then a dinner time check on the Raggalds Flood found the first returning Wheatears with what I thought was a pair but photos later found there were 2 males and a female, possibly the first reported female this spring.
DJS and Jen checked the field shortly afterwards but no signs although the Lapwings were constantly bombarding them. Its going to be hard keeping any returning Redshanks there with the Lapwings holding territory although a Pied Wagtail did,nt have the same problem.

A horrendous 2hr journey back from Leeds this tea time doing 10 mph the full length of the M 621 and part of the M 62, would,nt have minded if I could have watched for Red Kites but it was raining and coming dark. Never mind, we can do it all again tomorrow.
BS

Drizzle at Queensbury, rain at Leeds.

                           Lynda taking a moment before going in.

           May as well see if there are any Red Kites whilst we,re here.
           Too wet to go up on the roof today.

A real grey manky day from start to finish with low cloud and heavy drizzle at Queensbury and grey skies and rain at Leeds, hence a lack of birds at either end.

A Little Owl was calling this evening from Harp Lane, Foxhill whilst out dog walking last light and a report yesterday from Lyndas sister Valerie of a Tawny Owl calling nightly from the Sourheads area of Queensbury.
A 1700hrs appointment tomorrow so may get chance to check the Raggalds Flood at lunch time in hope of Redshank or Plovers although it was April last year when the first Redshank arrived.
BS

Shelf Moor Trailer field and locals

                                     Plenty local Blackbirds up singing

                                    A nice evening sky over Foxhill

                                  Female Chaffinch checking out the area.

A very icy start with temps below freezing but soon warming up with cloudless skies, sunshine and a mild S>4.
No lunch break today due to mid afternoon appointment so had to make do with a couple of resident snaps when I took the dogs out and a decent sky when we got back at last light.
Perfect conditions for moving Osprey but a bit early yet.
Keep looking out over St James for local Red Kite but it hasnt happened as yet.
Shelf Moor trailer park held around 15 Meadow Pipits and 4 Pied Wagtails as we passed on the way home, the Lapwings have now dispersed and headed for the moors.

Lynda coping well with the radiation so far but says she gets near to panic having her head tied tightly down to the table with the mask which makes it hard to breath for 30 mins. 4 down 26 to go.
BS