Queensbury South

 Green Lane pond provided the only entertainment with
the local cat sizing up the Canadas.

  A Crow joins in the fun taunting the moggy

            The Canadas don,t seem too bothered, how do
they know cats can,t swim

 The Crow kept landing a few feet away from the cat

  These birds are making a fool of me. !

Shopping night tonight so after dog walking it was a quick trip round Green Lane after firstly checking the trailer park field for Wheatear.
The field still remains empty which strangely seems to be the norm this year with just 2 Woodpigeons present.
Apart from 4 Canadas and a pair of Mallard on the Green Lane pond all was  quiet although I did get a quick glimpse of a Wheatear at the top of the gorse bush field.
Five LBBs headed >NE and 12 Magpies were around the roost tree.
BS

More snow and cold winds for Queensbury

  Little Ringed Plover taken and sent in by
 Michael Whitelock at Leeshaw Reservoir.  Thanks Mick.

 Dinner time dash to the Dailies . View East

  Over Thornton church to Baildon Moor

    Horizon zoomed in, Otley Chevin and mast

  Looking NE to the 3 peaks

  Queensbury station, a haven for Warblers.

An icy cold WSW>5-6 with some heavy snow showers easing after midday.
A dash to the top of the Dailies at lunch time but the cold wind put the mockers on any movement up the Aire Valley and certainly no chance of an early Swift.
Several Willow Warblers were singing down in the stations Hawthorns, which a few weeks ago were full of Fieldfare and Redwing, whilst a green Woodpecker was calling from the Holly bushes.
Otherwise it was down to Woodpigeons, Stock Doves and Magpies.

Bad news today from Oats Royd where the owner is allowing 2 Hawkers to fly their Harris Hawks down there and they have already taken Moorhens from the ponds and a worry for  the Grey Partridge that look like breeding there again after an absence of several years.
Some nature reserve !!
BS

Soil Hill inspection for Dotterel.

   At last, Wheatear for Soil Hill

                        Alive with Mipits.

With reports of Dotterel in the area, see Calderbirds, and the weather ideal for bringing or holding them down it was a quick tea and off for Soil Hill.
The rain was lashing in a strong SW>5 icy wind with the rain easing slightly and bringing clear skies.
A good start with a female Wheatear up dog cack alley shortly followed by another 2 females.
Meadow pipits and Skylarks were everywhere whilst 6 Lapwing were protecting territory overhead.
A full zig zag search of both summits failed to find the target bird, I even traced my steps from the last time I found one at this location, 17/04/2008.
A scan down the north slope gave me a quick sighting of the male Ring Ouzel whilst 2 Canada Geese were on the NK pond.
Well, no Dotterel tonight but some are sure to come through within the next few days so whether they drop in or not remains to be seen.
One thing for sure, with the May Day weekend coming up I,ll be giving it some stick.
BS

Queensbury Birders do it in style.

The local Undertaker rang me this morning and asked me if I wanted to pop round and look at a coffin she,d just taken delivery of.
A strange reques, I thought, until I saw it and was amazed.
Sadly a Queensbury birder had just died and this is what was requested for him.
I told her to get my name down for one!

BS

Soil Hill p.m.

   Very distant male Ring Ouzel

Plenty Mipits

            Local Heron getting mobbed

             Plenty Herring gulls  >NW

                                                 Threes a crowd

A late afternoon trip to the hill on a mission to photograph Ring Ouzel knowing just where to find them from yesterday. As I got near the sheltered area where I found them yesterday I got down in the grass before slowly sticking my head over the mound, camera at the ready. Nothing there ! yesterday the wind was from the west so the area was well sheltered but todays north wind was blowing straight through the culvert.
Thirty minutes later and a male Ring Ouzel flushed from the top of the west summit and headed back down the north slope soon followed by the female, both disappearing into the trees. So as not to spook them I checked the rest of the hill ending up by the red cabin and still Wheatear less although a good passage of Herring gulls was unexpected and pleasing. Otherwise a Heron was being mobbed by corvids and House Martins and Swallows were moving >N overhead. As I started the long climb back up the north slope, there was the male Ring Ouzel right at the top before moving west towards the Shay muck pile.
BS

Fly Flatts back on form.

              Plenty Meadow Pipits back on territory

                                       Redshank

        At least 11 Common Sandpipers present

              Wheatears showing but low numbers

                           Barnies back home.

         Sparrowhawk testing the water

    Several LBB gulls egg hunting

         Singing male Reed Bunting.

Fly Flatts  0600hrs -1000hrs.

A pleasing morning at Fly Flatts with weather not as forecast and no sign of rain.
Bright clear blue skies with an icy cold N>5 easing slightly and warming up by 0700hrs.
Wheatears were at last present but in low numbers whilst a count of at least 11 Common Sandpipers looked fresh in.
No Hirundine or Swift movement in the icy wind put possible later today as it warms up.

11 Common Sandpiper
1 Barnacle Goose
1 Oystercatcher
1 Redshank
6 Wheatear
2 Snipe
1m Reed Bunting
1pr Pied Wagtail
7 LBB Gulls
1 BH Gull
+ usual sp.
BS

Just for Tracy AWWW !

BS

Soil Hill

    Plenty Mipits on the hill

  A rare visit for this location, Greylag goose

                                          Deer, Deer.

  A good >N passage of LBB gulls

A late afternoon check on Soil Hill in a strong W>5 and drizzle eventually turned up a pair of Ring Ouzel but very mobile and looking like ready for moving which the other 4 seem to have done.
After a full search and about to say they were gone I found a pair, or rather they found me, as they flushed from a hollow mid way along the north slope. They then headed back into the tree line.
A Mistle Thrush was also present with them.
Otherwise it was down to Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Lapwings whilst 2 Kestrels were in the air together.
Unusual to have a Greylag goose down by the NK pond.
Strangely no Wheatear.
BS