With a sunny afternoon and an hour spare between shopping and decorating it was up to Soil Hill to try get to grips with Ring Ouzel and Wheatear.
By the time I got up there, 1500 hrs, the black clouds had moved in and rain was specking lightly on a slight SW>3.
Scanning from the top of the tree line I could see what I thought was a pair on Ring Ouzels moving about in the bottom most trees.
Nowt else for it but to get down there, ignoring the thought of the climb back up, only to find a pair of Blackbirds looking for a reasonable nest site.
Also at the bottom were 5 Dunnock , 2 Wrens, 2 distant Oystercatchers, 1 Curlew and 7 Lapwing.
A check on Ring Ouzel clough found nothing but a cock Pheasant.
The summits were alive with Meadow Pipits which looked fidgety and fresh in along with a few Skylarks.
A real poor session but not to grumble as this week since Monday my local 5 mile radius area has provided , through my sightings and reports of :-
3m 1f Ring Ouzel
1 Long Eared Owl
1 Osprey
around 15 Buzzard
5 Wheatear
1 Swallow
1 White Wagtail
7 Herring gulls
Barn Owl
Ring Necked Parakeet
Barnacle Goose
Little Owl
2 Raven
4 Redshank
Snipe
+ all the usual sp.
Thanks for local reports from NK, DJS, AC, JL, DW, DP. HC.
Local birdings hard work but look at the rewards.
BS
WEST YORKSHIRE BIRDING. BRIAN SUMNER. I am based at Queensbury and bird a patch within a 10 mile range of home incorporating 16 stretches of water, several plantations, a belt of woodland, stretches of river and canal and good areas of moorland. I specialize in upland birds, reservoir and sky watching. My local patch is Fly Flatts reservoir. Any reports can be sent by text or call to 07771 705024 or see profile for e mail address. All images on this blog are copyright.(2024).