Soil Hill 1445-1600 hrs W>4 increasing >5. Hazy sunshine with poor visibility to west into sun.
Good moving skies today so off to Soil Hill late afternoon for one hours skywatch which unfortunately missed me a Red Kite over the hill 30 minutes earlier, Dan Branch.
A quick scan round for Wheatear then on to the NW corner of the western summit where the sky was lively with mainly gulls to start with along with 3 local kestrels.
Several LBB gulls were soaring very high whilst 5 Herring gulls headed >W. Skylarks were mobile and up singing with 8 present along with 5 Meadow Pipits and 2 Grey Partridge. After about 15 minutes watching a cloud of gulls came up from Ogden and after a bit of scanning in the bright haze a Red Kite appeared, which was probably the same bird as earlier, flying low over the Giants Tooth then over the plantation and across the golf course disappearing out of sight below Hunters Hill heading >S down the valley. No chance of a pic as if I,d have taken my bins off it I,d have lost it being below the skyline and camouflaged with the bracken .
Within another 15 minutes the gulls were up again , this time with a Peregrine low over the golf course , over the plantation and off fast and low to the north over Oxenhope reservoir. Two Buzzards were up far to the east near Bingley soaring over the Whetstone Gate area. By now the wind was increasing and the skies went quiet apart from a few small flocks of Black Headed gulls heading to roost. No Wheatear but a good hours entertainment on the hill.
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).