Late afternoon with temperatures up slightly and some sun showing but very hazy skies on an E>4. With no chance of sky watching in the conditions and boats on the water I harnessed up the dogs and went up on the tops in search of Ring Ouzel which unfortunately never materialized .
Starting off at Sentry Hill I walked along Thornton Moor Road past the plantation below the reservoir which we planted and watered around 30 years ago as small saplings and have now grown to mature trees. We had to carry buckets of water from the beck and struggle over the rough ground to keep the plants wet until they got established but looking at them now it was all worthwhile. When I reached Black Edge Lane I doubled back on past the lagoons and climbed Delph Hill up to the Sacrifice Stones on top of the Nab. Normally a great 360 deg view from up there but not today in the haze but luckily there was no sacrifices going on.
Birding was as you,d expect on an upland walk with good numbers of Curlew, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Mipits etc along with 7 Wheatear but no Ouzels or Black Reds.
Around 200 gulls on the reservoir plus Canadas, Greylags and Tufteds.
Back at Sentry Hill I was going to get some photos of gulls coming in to the water but low clouds started moving in from the east so that snookered that idea.
A great shout today from Angela and Gary finding a pair of Shoveler on the lagoon at Elland Gravel Pits, a rare species for the area. I don,t think any were recorded in Calderdale last year and I just had one pair on Leeshaw 30/3/18. Well spotted you two and thanks for the call. The birds were still there at 1518 hrs, AC.
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).