Another day of cold wind from the N and later turning NE though not as strong as yesterday and ,although some very dark clouds, there were no snow showers today.
A repeat of yesterdays walk which will be repeated for quite some time yet as its close to home and plenty potential to produce as the weeks go on. I,d like to do Shibden valley but its just too far for the time I have out.
Old Guy road was much livelier with 2 singing Skylarks up and 2 on the cricket pitch along with a pair of Pied Wagtails whilst the single Curlew was back in a distant field. Plenty Magpies around with 18 counted, a species thats rapidly growing in numbers in most areas.
A flock of around 40 Starlings were mobile and 3 Stock Doves were in a field off Roper Lane where 6 Herring gulls flew >E over Bradshaw.
The bottom of the Dailie fields was more sheltered from the cold wind today so the birds tended to show more with 4 Linnet present along with 1 Lt Tit plus Greats and Blues. A Goldfinch was a new bird down there from the last few visits along with 2 Wrens darting in and out of the dry stone walls. Two raptors showing with a Kestrel over the station and a soaring Buzzard way across the valley over Baildon Moor.
Back at the top of the Dailies there is a good colony of House Sparrows with at least 30 noisy, squabbling birds but a good scan through failed to find any Tree Sparrows.
It seems very strange to me doing this sort of birding, suddenly going from scanning over acres of muddy shoreline, moors and water to sorting through Hawthorns , Broom and Gorse bushes for tiny birds but in a way I,m enjoying the change and I got a message today from a local who,s had Snipe and Woodcock down there recently plus the Hawthorns should attract a good supply of Warblers when the time comes.
Old Guy Road
4 Skylark
2 Pied Wagtail
1 Curlew
sev Mipits
3 Stock Dove
6 Herring gull
18 Magpie
c 40 Starling
Dailie Fields
4 Linnet
1 Goldfinch
1 Lt Tit
3 Gt Tit
5 Blue Tit
2 Wren
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
1 cock Pheasant
c 30 House Sparrow
Keep safe, BS