Queensbury Vis Mig

An evening of torrential rain and thunderstorms seem to incite things to get moving early a.m. possible before the next bank of rain arrives this evening.
Up to 120 mixed small gulls were in Foxhill park at 0600hrs before being disturbed with early morning dog walkers, whilst overhead Meadow Pipits trickled through in groups of 3 and 4 all >W along with a scattering of Linnets.
Swallows were moving fast and high >S and 4 Mistle Thrushes came over >SE.
Around 30 Lapwings were high up in the clouds >E possibly heading for Shelf Moor or beyond.
By the time I was walking down to work at 0745hrs the sky was clear and blue and all movement had ceased.
BS

Queensbury, Foxhil,l Common Gulls

                         Some of last years Common gulls, Foxhill

A hot sticky day keeping the sky clear of birds other than an early move of Meadow Pipits all >W as yesterday ceasing by 0815hrs.
Common gulls are slowing creeping back into the park with 5 there this lunchtime along with 8 Black Headeds though the Commons are very mobile and  unapproachable this early on and don,t tend to settle until late September.
This evening on the way back from Morrisons around 30 House Martins were over the Illingworth fire station and Bradshaw village was alive with Swallows.
BS.

Queensbury today. First signs of Vis Mig.

A good start to the morning in the drizzle with the first signs of Meadow Pipits moving high and direct >W whilst Swallows came through at a steady pace >S along with 1 Skylark over the garage >SW.
By 0830 hrs this movement had dried up but a good taste of things to come.
The first Common gulls were in Foxhill Park at midday with 5 Commons and 12 Black Headed enjoying the new mown football pitches.
Two Grey Wagtails came over the garage mid morning but not in moving mode, probably the resident pair from the mill area.
Is anyone still getting local Swifts, my last were before last weekend.
BS

Ogden evening visit

             Unusually high count of Canadas, 28 present

                     Black Headed gulls grouping well around the shoreline

                   Only a matter of time before a Tern drops in

                  juv Grey Wagtail against an impossible background

                                 1 of 2  adults

Ogden  1845-1930 hrs   Grey cloudy skies,dead calm.

Washing the front windows and a bit of fence painting gave me enough Brownie points to grab the dogs and head for Ogden in the hope of Osprey, Terns or any unusual wildfowl.
Needless to say, none of which happened but a good walk round with interesting numbers of the usual common species.
Canada geese numbers had risen to 28 which all took off and headed to roost at 1900hrs whilst around 100 Mallard are now present.
A count of 174 BH gulls were in groups around the banking looking very inviting for a Tern to drop in but the juv Gt Crested Grebe had moved on.
A pair of Grey Wagtails along with a juv were in the overflow but the Dipper and Kingfisher have been absent for quite a while now.
The water was calm and flat , just right for an Osprey to splash down in the middle, ah well, maybe next time.
BS

SEO for Soil Hill

            These images were taken by me in Sept 2012 on Soil Hill

A report at work today of a Short Eared Owl quartering the Shay fields at the bottom of Soil Hill over the weekend. The bird then headed off over the main Halifax/Keighley  road towards Ogden.
The bird, or another was around the hill for a time in September last year.

All quiet over the village today but keep looking out for those Ospreys which are now moving through.
BS

Bonus bird for TMR

                       Welcome visitor, juv Spotted Flycatcher

   A bad idea for Red Legged Partridge to stand in trees
             at this time or year

  Could you shoot this, I certainly could,nt.

                                           juv LBB gull

    Plenty Woodpigeons waiting for the Bilberries.

                                             Ad LBB gull

                                 Red Legged Partridge, easy targets.

TMR, permit holders only,  1600-1800hrs, Bright sunshine, blue skies, strong WNW>6.
After 1 hour on Windy Corner it was obvious that nothing was going to happen in the strong wind. Even the gull numbers were well down and the skies otherwise empty.
Red Legged Partridge were everywhere, probably just released ready for the sportsmen !!!! They were easy to shoot with a camera so it doesnt seem like the most difficult of sports.

Dropping down to the lagoons to check for waders I spent another hour checking the wood and was pleasantly surprised. The trees near the lagoons held at least 5 Willow Warblers, one being such a bright yellow Id have sworn it was a Wood Warbler had it been earlier in the year, unfortunately after several attempts to snap it it got the better of me.
As I was about to call it a day a head appeared from behind a fence post and when I got to a distant but better position,Bingo, my first Spotted Flycatcher of the year with a nice juv.
BS

Fly Flatts/ Leeshaw.

                                   Withins Gap, Wheatears on the move

                                                    3 of 11.

                                  Leeshaw alive with House Martins

                                Canadas moving >NW

                                  Leeshaw, juv Little Owl

Heavy rain easing to sunshine and showers, strong W>5.

A very hard work session this morning with both venues mega quiet.
All the Lapwings, Curlews and Oystercatchers had left Leeshaw with only Mallards on the water and Canadas in the fields.
A good breeding success with Little Owl whilst over the water was alive with Hirundines, mainly House Martins with Swallows and Sand Martins moving through.
Fly Flatts was much the same with only birds present being Canadas with much disturbance from game keepers feeding the Grouse ready for the sad men to shoot them.
Withens Gap saved the day with at least 11 Wheatear near together all in full autumn plumage.
Several Meadow Pipits and Linnets were in the same area

Leeshaw
Vis Mig
c200 Swallows ..........................>S and >SW
c300 House Martins...................>S and >SW
7 Sand Martin............................>S and >SW
53 Meadow Pipit......................>SW
14 Canadas...............................>NW
Other
House and Sand Martins blogging
Swallows blogging
1 Little Owl + 1 juv
123 Canadas
9 Mallard

Fly Flatts
Vis Mig
c 80 Swallows..........................>SW
8 Meadow Pipit........................>SW
17 Linnet..................................>S
Other
53 Canadas

Withens Gap
Vis Mig
Several Swallows.....................>S
Bloggers
11 Wheatear
c30 Meadow Pipit
6 Linnet
BS

A Reet good dowsing at Ogden !

                                Usual 2 Lesser Black Backed present.

                                        Plenty juv Black Headed gulls

Very little time this afternoon so it was harness up the dogs at 1700 hrs and a trek around Ogden reservoir.
After heavy rain in the afternoon the sky looked to be brightening at last, wrong, it actually got worse and the rain came down in stair rods leaving us soaked to the skin.
Ideal conditions for Terns and Scoters but not to be although for a heart pumping moment I saw a little raft of 4 fowl out in the middle which turned out to be Mallards.
Around 20 BHGs were around the shore whilst 2 LBBs were on the depth gauge.
A brief sighting of a pair of Bullfinch was welcome but otherwise all was quiet.
Strange how all the Rowan trees are now in full berry.
BS                                                                                                                                        

Dailies Dinnertime Dash

A quick watch from the top of the Dailie fields this lunchtime found Hirundines well on the move south with low numbers of Swifts.
Swallows were piling down the Aire Valley all in moving mode >S with a few House Martins mixed in whilst up to about a dozen Swifts moved in the same direction but higher and more leisurely.
LBB gulls were heading >NW but not in any great numbers and a single Herring gull flew >W.
 Nothing on the deck other than Corvids, Magpies and Wood Pigeons with still no sign of any Linnet flock.

No time for the Friday night outing with some decorating at the daughters which looks to go on through the weekend but Im sure I,ll escape at some point.
BS

Watch for those Wheatear

                     Previous years juvenile Wheatears

                      Moving south through Fly Flatts

                                   Bird moulting into autumn plumage

With several local reports of Wheatears, now is the time to check those dry stone wall tops for birds slowly moving south. Several of the birds seen will be juvs whilst the adult birds will all be in autumn plumage making it near impossible to distinguish between male and female.
Returning birds are much more confining and can stay in the area 2 to 3 months , DJS even reported a November bird a couple of years back at Withens Gap. Birds have even been reported to over winter but way down south.
If you see a large butch looking long legged Wheatear with a brighter plumage chances are its a Greenland species which are much more common during the autumn than the spring but beware of Wheatear with their feathers puffed up in poor weather making them look much larger. A lot of Greenland Wheatear reports turn out to be just the common Northern species and the only way to be certain of a positive i.d. is careful checking of  plumage details if you want to get so involved.
BS