Bright and busy skies

                             

Bright skies from the word go this morning clouding early afternoon with a strengthening SW wind.
The problem with gazing skyward whilst walking to work in the wind is I have to keep setting off to chase my cap down the road, maybe I should try bluetack.
The skies were alive with birds early a.m. with winter thrushes moving over >S in small flocks and then several single Fieldfares kept coming over in the same direction.
A group of 4 Pied Wagtails headed >SW and unusually a single jay flew from the direction of the old station and headed off to the >W.
At midday 3 Herring gull flew high over the park >NW and a single Pied Wagtail was on the top pitch.
Just one month to go now for you to top up those annual lists and then its back to the start and do it all again.
Im afraid that once again this year my life species list has,nt altered with no new birds for me but thats one of the penalties for sticking to local birding although on that rare occasion when you finally get a lifer in your local area the pleasure is much greater than if you go off to see someone elses bird on a twitch somewhere,
BS

Watch for those Snow Buntings

                       
                                                   

Snow Buntings are being reported well in the area at the moment with birds found by NK on Soil Hill, see Queensburybirder, then re located today in atrocious conditions by DJS, Calderbirds.
Another report was rung into me this pm of a single male near the Duke of York between Thornton and Wilsden. This is a strange place for Snow Bunting as the area just comprises of green fields but I had a single female there myself several years ago whilst driving past. The bird was sat on the wall and dropped down into the field where it remained for 2 days.
Nothing doing up in the heights of Queensbury today with a strong SSW>6 blowing increasing to SW>7 and torrential rain by early afternoon.
The daughter Rachel , who lives at Shelf, called in at lunch time and said, how can anyone live in such a god forsaken place as this, I think that was because she,d just had her hair done and by the time she,d got back in her car she looked like she,d been dragged through a hedge backwards.
BS

Queensbury Today

                                 

                                                   

                                               

Plenty winter thrush activity this morning with several flocks of both Fieldfare and Redwing over in various directions , probably most would have come out of the Queensbury Station
hawthorns where they seem to like to roost each winter.
Midday saw 28 mixed small gulls in the park and several Gt tits on surrounding feeders. A single Heron went over >E and a kestrel was hovering behind the Pineberry Inn.
BS

Soil Hill

                                       

                                           

A little less windy on Soil Hill last light with a cold NW>5 and very hazy to the west.
Fieldfares were very mobile moving from field to field whilst a small flock of Linnets are still hanging on in there.
Seven Grey Partridge were present plus the usual  Skylarks and Meadow Pipits.

7 Grey Partridge
42 Fieldfare
17 Linnet
3 Skylark
4 Meadow Pipit.
BS

Blustery Ogden

                                  Goldfinch enjoying the Alders

Another poor Sunday morning with strong NW>6 gusting 7 and early rain showers. As predicted the morning brightened after 1000hrs but the wind remained.
Certainly not a photographic morning with the branches of the trees swaying about making photos of the Goldfinch like hitting moving targets.
The  water was quiet with high waves and white horses and just held a few Common and BH gulls whilst the outskirts of the wood was quite busy with several tit flocks with Goldcrests mixed in.
A flock of 11 Siskin flew over heading towards the giants tooth and 2 Redpoll showed briefly amongst a charm of 20+ Goldfinch feeding in the Alders.
A single Cormorant went over >E.
20+ Goldfinch
5 Goldcrest
1 Cormorant
2 Redpoll
11 Siskin
7 Coal Tit.
+ usual sp.
BS

Gale force winds and Fieldfares.

A breezy damp morning deteriorating by midday with gale force SW>7 gusting 8 and heavy rain continuing on into the evening. Looking sad for morning unless theres a rapid improvement overnight. The weather says its to brighten late morning which is too late for the early birders.
Late afternoon today at last light on the way to Shelf Moor several Fieldfares were coming in to roost in trees at the top side of the golf course with 1 flock of about 50.
Three Mistle Thrush were on wires and a flock of Chaffinch were mobile near the old bacon factory with some suspicious looking birds amongst them which were possibly Brambling but they disappeared behind the helicopter hangar out of site, will have to try find time to check them out tomorrow.
BS

Hail, sunshine, wind and rain. A typical Queensbury day.

                             

A real variety of weather today starting with strong SW>6 which dropped by midday. Some bright sunny intervals, then by early afternoon came torrential rain showers and a hail storm which left the car park white over for a short time.
Heavy overnight rain left the rugby field awash which suited the local gulls comprising mainly of Commons with a few Black Headeds. One LBB made an attempt at landing only to lift off again and head off >N.
At lunch time 6 Collared Doves were back around the park annoying the resident white wingbarred Carrion Crow.
Fingers crossed for the weekend with target birds, Black Redstart, Med gull and Waxwings, ok, you can stop laughing now !.
BS

Clear skies and strong south westerlies.

                                      Sunrise back ot mill

                               

                                                       

A strong SW>6 kept the skies clear and blue today with some long periods of sunshine.
Several LBB gulls were heading SW  into the wind whilst early morning Woodpigeons made their way south after leaving the roosts.
An interesting sight today was a single Curlew very high over Chapel Lane heading >SE and calling. It almost slipped by me as at first I dismissed it for a Starling mimicking but then caught sight of it.
A report at the garage today from CK of Med gulls in the area some check out those gull flocks on your patch.
BS

Fogless at last.

At last the dreaded fog has been taken away by a strong W>5 leaving a clear but grey day. On the way to work this morning a nice red ball sunrise was showing at the side of the Black Dyke Mill chimney but by the time Id dashed down to get a good vantage point for a photo it had been covered with cloud and remained that way the rest of the day.
At midday a single Heron went over >E mobbed by corvids and 4 Stock Doves flew >W over the park.
The influx of Collared Doves from the other day have dispersed and their place around the garden feeder replaced by 8 feral pigeons.
Several reports of Yellowhammers on the Halifax grapevine today, a bird that has disappeared without trace around this area, I can,t remember when I had my last local bird although Denise had one in her garden last year.
They were a common sight down Queensbury station with birds always to be found on the wires and singing from the Gorse bushes but that was when I started birding 45+ years ago. I dont recall when the last one was seen down there but I would think it would have been in the late sixties unless you know different Howard as you continued to work it as your patch up to your departure from the hill top to the lowlands.
Elland G.P. held about 2 pair up to around 20 years ago but this species has also vacated this area.
Maybe one day they,ll return, stranger things have happened.!
BS

Queensbury White Crow

                                Photos taken by Simon Dedrick , ( copyright)

The Queensbury white Crow seems to have suddenly become active again after a bit of an absence , firstly seen by NK in his garden and yesterday Simon Dedrick, who lives not far from Nigel kindly sent me a report of it around his garden along with these cracking photos. Thanks for that Simon, hope you didnt mind me sharing your photos.
A foggy start today but a stiff W>4 soon moved it away leaving a bright clear afternoon but very little seen in the skies other that a few LBB gulls heading >S.
BS

Bit of sun, lot of fog

                                       

Another day of that miserable cloudy stuff with a few short lived bright intervals in between. At some points there was no horizontal vision but a clear blue sky overhead. By mid p.m. the fog had come in thicker than ever and is still the same now.
A high count of Collared Doves was present midday around Foxhill park with 15 in one tree above a garden feeder and up to 8 others nearer to the Fleet Lane end. There may have been more but the dreaded fog closed in on me before Id had chance to get a full count.
BS

A failed attempt at Soil Hill

Queensbury was above the fog around midday with clear blue skies and sunshine but by late afternoon when we got back from doing the family thing the mist was starting to roll in. By the time I got to Soil Hill the fog was thickening fast and within 15 minutes the fog was so thick it was hard to know which direction to walk in to get back to the road. The only birds seen were 4 Skylarks on the summit which I almost stood on before I saw them lift up and disappear into the fog.
Again its wait another week, surely one weekend has got to be clear before the end of the year.
BS

Watch out for those Black Redstarts

Several reports are beginning to come in for Black Redstarts so keep your eyes open around old buildings and stony areas. Hopefully Black Redstart spotting experts DJS, NK, HC and DCB will be on the ball again this year giving us our annual records.
DJS usually turns one up around the Withins Gap, Cold Edge area which in the past has been a long stayer. NKs sighting was Perseverence Rd/ Soil Hill which stayed for a few days and HC/DCBs birds have appeared at Oxenhope.
HCs bird is a bit of a standing joke as one November we were at the watchpoint on the last Sunday of the vis mig season when Howard suddenly remarked, "Hey up, whats that little bugger on the wall " which turned out to be a Black Red. The year after in November, around the same date, again a small bird landed on the reservoir wall and just like an action replay Howard said "Hey up, whats that little bugger on the wall" which turned out to be another Black Red.
A bright sunny day from first light up here on the hill today with mist lying down in the valleys  but nothing bird wise to report other than 38 Common gulls in Foxhill early doors.
BS

Fieldfares but nowt much else

A bright morning clouding pm but remaining clear all day.
Several large flocks of Fieldfare came over Foxhill, the village and the garage early morning probably moving from roosts looking for feeding grounds, all were heading >S and >SE. Counted around 200 in all with a few Redwings mixed in otherwise the skies were quiet other than a few LBBs >NW and 4 Meadow Pipits >SW.
Looking a bit sad on the birding scene for me this weekend with outside jobs stock piling and limited hours of daylight when I can get to do them, I hate these dark nights.
BS.