A none birding day

With another of those hot, sticky , still days making birds and birders disinterested I decided against slogging about in the conditions, which are all wrong for any amount of decent movement, so it was head down continuing with the garden project from afternoon shopping to 2000 hrs  which helped me get a lot of the work out of the way ready for the kick off which has got to be starting soon.
                                    Noticeable from the garden are Black Headed gulls are becoming a common sight overhead whilst Common gull numbers are building up in Foxhill park first light each morning now.
Hopefully I,ll awake in the morning to a brisk cold wind and a spot of drizzle thrown in so I can count the Common Scoters on reservoir check, ( fat chance ).
BS

Soil Hill, evening visit

With just 1 hour to spare this evening it was up to Soil Hill mainly in the hope of fly overs as Soil Hill is now near redundant until late autumn when we start looking for Woodcock, Jack Snipe and Snow Buntings although there,s always a chance of picking up a migrant bird passing through tempted down into the tree line.
                                                    Meadow Pipits and Skylarks were present on the summit although the grass is well overgrown now so impossible to see them on the deck.
Looking long distance from the top of the hill to the bottom a Long Eared Owl was on a post briefly before flying into the trees not to be re located despite trekking down to the bottom and back so came away with 6 very blurry photos taken at such distance  and in very dark clouds and drizzle.
                                                      Otherwise it was down to a large flock of Starling and a single Black Headed gull in a newly mowed field plus a few LBB gulls heading for Oxenhope which I plan to visit tomorrow if all goes according to plan.
BS

Swifts on the move

A none birding day for me today with Grandaughter duties and a heavy garden project but watched the skies as Swifts were well on the move with several over in migrating mode all >SW. This movement continued throughout the afternoon with a few House Martins and Swallows mixed in.
The other thing of note is for the last 3 evenings Black Headed gulls have been coming over low and >W very noisy.  The first time this happened I looked to see what they were mobbing but there was nothing and the same has happened each evening this week always around 2000 hrs.
                                                     Hopefully I,ll get out somewhere tomorrow for an hour or so.
BS

The Sound of Silence. Fly Flatts/ Leeshaw

With Lynda wanting me and the dogs out of the way a couple of hours after dinner today for her hairdresser coming it was a good opportunity for a reservoir check but with Oxenhope being a no dog area it was down to Fly Flatts and Leeshaw.
Fly Flatts was a little cooler than yesterday with a stiff W>5 blowing but the lack of moorland birds was now noticeable by their silence. The calls of Curlew, Lapwing and Snipe have now gone for another season leaving the moors a desolate area other than a few Red Grouse calling and Meadow Pipits now starting grouping ready to move on as the autumn approaches.
Wheatears will be the next birds in numbers around the reservoir area, hopefully with a Greenland sp or 2 mixed in.
Several Canadas on the water and still good numbers in the fields with young but once again, no Barnacle.  Otherwise it was down to a couple of LBB gulls over along with several Carrion Crow squabbling over a sheep carcass.

Leeshaw was no better with Canadas and Greylags on the water along with a couple of BH gull and again no Curlew or Lapwing around the usual fields.  Just 1 Oystercatcher on the reservoir wall and House Martins still feeding young under the eaves of the valve tower.


Perfect skies and thermals but still no dispersion started of big raptors as yet.
BS

Fly Flatts

After an afternoon of slaving in a hot garden the dogs needed a walk somewhere cool and breezy as well as me, I hate this hot stuff, so where better than Fly Flatts.
Even up on the tops in a stiff breeze the air was warm and uncomfortable which is unusual for Fly Flatts. It was 1700 hrs and the road was busy with commuter traffic so it seemed safe to leave the car briefly at the Oxenhope end and walk down to the northern ponds.
A scan of the water produced nothing other than the Canadas which were mostly on dry land in the boathouse car park so still no Barnacle.
Otherwise it was absolutely bird less with empty skies and nothing on the ponds or moor.
                                                                                It livened up slightly at Withens Gap with several Meadow Pipits, some still carrying food, and a single Wheatear made a brief appearance before it dropped below the wall. All the breeding Curlew seem to have left the fields by Hunter Hill.
                                                    The area surrounding Hunter Hill must have the strangest place names in West Yorkshire with places like ;-

Slaughter Gap
Sleepy Lowe Flat
Fill Belly Flat
Too To Hill
Knoll Hill
Hole Bottom
Solomons Temple
Noahs Ark
To name but a few, and I thought Queensbury had some odd names.

Anyway, that was the extent of my birding for today, I was going on to Cold Edge but the power boats were in action so that was a no no.
Being selfish I hope this weathers breaks for tomorrow and we can get back to normal.
BS

The weight watchers guide to birding.

I do wish Dave Sutcliffe would turn up his Redstarts in more civilized places.
The last one sent me way down to the bottom of Slaughter Gap only to dip. This time I was lucky but nearly died in the process.

                           Ogden Redstart

                                           Moulting bird

Lunch time and just finished work a call came from DJS reporting a male Redstart by the bottom of Ogden golf course so after Lyndas shopping spree it was 1500 hrs when I decided to set off and try re locate the bird.  I knew it was a long trek from Ogden but I thought better than facing all the midges on gull watch in the heat, plus its 1 year since my last sighting, also found by DJS below Roper Lane, and I could check Ogden for Scoter at the same time.
After a 2 mile hard going walk in blazing sunshine and ridiculously high temperatures with a 2 cwt camera hung around my neck I finally arrived in the area but when I rang Dave for further directions to the birds last sighting I found it was another 100yds up the hill towards the moor.
                                                               Past the point of no return now it was onward and upward to the distant hedge of Hawthorns where 20 minutes searching produced nothing and with time running out and the thought of the trek back I was ready to declare it a mega dip when a small bird appeared briefly from a clump of brambles a bit higher up the hill. camera cocked, I thought ,thats it, until I zoomed in on a Willow Warbler. The depressed feeling was soon lifted as the Redstart popped out of the same bramble patch and into a nearby Hawthorn where luckily I could just see it through a gap in the branches so I fired a quick burst of photos just before it flew across low into the Hawthorn hedge never to be seen again.
                                    Had I had more time to sit it out I suppose it would have shown again but with thoughts of her indoors getting my tea out I legged it as fast as I could back to Ogden and home with minutes to spare and looking as if I,d been caught in a thunderstorm and probably 2 stone lighter.
A great find from a dedicated searcher, well done Dave, thats another I owe you.
BS

Another 2 reservoir checks, Oxenhope, members only and Ogden any man and his dog.

     Oxenhope.                             Gulls as thick as snowflakes

 Good to see in flight but not so good if you,re in the
middle of counting and checking them.

             This is just part of the gull infested shoreline

                                                Click on this , its amazing
Having checked Leeshaw, Fly Flatts and Mixenden this morning the reservoir check continued late afternoon then again early evening in search of a small black dot in the centre of the water, namely a Common Scoter.
Oxenhope reservoir  1500-1630 hrs  Sunny with a warm W>5. Visibility Drax.
Very much the same as yesterdays visit but much harder to sift through today with the sun in the lens and the birds were so tightly compressed together mostly crouched down or in the water so no sign of the Yellow Legged but with 13 Herring present it was probably still there.
Black Headeds were again pouring in doubling the amount first counted but fewer waders today.

c 400 LBB
c 250 BHG doubling in numbers by the time I left and still piling in.
7 Common Gull
13 Herring Gull
2 Common Sandpiper
1f Goosander
1 Redshank
Plenty Swallows and Swifts
+ usual sp.

 Ogden                                 juv LBB

                                             Black Headed numbers building

Ogden1900-1945hrs warm and sunny W>4

Unbelievable that at 1900 hrs on a Sunday night Ogden was as busy as Blackpool pleasure beach on a Bank Holiday Monday.
The bottom car park was packed so I had to go up into the high risk car park which is sponsored by Autoglass but luckily on my return all the glass was intact and the wheels still on so the visit was,nt all bad.
With the amount of people there it was a matter of a quick check of the water and a look through the Black Headeds before getting out of there fast but at least it gave the dogs a walk and gave me peace of mind that I was,nt missing a local Scoter.
The search continues.

1 juv LBB
2  Common gull
45 BHG
1 Heron
sev Swallows
+ usual sp.

PS  I have had a couple of e mail queries recently asking why I never mention the Oxenhope reservoir by name and what do I mean by members only .
This is simply a rule stipulated by YW in the agreement to grant us permission to bird there by not advertising its name in the attempt to keep general public away and entry can only be granted by being a member of Bradford Ornithological Group. To my mind the best £20 per year I spend just for the reservoir alone.
It badly needs more watchers up there but its a bleak spot and not for the faint hearted so if you like gulls , waders and waterfowl why not join and get up there, and no, Im not on commission.
BS

Leeshaw, Fly Flatts, Mixenden. It had to happen!

                           As good as it got. 2 remaining Leeshaw Curlew.

With a good run of birds over the last few sessions a downer had to be waiting in the wings and this morning it arrived.
The morning was dry and cloudy brightening later but spoilt once again by the strong W>6.
Leeshaw was unusually quiet with most recent birds moved on or keeping their heads down from the wind.
Only 2 Curlew and 2 Oystercatchers were showing with a few LBBs and BHGs passing through.
A text from AC and then the grapevine of 4 Terns over Northowram >NNW left me waiting with baited breath scouring the skies but they never materialized even though I was sure if they continued over TMR they would have hit Leeshaw so probable veered >W.  Many thanks for the call Andy.

Fly Flatts was near to gale force and difficult standing, never mind scoping but managed to pick up 1 Redshank and 1 Common Sandpiper as well as the Canada flock which were all sheltering in the grass so no sign of the Barnacle.
3 LBBs were over the water an 2 Lapwings headed >W.

Mixenden was poor with no gulls present and just 4 Mallard on the water.

Thanks to MC, Hudds. for the e mail reply to the strange TMR LBB gull wing pattern agreeing it was due to Leucism.
BS

Back amongst the gulls. Oxenhope, members only.

 Herring coming in to land
 Yellow Legged Herring on the right.

                                      Same adult YL as yesterday probably

                                     Lapwings moving up the shoreline

                                              4 Oystercatcher in the distant sw corner

                               2 sleeping Snipe in the background

                                       Herring gull

                            Another Herring in to land

           More BH gulls arriving

                                        Crammed shoreline

Oxenhope reservoir  1545-1715 hrs  W>5 Light drizzle clearing. Grey skies . Visibility Otley Chevin.

Amazing how Black Headed gulls have just returned this week with a count of 6 last weekend and around 400 today as I left and still piling in.
As more shoreline appears more birds come and fill it with gulls cramped together in one area.
With gulls and waders all along the shoreline and in the pools its resembles being out on an estuary.
The Yellow Legged Herring gull was again present but a careful scope through the rest of the gulls failed to turn up any other exoticas .

c245 Black Headed gulls doubling in numbers by the time I left, at least 400
c 300 LBB gulls
14 Herring gulls
1 YL Herring gull
2 Common gull
3 Redshank
1 Little Ringed Plover
2 Snipe
4 Oystercatchers
3 Common Sandpiper
c 100 Lapwing
1 Curlew
Plenty Swallows and Swifts
2 Kestrels
+ usual Mallard, Greylag, Canada, Mipits etc.
BS

Giving the reservoirs some stick. Oxenhope, members only, Mixenden , Ogden. and another Yellow Legged

               Plenty BH gulls to sift through

                            You,ll have to click on these distant pics
                                                        to see owt.

                           adult-    Yellow Legged Herring gull

 3 Herring gulls, YL far left

                                          Lapwings heading in

                Scud creeping over the moor

  Strange winged LBB gull

           Not seen one like this before

Oxenhope  1330 - 1445 hrs  Atrocious conditions with a howling W>6 - 7. Heavy horizontal rain and drizzle drying up slightly end of watch but then low cloud fell.  Visibility Thornton.

A free afternoon and up to Oxenhope in appalling conditions but the birds did,nt seem to mind it so why should I, besides, its just the sort of conditions for a Tern or Skua type heading through.
It was conditions such as these on 23/07/2000 when 62 Common Scoters dropped out of the sky onto the reservoir much to the surprise of MD, BV and myself.

Very hard scoping through the gulls even in the hide with the wind and rain blasting straight at the windows and the gulls were stood head to wind at one point so you could not see their heads.
I was satisfied by the end of the watch that there was no Med gull but as I was coming away BH gulls were piling into the reservoir from the fields.
It was stopping to watch these that got me an adult Yellow Legged Herring gull, a different bird from my Leeshaw sighting.  Also a single little Ringed Plover was still present.
The above pictured LBB stood out with the strange wing pattern which did,nt look to be anything to do with the moult ?

Oxenhope
c 400 LBB
c250 BHG  and increasing
9 Herring
1 Common
78 Lapwing
1f Goosander
1 Little Ringed Plover
Several Swallows and Swifts
+ usual Canadas, Greylags and Mallards

Mixenden reservoir early evening
Calmer conditions but heavy drizzle throughout
37 BH gulls
11 Common gulls
1m Tufted
6 Mallard
Several Swifts feeding over plantation

Ogden early evening
Drying out slightly and near calm with cloud base just above tree tops.
8 BH gulls
2 LBB gulls
15 Canadas
1 Heron
+ usual sp.
BS

Leeshaw Reservoir

                                Young Curlews moving through >W

           Oystercatchers still hanging round

      Last few Lapwings in the fields

       Most ad Curlews left now leaving a few young

   One that nearly got away, Whimbrel >W

Leeshaw res.  1630 - 1745 hrs. Strong W>5 Blue skies and sunshine.

Much quieter than my last visit but enough to keep me watching throughout .
The grouping Oystercatchers were more spread out this evening with some in the fields and some around the water with a count of 12 rather than the 22 recorded on my last trip.
5 young Curlews came through >W along with a steady flow of Black Headed gulls also >W with about 80 in all.
Reports around Calderdale of Common Scoter but still none showing here with just Greylags and Canadas on the water.
Only 2 juv LBB gulls which flew through >SE probably on their way to Oxenhope res whilst a Snipe was very vocal but remained unseen.
                                               The highlight of the visit was as I was ready for leaving when a shrill call came from the south banking of the reservoir, which is out of sight from the track, and what looked like a very dark Curlew flew up just giving me time to id it as a Whimbrel with a very prominent eye and crown stripe and as it lifted up high and >W it flew off into the sun giving the seven whistle call as it went.
Id just put the camera in the car ready to leave so by the time I got it I could only manage a few tail end shots.
This is my second Whimbrel sighting this year over Leeshaw , the last one being in May whilst CK had an Oxenhope bird last week so a good year for the area with this species.
BS