Local Fields

A bit of a grey day, that looked like it might rain anytime but the rain did not arrive until late afternoon.

I just managed a very short walk up the local fields after lunch.

A friend told me the other day that he went shopping in Newcastle.

A ladies fashion shop that he entered  had a sign outside  stating 'No Pets Inside'.

After looking around he noticed there were no ladies present - funny that? Probably not!

Birds:

Earlier this a.m. both The Range and B&Q had singing Chiffchaff present.

Chiffchaff, 2 Canada Geese, 3 House Sparrow, 2 Curlew.

Wren, 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Buzzard high over head.

Chaffinch, Greenfinch and a few other species.

A Weasel ran along the field next to a broken down wall.

 

Ilkley and Local

By - Bus - Train and Boot!

I dressed for summer again today but it turned out a tad coooooool.

We caught the 9.04 am bus to Keighley (cost £2 each early but - magic value) and were greeted by an Ilkley bus waiting for us as we arrived in Keighley.

We got off the Ilkley bus about a mile out of town and walked in along the river on the Dalesway Path.

Just a small camera with me today - but a few birds did pop up.

We stopped off at the really excellent Ilkley Tennis Club cafe where we had a coffee and shared  a Scone with jam and cream (all for £8) - (Big tummy says "Whats this with all these cafe visits of late").

Arriving in Ilkley we decided to buy some train tickets (for a change)  to get back to Halifax which were quite reasonably priced.

After an hour or two shopping, where I managed to keep all my £100 notes intact in my wallet we called at Spoons for a pop and a light lunch.

The train journeys were very good even given that we had to change stations in Bradford from Forster square one to the Interchange one, connecting with the Halifax train with just 5 minutes to wait.

I just had time for a quick look at the local fields before dark and it was cold in the strong wind.

Birds:

Ilkley.

(Lapwing and Oystercatcher seen from the train).

6 Chiffchaff (4 singing).

Mallard.

Pied Wagtail.

Little Egret. (picked out by hawk eye Sue).

Pair Mandarin Duck.

2 Nuthatch.

Female Goosander.

Singing Mistle Thrush.

1 Redshank.

2 Oystercatcher.

Just a few Gulls.

2 Greylag Geese.

Local.

2 Curlew calling from afar.

Singing Mistle Thrush.

Bradshaw - Soil Hill Circular

Another beautiful warm sunny day today.

We had a bit of a trauma at bedtime last night involving the 'safety' glass on the shower door.

I'm feeling a bit less circumlocutions this evening so I won't bore you with the details but we ended up with a bucket holding 'millions' of little glass bits .

This afternoon 'I escaped' and walked up to Soil Hill over the top path along Ned Hill Track and home via the farms and bog.

Walls have ears allegedly and I was hoping my walls had some made of wheat but they didn't!

Lots of looking but not much seeing today.

Birds:-

The 10 Whoopers reported by B.S. were still present seen from the top road (12.28pm).

Bradshaw - Taylor Lane.

Buzzard (Over the garden a,m,). Greenfinch.

1 Skylark. 7 Fieldfare. 2 Meadow Pipit. 1 Stock Dove.

Soil Hill.

6 Meadow Pipit. 2 Skylark. Pheasant, Curlew called from Ogden way.

Ned Hill to Home.

3 Pheasant. 4 Meadow Pipit. 1 Skylark. 2 Mallard. 2 Stock Dove.

2 Bullfinch. 3 Curlew. Greenfinch. 3 Wren, 

Raven over head.

Only a few Herring and Common Gulls seen

A mass of Gulls on Oxenhope reservoir - seen from Soil Hill.

2 Buzzard (Lower) and 2

? Crows maybe.

Mixenden Whooper Swan

Meadow Pipit mimicking a Tree Job.

Bradshaw and Soil Hill

A sunny day today and noticeably warmer, especially this afternoon. Even Soil Hill was nice and pleasantly warm!

Another free day with Sue busy elsewhere so I decided to search for something special - would have had more luck getting a special from the chippy though.

I went up Taylor Lane, around Soil Hill a couple of times and actually ventured to the bottom of the north slope where I sat and enjoyed my butties.

Bird of the day was a Reed Bunting that popped into a tree as I noshed my lunch, but soon popped back off again.

Some enjoyable bird song and the usual birds for this area seen today.

Another great forecast for tomorrow but I fear that my birding time will be severely restricted when tomorrow comes!

Birds:

Bradshaw to Soil Hill:

Buzzard. 2 Canada Geese. 3 Meadow Pipit. 3 Fieldfare.

2 Red Legged Partridge. Robin. Greenfinch. Goldfinch. Chaffinch.

Pied Wagtail.

A Green Woodpecker called from Bradshaw area as I was on Taylor Lane.

Soil Hill and Ned Hill Track.

4 Skylark. Moorhen. 5 Curlew. 2 Wren.

3 Blackbird. Woodpigeons.

Buzzard. Pheasant. 

Reed Bunting.

Green Woodpecker over head on north slope.

2 Partridge species flushed very nosily from Ned Hill Track.

Bradshaw - Soil Hill - Ogden (Whoopers) - Soil Hill - Bradshaw.

Zero degrees today as I defrosted the car for Sue who had an early MOT appointment in Bradford.

(Well the car had the MOT).

So I had a free rein today.

A five hour plus outing today up to and over Soil Hill around Ogden Water and back via Back Lane and Soil Hill.

It was good to bump into a few birders at Ogden where the large number Whooper Swan reported this morning (MM, CS) remained on the water.

A tad earlier, on Ogden Lane, I bumped into DP and after I'd had a coffee and a Twix I met up with DJS, AT and James H who were 'hanging about' on the promenade!

On the backward journey , I bumped into DP again on Back Lane and we walked together back up and  over Soil Hill and down into Bradshaw but didn't see much.

I finally met my one blog fan today (after all these years of blogging).

He  enjoys all this drivel - especially the bits about our bus rides tales.

His name must remain a secret though to save any possible embarrassment (for him not me) - should his secret ever get out.

Thank You Very Much Richard for the compliment (not his real name you understand).

Quite Cold on Soil Hill with this easterly still at it - but a great day for a walk.

(No ticks though).

Local fields this afternoon had a farmer harrowing the fields which kiboshed the job (a bit).

Red Legged Partridge, 2 Mallard and 2 Meadow Pipit was about all in the fields.

Still very cold this evening in this biting wind.

Birds:-

150 Whooper Swan.

Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Dunnock, Robin,

c25 Meadow Pipit (In ones and twos throughout).

c260 Starling Flock.

c50 Gulls on Ogden Water, 2 Canada Geese.

6 Common Gull - Taylor Lane.

c10 Herring Gulls, c20 Lapwing, 2 Canada Geese - Shay Fields.

2 Stock Dove,

1 Mallard.

6 Skylark.

7 Curlew.

Pheasant.

Partridge species flushed no call on Soil Hill.

Singing Chiffchaff left a tree along the Ogden Circuit.

Long Tailed Tit, Goldcrest.

1 Fieldfare running next to a wall (DP).

Buzzard.

Local.

Bradshaw - Soil Hill - Bradshaw

A mid to late afternoon walk up Percy Road and over Soil Hill was on the cards today.

The bonnet fields had a sizable flock of Starlings with c6 Fieldfare.

Taking the wall gap stile at Percy Road corner I headed towards the quarry.

When I was nearly there a Ram was in the field. I've had an 'experience' with a ram here before and (soft sod what I am) I did a 'ewe' turn and then continued along Percy Road to attack Soil Hill from the mast path.

Anyway it was bitter cold here was a sharp easterly blowing.

The sun was undecided - first it came out to check the weather - didn't like what was on offer - and went back in  again - it went darker then.

The hill had lots of nowt.

NK pond had two distant Teal, 4 Mallard and a Moorhen.

Shay fields had lots of nowt.

Further to my right , down there, 2 Canada Geese made an appearance.

2 Skylarks flushed from Ned Hill Track to immediately disappear.

The farm track had the usual Woodpigeon and Jackdaw population.

Birds:

2 Stock Dove.

2 Skylark.

c150 Starlings.

c6 Fieldfare.

3 Curlew.

4 Mallard.

2 Teal.

Moorhen.

Mixenden Res. had 14 Gulls on it - seen from the top road as we passed this a.m.

Luddenden Foot to Hebden Bridge (and back) / Local

An enjoyable walk today along the 'railway & river' path from Luddenden Foot to Hebden Bridge and back.

A quick coffee and a T Cake in Hebden gave us a breather.

Some sun, lots of cloud and some light rain along the way today.

Bird of the day was Dipper with at least 6 Sightings at different sections of the river.

Checked the Heronry nests but ....

Only managed to see one Heron on a nest at the Brearley Heronry - which I though was odd?

Late afternoon I did the usual local bog hop to Ned Hill Road and back.

This outing was spoilt by some 'wetting' drizzly stuff - boo hoo.

Birds:-

Walk.

2 Nuthatch.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

6 Dipper.

2 Chiffchaff.

2 Grey Wagtail.

Buzzard.

1 Barnacle Goose.

1 Kingfisher.

Song Thrush.

Raven.

Plus the usual species.

2 Lively Bumble Bees.

Local.

2 Curlew.

c40 Woodpigeon.

c40 Jackdaws.

3 Stock Dove.

2 Pheasant.

Local: