Bradshaw & Soil Hill

14:00 - 16:45

A cloudy day with some light showers early on but it stayed dull and dry for my birding walk this afternoon.

It was good to chat with AC who I bumped into along the way.

Just the usual crowd seen again today, although my birding app reported a Common Ringed Plover and a Garden Warbler on the north slope - neither of which I heard.

I'm guessing several birds that were singing simultaneously got Merlin's knickers in a knot.

Birds:-

c35 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Goldfinch, 4 Curlew, Kestrel. 3 Swallow,

Buzzard. Little Owl, 3 Pheasant. Dunnock. 

4 Whitethroat. c10 Meadow Pipit. 

c20 Linnet. 2 Lapwing.

Oystercatcher,

A Partridge sp, flushed from behind me on the summit.

3 Canada Geese. 3 Blackcap.

Blackbird. Blue Tit, Robin. Great Tit. Chaffinch.

4 Willow Warbler.

2 Skylark.

Mixenden Reservoir

14:25 - 15:45

Another poor day weather wise with heavy showers and a gusty SW wind.

The boredom eventually shoved me out of the door and I took a run over to Mixenden with  me waterproofs and wellies.

Superb timing - I did not get wet!

I checked out the west side today.

A large bow-wow had left his yesterday's tea as a huge deposit on the path.

I thought the shape of the mound was not very symmetrical for my liking so I rearranged the shape with the bottom of my right wellie - that's a lot nicer now I said.

Well..... maybe I did not say that exactly. 

There were 4 dog walkers here today - one had 3 dogs.

Birds:-

Nothing at all on the water.

2 Gulls passed high.

6 Swallow.

2 Swift.

Chiffchaff.

Willow Warbler.

Blackcap.

Blue Tit.

Goldfinch.

Coal Tit.

Great Tit.

Grey Wagtail.

Chaffinch.

Blackbird.

Robin.

Bright & Breezy Fly Flatts

14:00 - 15:45

I had a run out to Fly Flatts this afternoon.

The forecast was 60% chance of rain, so I donned my waterproofs - that scared the rain away - a dry outing.

I was hoping for some Waders near the North End of the water but most birds stayed stubbornly very distant on the east side.

Just 2 Common Sandpiper that were kind enough to venture near the NW for a while made a change.

Birds:-

Kestrel.

Many Swift zooming about and screaming.

2 Swallow.

4 Curlew.

4 Redshank.

Canada Geese, Mallard.

Buzzard.

1 Black Headed Gull over  (heard, not seen!).

2 Common Sandpiper (At least).

Crow.

2 Reed Bunting.

An odd continuous call similar to a Red Legged Partridge that I thought might have been a Snipe, remained unseen.

Pretty Post !!!

A breezy Soil Hill saunter

 13:15 - 17:00

I had quite a long afternoon out looking for something extra-ordinary but no extras today alas.

I did my usual walk up Bradshaw Lane to Soil Hill and down the north slope and I came home via the same route.

A bit on the breezy side really, but dry.

One Oystercatcher was seen and a second was calling faintly from nearby, but I could not pick it out.

The Oystercatcher I saw reminded me of an recent email from Octopus Energy with it's dirty big bill.

Nice to chat to Mr & Mrs H (and dog) on Percy road.

Birds:-

2 Whitethroat, 8 Swallow, 3 Pheasant, 6 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Chaffinch.

3 Skylark, c10 Linnet, 1 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, c10 Meadow Pipit.

 Curlew, Song Thrush, 5 Willow Warbler, 6 Swift, 2 Blackcap.

Bullfinch, Great Tit, Pied Wagtail.

A Hot Hike and a Dip!

10:30 - 15:45

Hot and Sunny.

Following a Calderdale Birding Group Whatsapp from CK of a Cuckoo and a Tree Pipit near the Giant's Tooth, Ogden I thought I'd bite the bullet and go for a long twitch to see if I could locate either bird.

It was quite a grueller today , from Bradshaw to Ogden Water (rammed with people for the Halifax Harrier annual run) and up to Giant Tooth where Per-Spire-a-tion was in evidence.

After a lengthy look-see near the Tooth I sat on the stone seat here to have my sack's meagre supply of rations - 1 Pk Crisps, 1 Choc Choc Bar and an apple.

I slurped some water and had a look a bit higher up to my left at the conifers.

I did get a distant call that I could not place and my Merlin App could not hear it(deaf as a post) but it definitely was not either bird I was after.

Soon after I had passed the Wooden Seat near the Tooth a Pied Flycatcher called several times to my right from high in foliage.

I did not eyeball it , and it soon flew across the path >East-ish to call from further away in inaccessible woodland before being heard even further away.

I called at the Visitors Centre for a coffee and a Kit-Kat to fire me up for my trudge up Ned Hill Road and over Soil Hill to home.

(Some) Birds:-

Loads of birdsong today.

Willow Warbler. Chiffchaff, and lots Blackcap singers.

4 Whitethroat. 4 Stock Dove. 6 Swallow.

A Mallard with family in tow sailed very close to a Heron at Ogden Water, luckily the Heron did not bite!

3 Tufted Duck. Buzzard, Curlew.

10 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Herring Gull.

Pied Flycatcher.

Bradshaw - Ned Hill Road - Percy Lane - Taylor Lane

18:00 - 19:30

Just an breezy evening stroll today along the local roads, lanes and paths.

Quite enjoyable but nothing much happening bird wise.

A Few Pics:-

Bradshaw - Soil Hill

 13:00 - 15:40

Today I went up Bradshaw Lane to Soil Hill and came home the same route.

A breezy day that turned quite hot especially climbing back up the north slope, at least it gave my pores a reason to exist.

Usual stuff again today really.

Birds:-

3 Swallow. 5 Whitethroat. 12 Linnet. c30 Starling. 3 Willow Warbler.

Skylark and Meadow Pipit in good numbers.

2 Oystercatcher. 1 Curlew. 2 Mallard. 3 Blackbird. 1 Canada Goose.

2 Blackcap. 4 Stock Dove.