Cold Edge Dams & Castle Carr Road - Wainstalls

9:50 - 14:50

The frost on the car soon melted leaving a fairly bright-ish but cold morning.

I had a drive over to Wainstalls , where the parking was easier with the school shut.

I walked down the road for 1/4 mile and took a step stile on the right to a path that runs directly uphill to Cold Edge Dams. This path has dried up (mostly) now.

A sharp cold wind greeted me as I popped me 'ed over the top.

I was hoping to augment my meagre yearly bird list and although I saw many birds , the number on the list remained stubbornly where it was.

After a  Calderdale Birders WhatsApp from DJS,....

I sat by the water's edge and looked to the heavens said a little prayer that began -

"Let Osprey" 

and I  searched for DJS's Osprey that he had just eyeballed from Swalesmoor top - but I did not eyeball it alas.

I had made me sen a chicken, apple sauce and mayo sandwich for lunch and at 12 noon I found a big rock to sit behind out of the wind and the sarnie was delicious. Yum Yum Yum.

After I left the dams I turned right along Castle Carr Road as far as "The Heights" buildings before retracing my steps.

Along the way I met 3 hikers and we enjoyed a right good laugh.

They mention that they did a word of the week - cornucopia seemed to be a favourite.

I mentioned that we used to do a word of the week at work.

My favourite was crapulence.

2 of the hikers were doing the Coast to Coast hike in June and I mentioned that me and Sue had done it 25 years or so ago when I was 19 (or thereabouts!!).

It sounded like one guy loved his beer and was hoping for several pints each night after a long days hike.

You've got to be on top form to do this long distance walk.

I hope I bump into them again when they have completed it and see how he did.

5 hours out and about - now to make me tea - completely out of caviar so its going to be fish, rice and salad I think - just got to catch the fish first.

Birds:-

Nine Wheatear.

Six Stonechat - 1 signing.

3 Tufted Duck. Heron. 1 Cormorant > N

10 plus Curlew. Woodpigeon. 4 Pheasant.

Greenfinch. Dunnock. Raven.

Jackdaw. Magpie. Crow.

Rook. Canada Goose. c10 Meadow Pipit,

4 Mallard. 3 Reed Bunting. 4 Red Grouse.

3 Lesser Black-backed Gull. 18 Greylag Geese.

Chaffinch. 3 Skylark. Wren.

Robin. Many Linnet. Bullfinch.

1 Lapwing. 3 Kestrel. Buzzard.

Starling. 2 Swallow. Goldcrest.

Goldfinch. 2 Pied Wagtail. 3 Tufted Duck.

Crow.

Bradshaw Fields - Soil Hill (Summit) - Bradshaw

11:00 - 14:30

A scorcher of a day again today and after some reading in the garden early on, where a Willow Warbler was heard, I enjoyed a hot walk along the fields, up Ned Hill Road across Soil Hill Top and down Taylor Lane.

2 Willow Warblers were also singing from the Soil Hill north side willows where one was seen - My first of the year.

A maintenance van was at the comms mast on Soil Hill as I arrived there, but I doubt it influenced the lack of DJB's Wheatear, seen this morning - the birds had probably moved on.

A pr. Red Legged Partridge flushed noisily from the track by Crabtree Hall Farm and a solitary Partridge species flushed early and silently from Soil Hill west side as I got to the top of the hill.

(some ) Birds:

3 Willow Warbler. 2 Chiffchaff, 

Pair Little Owl seen from Ned Hill Track nr Stoney Royd Farm.

2 Red Legged Partridge.

4 Linnet. Mistle Thrush - singing from Ogden.

2 Skylark. 10 Meadow Pipit. 3 Curlew.

3 Buzzard. (2 over the garden early - presumably the same 2 seen later over Bradshaw Lane).

Song Thrush heard from the garden late.

A 'Blackbird' that flushed from the bushes at the top of the north slope failed to re-appear after a long wait.

"Blackbird" Soil Hill North Side Bushes.

Out of focus Willow Warbler

Bradshaw - Ogden - Soil Hill (Summit) - Bradshaw

 10:00 - 14:00

It was a sparkling day today with clear blue sky for the most part.

Pretty nippy early on with a fleece and big jumper needed.

Big jumper was sacked in the afternoon - it was quite warm and sheltered at Ogden Water - Soil Hill (Summit) still retained a sharp breeze though.

A Swallow flew over the house as I nipped out for  a speculate sky watch early on - other than that 3 Buzzards up together over Bradshaw as I walked past Ward View house and presumably the same three over the garden as I sat reading this afternoon was about as good as it got.

(Some) Birds:-

3 Curlew. Pied Wagtail. Moorhen.

3 Buzzard. 3 Stock Dove,

Just 3 Herring Gull and 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull on Ogden Water with a few Canada Geese and Mallard, - Did not see any Ducklings?

Mistle Thrush.

3 Kestrel sightings - one carrying prey,

8 Meadow Pipit.

4 Skylark,

2 Red Legged Partridge Taylor Lane Fields.

Buzzard Morning.

Buzzard Afternoon.

Local Bradshaw Fields / Farms

10:00 - 11:00

I had a very short outing this morning along the local fields through Crabtree Hall Farm to Ned Hill Road bottom and back.

Damp and a bit dreary - that was me - I matched the weather today.

Dave has used confused.com now the thought of Dave, this evening, wrecking his house worries him no longer.

(What does worry him though, is why does is his body keeps swelling up and why does he keep falling from height!).

Birds:-

The usual crew as normal included:-

3 Curlew.

Little Owl.

5 Large Gulls over.

Linnet.

18:00 Stop Press - Swallow over Bradshaw.

Cromwell Bottom NR

16:30 - 17:45

A Rubbish day weatherwise today with heavy rain showers blown along on a strong wind.

Late afternoon I decided to brave the weather and head down to Brighouse to check out the Ski-Lake and Lagoon areas.

It was wet at first but soon dried up and the sun was shining as I left.

Birds:-

6 Sand Martin.

Coat Tit.

Long Tailed Tit.

4 Heron.

4 Chiffchaff.

2 Blackcap.

2 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Grey Wagtail.

Pied Wagtail.

5 Teal.

Little Grebe.

2 Moorhen.

3 Herring Gull.

2 Coot.

Not sure what this Gull sp. is

Widdop Reservoir - A Good Day Out

Earlier last week I had arranged a day out with my niece, Dawn, for this Thursday and what a cracking day weather wise it turned out to be.

Very sunny and still with some beautiful moorland scenery.

After a 10:30 breakfast in Wilds Cafe , Crossroads above Keighley we had a scenic drive through Haworth then Oxenhope and then over the moors to go through Hebden Bridge.

We passed Heptonstall and Slack and took the Widdop Road parking up for a 30 minutes birding stroll opposite the track to Gorple Reservoir.

We carried on and parked at Widdop to enjoy a walk around the perimeter of the reservoir.

On the far side the path does leave the reservoir and it is very, very boggy in places.

We left at 16:15 or so and enjoyed a well earned meal in The Raggalds Inn.

A great day all round.

Birds:-

Male and Female Wheatear.

2 Oystercatcher

8 Red Grouse.

5 Pied Wagtail.

2 Greylag Geese.

Canada Geese.

Mallards.

Raven.

"Loads" of Meadow Pipit throughout the walk.

2 Curlew.

2 Buzzard.

Linnet.

Mistle Thrush.

4 Stonechat.

Reed Bunting.

2 Pheasant.

3 Lapwing.

Starling.

Chaffinch.

Goldfinch.

Goldcrest.

Siskin.

Wren.

2 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Lizard.