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.

Ringstone

Big Moan:

I took Emma to Wetherspoons - Sowerby Bridge for lunch today.

Sowerby Bridge has 'temporary' 3 way traffic lights at Wetherspoons and the traffic (one of which was me) was horrific.

At White Windows I phoned a couple of taxi firms to get a wheelchair taxi but both said they ' did not have one' - funny that , they had one last time I phoned.

I think the traffic fiasco had a bearing on the job!

Luckily the White Windows Mobile Van was available so we did get to Spoons - later than hoped for.

The 'two minute' drive from Fore Lane to Spoons took nearly 30 minutes.

Coming back I pushed Emma to Tesco's car park, where the van could pick us up without getting into the gridlock (mostly).

After all this guff - you guessed it - there's not a lot of birds to report.

Ringstone.

14:00 - 15:00

After Spoons I took a back road out of Sowerby Bridge and drove over to Ringstone.

It was disappointing really with a cold wind and not much about. 

A large bird? had met it's maker by the looks of a huge mass of feathers at the side of the reservoir - Goose?

Birds:-

 2 Pheasant. 

2 Mallard.

Pair Great Crested Grebe. 

4 Meadow Pipit.

2 Oystercatcher. 

2 Skylark. 

Curlew.

1 Canada Goose. 

Reed Bunting. 

Buzzard.

Bradshaw and Soil Hill (summit) - Tuesday

13:00 - 16:00

I had another afternoon birding walk up to and over Soil Hill Summit, down Ned Hill Road and along the farms tracks and fields to home.

Very windy again on Soil Hill (When isn't it?) but it remained dry even though some very dark clouds appeared periodically.

Same birds as usual, more or less with a couple of Buzzard in the mix.

c20 Fieldfare in the "Large Slab Field"  east of Soil Hill main track.

c5 Skylark were doing their best to bang out a tune against the strong wind and c10 Meadow Pipit were bobbing about - these numbers probably on the low side.

Curlew were calling and a couple were seen.

Just a couple of large Gulls over.

A Pair of Partridge flushed from distance with  are probably Grey Partridge.

Approaching home, 4 Linnet were seen near the farm buildings and a Little Owl was in its usual place on a fence.

No sign of 'soul singer' 'Ms Trina' who was absent performing her 'Snowball Wars' concert.

and even 'a wet hare' failed to show. Ho Hum.