Birding Bradshaw and District: Reservoirs

Friday 24 June 2016

Reservoirs

I took the car out for a change for a Gander at Leeshaw, Lower Laithe and Ponden Reservoirs this aft. I was hoping to look at Leeming but I ran out of time.

Leeshaw: 14:50 – 15:50

The sun was with me all the way from Bradshaw to Oxenhope but as I parked up the rain began and after a few practice laps got its act together forcing me to shelter in the car for a good while.

A Curlew was sat on a fence post – looking at the photo I wonder if there is any possibility that I’ve got a Whimbrel – any comments would be appreciated (no call alas).

I think the bill is too long for Whimbrel but the eye stripe looks odd?

Birds:

2 Lapwing, 2 Curlew, 2 Pheasant, 4/5 Meadow Pipit, 12 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 65 Geese – c32 Canada and c35 Greylag – the Greylag had a few Gosling.

A bit of sun came out together with 4 Oystercatcher.

A House Martin was in and out below the tower and 3 Black Headed Gull dropped in during a heavy shower.

Tough going again with no special waders but there is hardly any shoreline here - a real shame.

Maybe one day, a birder will be appointed to the Board of Directors of Yorkshire Water and he/she might get a few million gallons drained off, so there is some shoreline.

Lower Laithe:

A 5 min. stop at Lower Laithe revealed just 3 Black Headed Gull. 2 Having an argument.

Ponden: 16:00 – 16.40

Ponden was dry(ish).

A strange call had me flummoxed for a while. I approached the source of the call and came across a Heron under the bushes, soon a Moorhen AKA Rambo was making the call and trying to chase the Heron off – it did succeed (or the Heron did not like me).

A couple of Oystercatcher were resting on the boat launch and another was calling loudly as it flew around the reservoir and a Lesser Black-backed Gull passed overhead.

Elsewhere:

There was many Lapwing in the fields with quite a few chicks.

The chicks looked very vulnerable, chasing around a field with not a lot of grass for cover.

Leeshaw: