Soil Hill(from Thornton Rd) & Bridleways Nearby

 I had an exercise walk nr. Denholme Velvets this afternoon, cool and dry, very pleasant.

A real taste of spring here today with many moorland birds calling.

Soil Hill(north):

I scanned the lower sections of Soil Hill from Thornton Rd, difficult viewing at times, through the trees.

6 Lapwing, a 'mass' of Starling, 1 Pheasant, 1 Kestrel a couple of Meadow Pipit, 1 Herring Gull was about 'me lot'.

The Starlings flushed and a larger bird was among the group in flight, but too far away to ID at the time.

From the photo I reckon it's a Peregrine Falcon.

Bridleways:

A walk to the abattoir ruin nr. Back Lane(Ogden) followed and later a short stroll up Foreside Lane.

c25 Lapwing, 5 Pheasant, 6 Meadow Pipit.

c10 Curlew, 

4 Snipe  'chipping' - sounding like an old gate opening slightly.

Weasel.

6 Partridge (flushed from 4 different locations).

There was definitely Red Legged Partridge but getting photos of the  flushed birds was difficult.

One lone bird that flushed , from distance, had  2 calls of 'Chick....Ah' .. 'Chick...Ah' and flew low out of sight. (best description I could come up with!)

3 Skylark, 3 Red Grouse, 2 Reed Bunting.

Oystercatcher, 2 Mallard, Woodpigeon, 1 Kestrel.

10 Large Gulls > Oxenhope Reservoir later on, but few elsewhere.

A long time spent scanning for an early Wheatear failed to find one! Although this is a good area to see them.

(Not much moving in the sky, on my garden sky watch, this morning).

 Partridge - probably PRP?

Another Partridge above?

One of two flocks of Starling below.

About the same number of birds in each flock.

This flock having a Peregrine for company?

Huge crop of  Peregrine from above photo:-