Two Local Outings Today

A calm cool day today and I was left to my own devices, so I made the most of the weather.

This morning I had a birding walk through the fields to Ned Hill Road and a quick look at Ned Hill Track and Soil Hill Track.

This afternoon I had another birding walk down through the fields to Holdsworth and back.

An interesting day with birds moving about from time to time keeping me on my toes.

Birds of the day were Woodpeckers.

Birds:-

Home / Soil Hill etc.

Little Owl (seen in 3 different locations, I think it was the same bird though, avoiding me as I walked along. Strange though I never saw it fly!).

Green Woodpecker (1) in the conifers by East Croft Farm.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker (2) flew past  near Matthew's farm - lost immediately in trees.

2 Stock Doves here and a singing Mistle Thrush.

Ned Hill Track area had Common, Black Headed and Herring Gull.

One (distant) Herring Gull (nr. the covered Soil Hill reservoir) had a leg ring.

Not a bird in sight on the walk up Soil Hill main track to the quarry and back so I loitered about a while near the comms. mast. This was rewarded with a Stonechat that popped up onto some long grass did a gig or two and popped down - nice.

Just a few Pheasant seen on the way home from here.

Home /Holdsworth Circular:

Mistle Thrush in fields off Bradshaw Lane.

Green Woodpecker (3) called from north of Oats Royd.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker (4) was in the copse before the 'industrial area'.

Also here Bullfinch and a good few other sp.

It was pleasing to see 3 / 4 Greenfinch by St. John's Cross Farm.

There were probably more Greenfinch with birds dropping into the Leylandii trees out of sight.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker (5) was on the conifers near the farm below Bradshaw Park.

A few Common, Black Headed and Herring Gulls knocking about.

Garden:

A cool-ish garden half hour late pm did bring with it a Buzzard, distant, over Oats Royd.

However, the bird seemed to have a lazy slow wingbeat which looked a bit 'odd'.

I can't think it could be anything other than a Buzzard though.

A very pleasing day out today.

Home / Soil Hill etc:

Leg Ring

Home / Holdsworth:

Garden:

Elsewhere: