Cromwell Bottom - The Hunt for Hirundines

We enjoyed a late lunch in the excellent Golden Hind in Brighouse and a beer (me)  in Spoons with friends, Sue did some shopping and I went looking for Swallows or Martins.

1st stop was the ski-lake and I passed a while here looking at the water and high above it - no deal.

2nd stop was the lagoon where there were some birds on offer but no 'swift' moving ones.

A walk along the river, back to the car par by the fishing ponds , did not reveal any either.

Just before the car park 1 spotted 'one' high over Avocet buildings moving very fast in this wind.

Sue was waiting in the car , but luckily  she had a phone call from the bank querying a transaction we were trying to make.

Banks and speed do not go well together and while Sue was talking I had quite a lot of time to gaze into the blue sky.

The first bird I saw could well have been a House Martin with an apparent very white rump.

I was trying hard to get some photos when two Sand Martins passed overhead with a call I recognised, so I was happy to tick these as new to me this year,

Clear blue sky, height  and speed all added to the difficulty of correct Identification.

Anyway... I've posted a few realty poor photos.

On the photo with 3 birds the middle bird looks like a House Martin to me?

Birds:

2 Sand Martin.

Mute Swan.

2 Canada Geese.

1 Blackcap.

a Goosander.

6 Teal (4 Lagoon, 2 River).

2 Little Grebe.

Coot and Moorhen,

Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gull.

2 Grey Wagtail.

2 Heron.

Stock Dove.

Bullfinch.

Chiffchaff.

and a few others.

Now you see it - now you don't.

Same photo as above with auto contrast.