Birding Bradshaw and District: Calderdale Way

Showing posts with label Calderdale Way. Show all posts

Tuesday, 19 May 2020

Out and about lately

More walking than birding over the past few days.

Good to see D.Br. as we went up the Bonnet this morning and also good to see RH on Ned Hill Track one evening,

Tough going of late - the ground is bone dry in most areas of my saunter now.

I am going to have to visit a reservoir or three, on my exercise walks soon, to augment this years birding list. Not sure about access though - I know Ogden remains closed.

(Still no House Martin seen).

A Buzzard over Bradshaw, Sunday, was being mobbed by a 'Corvid' (with an 'r').

I scoped another Buzzard from my garden, over Roper Lane area.

This one was being mobbed by a very light coloured smaller Raptor.

c40 Starlings, a day or so ago, descended en-masse onto next doors' 'field/garden' seeming to find loads of worms without much effort.

Starlings are zooming about feeding young now.

Today was sunny and very warm (in places) the stiff westerly was very noticeable throughout though,keeping bird song at bay I would imagine.

I had a walk through the fields to Ned Hill Lane, a grunt up Ned Hill Lane to Ned Hill Track.

A double grunt up to the top of Soil Hill.

I came back along Soil Hill track, Percy Rd and Taylor Lane.

A skulking bird remained hidden in the small bushes along Ned Hill Track (a lifer no doubt).

Birds:

Bradshaw Fields: 2 Swift. Swallow, Loads of Jackdaw.

Ned Hill Track: Swallow , Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Whitethroat, Linnet.

Soil Hill: 4 Swift, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Linnet.

No singing birds in the north side bushes here today.

Taylor Lane: Whitethroat, Pied Wagtail.

Wednesday, 29 November 2017

9:55 - 14:15

Sue agreed to walk to Hebden Bridge today, provided that I left the camera and bins at home.
I did manage a few poor pics on my telling bone.
She didn't want to hang about, freezing, waiting for me every 2 minutes.

The weather was dry for the most part, just a bit of sleety stuff at Hunter Hill.

The north wind was B. freezing and very, very strong on the moor tops.

Our route follows the Calderdale Way some of the way.

We went up the bridleway opposite our house, past the Bradshaw Farms to Ned Hill Road, left along to Mount Zion church and down the snicket to Brockholes.

A right along the road and down to Stod Fold.
Through Stod Fold and up the very steep and freezing Hunter Hill.
Along the quarry track, across the Fly Flats Road down past a bungalow to cross a boggy field and the a small planked bridge.
Along below a small reservoir to meet a quagmire of a field path that exits at the old Moorcock Inn buildings.

A right and a left through a wall and onto moorland.
There are plank paths across this moorland but the majority of the path is underwater and a real pain.

Across the road at the other side a good track lead us forward before a left takes us down past a farm to pass to the right of the Hullett.

The path down to Jerusalem Farm, from here, is a real gem.
Half way down we sat in the sun on a memorial bench - butty time.
The sun shone and it was 10 degrees warmer than earlier!

On through Jerry Farm and up the steep lane to pass behind a house and on past Hollin Top.
On again to past to the left of a farmhouse to gain the moor proper.

Here again we encountered more bog ,and a forced diversion towards the heather, to avoid the worst of the bog, had me loose my footing.
I called to Sue 'grab me!' but she missed and I went off piste, landing on my back on my rucksack in the bog with boots high it the air.
Just then a Red Grouse did it's laughter like call from the moor - very, very funny - not.

I don't know about off piste, I was more piste off.

Anyway moorland bog is very, very soft stuff that slides ever so easily up the waterproofs and down into the boots no prob.
And it cushions your fall, so all is well.

The path reaches Grouse Butts, and turns left with them, across the moor.

We dropped down past the Hare and Hounds pub at Billy Lane and on down into Hebden Bridge - cafe city.

A really tough walk today - maybe I'm getting old.

Birds:

Jay and a Green Woodpecker at Stod Fold.
A Kestrel above Wainstalls.
Coal Tit at Jerry Farm.
Robin at Hollin Top,
Just before the moor after Hollin Top c8 small birds flew into a conifer.
They looked 'too small' to be Goldfinch and appeared to show lots of White - Siskin perhaps.
A Buzzard flew S from Castle Carr down the valley.
4 Red Grouse.
A few Long Tailed Tits and a few other sp. seen.

A single Roe Deer and 3 Roe Deer, together, seen also.

Above Brockholes - Mixenden Res. in the distance

Hunter Hill looking to Soil Hill

The 'Siskin' tree complete with 'Siskin'

Looking over to Castle Carr

Tuesday, 12 September 2017

√Hebden Bridge to Bradshaw

12:45 - 16:45 (Moorlands)

It's a while since we have done a longish hike so today (with some nasty weather forecast for tomorrow) we caught a few buses to Hebden Bridge and walked back.

Sunshine and showers with a strong westerly breeze was forecast.
The waterproofs were on straight away but we never got wet at all!!

Not a birding day, really, but I did have the bins and camera around me neck - playing catch up ever time I stopped.

We left Hebden Bridge (after the obligatory coffee and a bun in the 'Sause' cafe) at 12:45 and headed up the very steep cobbled path at Bankside.

Our route continues to climb and then, at Walker Lane,takes a right and then a left to go on up past the Hare and Hounds Pub.

Straight over the road and a good lane rises to the houses at 'Popples'.

A sunken way is met and followed uphill, through a boggy section, to meet the moor, proper, at a stile.

Lunchtime here with a ham sarnie.

The path climbs again to finally reach the top of the moor.

An enjoyable flat bit of walking for a while now.

c40 Meadow Pipit were seen in groups of 4 and 5 as we crossed the moor.

At the end, the path meets a fence, and turns right above a sunken way.

Possible Pr. Common Redpolls here?

Some serious bog hopping now (God help us in winter, if it's this boggy in September) as we make our way to Ferney Lee Farm.

A good path drops down to Clough Cottage.

22 Meadow Pipit were on the lines here.

A Pheasant with a very small (but flying) youngster in tow here.

A Pr. Red Grouse flew across the moor.

The path eventually drops down to Jerusalem Farm.
The toilets and showers here are immaculate.

Another stop for the other half of the sarnie before dropping down over the bridge and up 'tother side to pass the building at The Hullett.

Up again through a farm and up again to a good lane.

A right turn towards Wainstalls before a left over a stile again across moorland.

Very boggy here, but ok on the wooden causeway.

8 flighty Mistle Thrush were on a wall here.

We arrived at the old 'Moorcock Inn' buildings and crossed another boggy cow field.

The path goes through a kissing gate to enter a really overgrown section, between walls with nettles.

Possibly C20 Linnet on the wire - can't be sure.

A poor show for the Calderdale Way path - I don't remember it being so poor.

On, past some dog kennels, to cross a field and a stream with a smashing new wooden slab bridge.

We rise again to Norstar Kennels and the main road.

We are now in familiar territory , through the quarry and down the steep Hunter Hill towards Stod Fold.

c30 Swallow and at least 1 House Martin here.

c75 Canada Geese in the fields here.

Up through Lane Head and a left at the Kennels through another overgrown path between walls.

Over a wall stile and along an overgrown path between houses to emerge at Mount Zion church, Per Lane.

A Sparrowhawk here and Gulls took to the air.

A short stroll and we we ended up at the Moorlands for the Early Bird (£6).

A really,really enjoyable day out.

(could have done with more birds on the blog - but Hey!)..

A few Pics:-