Bradshaw - Soil Hill circular - Green Pecker

An afternoon birding walk in the hottest part of the day this afternoon, after a busy morning, was a humid affair.

Little Owls:

A Little Owl was seen from Taylor Lane, then a second Little Owl flew over Taylor Lane towards it. The first Little Owl quickly disappeared into a wall cavity.

6 or so Swallows on Taylor Lane and a few seen on Soil Hill

Also on the Hill a few Swifts were flying about, coming quite low at times.

Pr, Stock Doves overhead and Linnets, 2 Willow Warbler, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks were up singing as usual.

A nice, unusual, very distant, sighting from Ned Hill Track was that of a Green Woodpecker.

I have seen one here before but it was yonks ago.

Greenfinch were calling as I headed home along Percy Road.

Half a dozen or so Lesser Black-backed Gulls seen throughout.

A warm do.

I've included a photo of a possible Raptor from yesterday evening in the garden. The wing tips turn upwards - I don't know if this is significant or not.

2 pics of last nights raptor?

1st Little Owl

2nd Little Owl

Salterhebble to Sowerby Bridge - There and Back

A busy morning where a visit to Halifax brought with it a Raven, high, seen while waiting near The Range traffic lights.

Later on in the afternoon we had a short walk from Salterhebble to Sowerby Bridge and back, on a cool-ish and bright-ish type of day.

Walking along the canal basin I spoke to a pretty White Goose(like you do?) with a "would you like your picture taking?".
Sue replied "No thanks" then looked around to see me pointing the camera at the Goose (and not her)!
Me lug 'ole is still sore, but on the mend.

Birds:

(More of a walk than a birding outing, with a smaller camera today, but still...).

 A pretty Goose in with the famous Sowerby Bridge Geese.

A Buzzard was seen very early on, above the Salterhebble lock.

3 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Moorhen, Canada Geese, Cormorant.
A good few Gulls overhead by the water treatment works.

2 Duck Types fast overhead, that I just manged to catch in the camera, are probably Drake Goosander.

The Peregrine Falcon was on the Dean Clough Chimney as we passed by late afternoon.

An enjoyable day, it's not everyday you get a crack around the lug 'ole.

Yesterday's 'Mystery' Burnsall Raptor for comparison.

Probably Drake Goosander

Bradshaw Lane, Taylor Lane, Percy Road, Soil Hill, Ned Hill Track circular

14:15 - 17:20

A rewarding 3 hours birding this afternoon.
Warm and humid later but it looked like rain as I left the house so my pack was a bit bulgy.
It was nice to enjoy a warm saunter around Soil Hill, instead of being blown to smithereens.

Birds:

The Taylor Lane Little Owl was difficult to locate but I did eyeball it eventually.

Pr.Kestrel together and another Raptor just caught on the camera before it zoomed over the hill. Probably a Kestrel.

A really pleasant surprize was a shy Reed Bunting, with quite a bit of red on the wing, but I can't turn it into a Father Christmas one.

Also seen this aft.

Pr. Linnet, c10 Skylark, 7 Swift, Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Pheasant.
Pr. Grey Partridge - but no pic. alas.
2 Curlew, Pr Oystercatcher, Lapwing.
5 Whitethroat, Willow Warbler.
5 Greenfinch, Pr. Stock Dove (rare for me these days).
4 unid's - look a bit Pigeon like?
A distant Raptor was probably a Sparrowhawk.

A raucous lot of Carrion Crow sat on a mound on Roper Lane took to the skies at the sound of a Raven (heard but not seen).

and a few other sp.

Also today a cracking Barn Owl seen.

A very enjoyable afternoon's birding and a long awaited  tick -  not a bad start to June.

?????

??

Red/Brown on wing

?? Sparrowhawk

Barn Own Pics.