Early Morning Vis...then nowt

Clear Skies ..7.30 - 8.15

657 Woodigeon s/w
2 GBBGull        west
6 Mistle Thrush   west
12 Fieldfare west
7 Redwing west
33 Starling west
14 Meadow Pipit west
6 Chaffinch west
after 8.15 an almost sudden stop to any more movment......

South West Scotland...Top Vis

A few days in south west Scotland started with an early morning vis on Sunday the 24th October
Fieldfare 5600       NNE
Skylark     615      NNE
Redwing       4      NNE
Lapland Bunting  1 NNE
Whooper Swan  2 south
Hen Harrier(ringtail)  1 south
Meadow Pipit   86     NNE
Starling          800+      NNE
Jackdaw        670       south
Twite              14                 NNE
Greylag           9             south
Mistle Thrush  22  NNE
Linnet              1  NNE
Chaffinch         3 NNE
Brambling       4   NNE
Waxwing        25 WNW
Reed Bunting   1 NNE
(AC and KS)
Other Birds present
Rock Pipit                  28+
Black Throated Diver    2
Buzzard                         3
Raven                           4
Willow warbler            1
Twite (no rings maybe a differnt species?) 20 on beach(where they should be)
Eider  62
Snipe  3
The next morning before dawn Waxwing calls could be herd in the dark along with masses of Redwing,Skylark and Fieldfare but as dawn broke only 2 waxwings and a handful of Mipits were observed..........
Vis    27th

Whooper Swan  30 North

Hen Harrier  1 Adult male south

Swallow  1 south

Merlin 1 south

Woodpigeons

A fall of 300/400 woodpigeons this evening at about 5.30 circled round the field and then off s/w.Good numbers of fieldfare earlier on in the week.

Lost in the Fog

Could'nt find my lads football match today it was meant to be in Ripponden but I must have got the directions wrong/wright.
450 Pink Footed geese west over Ripponden
1 Cormorant  west over Ripponden
40 Lapwing N/w over Northowram
150 redwing s/w over Northowram
2  Ravens over green Withens clough
44 Common Gull Manor Heath

Vis accsessories

Does any body know where i can buy a big GREEN (for camouflage) fisherman's 'flatback' umbrella ...??Im going birding in a remote part of Scotland for a week and aparently I need one of these.??

Northowram Quarry

Looking s/w to Norland Moor and Wainhouse tower

11 Swallows west
1 Redwing   s/e
54 meadow Pipit all directions
45 Woodpigeon  east
34 Linnet bloggers
1 Great Spot wood very high south
6 Mistle Thrush
1 Stock Dove east
3 Chaffinch  south
2 Pied Wagtail s/w
1 Goldcrest calling from the middle of a large mound of boulders.??
Not bad shows potential for a longer watch......

Northowram Quarry

A quick look this afternoon produced 22 starling,4 Linnet,4 LTTit,2 Golfinch,1 Kestrel,3 woodpigeon,2 collard dove , 1 Goldcrest and 9 grounded meadow Pipit(which is encouraging)
A SPOTTED FLYCATCHER in the pine tree opposite the house this evening did'nt stay long as the local robin saw it off.A Great Spotted wood high s/w.

In for the Kill.2

In for the Kill 1.

I

New Patch

I found a new patch as I am sick of running away from cows which have destroyed my old walk.(Ruff,Snow Bunting ,,Honey/ Buzz, Whooper,Bewicks swan,Barn Owl and Jack Snipe)
my first walk today produced 22 Linnet,15 Goldfinch,1 Great spot wood (over)20 starling,1 Pied wag,1LBBGull and 6 Magpies.it reminds me of the Hill from Hell(Soil Hill).Watch for photos soon.....Meadoe Pipits and Swallows pileing through this morning(sat).

Afternoon walk

Afternoon Walk
40 + Swallows
2 House Martin
3/4 Sparrowhawk
2 Stock Dove
27 Woodpigeons/ east
1 Buzzard high south

Turtles at Dalyan..Turkey

http://www.dalyanguide.co.uk/DalyanCaretta.html both these Loggerheads had been hit by Speed Boats and are undergoing rehab.Hopfully they will make it back to sea.The beach we went to had 100 nests each nest containing 100 - 150 eggs.We watched them hunting crabs a realy brilliant sight.

Rainbow Rising

Last Swifts

2 swifts above the house today at 5.45 forced down by the rain.3 LBBgulls ,2 BHgulls and a Sparrowhak .

Beautiful Demoiselle

Turkey (is very hot)

Most days about 110 degrees and at night neverbelow 80,

Goldfinch

The local flock of goldfinch is now at 31 this is on my front lawn feeding on dandilion (type)also 5 Linnet including 3 juvs have joined the Goldfinch.Good numbers of gulls on the move with LBB,Common,Herring ,BH and one adult Yellow LeggedGull was a real bonus.

Eider

Managed this after a boozy doo in bamburgh.Still saw more birds than yer average autumn passage in Northowram.

Gulls on the Move

Over the last few weeks LBBGulls have been on the move west but today the first GBBGulls (1o+) have been seen moving east with the first BHGulls of the summer going n/e.canada Geese have been moving n/e a couple of weeks ago and 5 greylags east was a record for me here.the local sparrowhawks and Kestrels had been collecting food on a regular basis the last couple of days.

Jay House lane

Had a look at jay house lane this evening and managed about 6 /7 Tree sparrows ,whitethroat and Stock dove.

Is it Winter.........??

Its been like winter this week the car was frozen solid on wenesday morning,??Swifts and swallows have been on the move all week with a massive move on sunday with birds moving n/w all day.LBBGulls going west and 2 Herons high west on thursday the highlights of a dull week.

House Sparrows ,Linnets and Swifts

4 Linnets today in front field the first of the year(about 2 weeks later than last year),2 Swifts on the 6thn were a week early.A Bright line Brown eye in the moth trap was the earliest by 2 weeks.House Sparrows are much in evidence nest building and the local Sparrowhawk was seen carrying food today.

Badger

had a few new sightings locally recently including my first Badger walking down the road when i came back from a late night moffing session,Fox,Rabbit and Noctule Bat.Swallows,House Martins are well in now and it was nice to hear Reed warbler at EGP the other day.there has been a good move of LBBGulls west last week with a few Herring Gulls in with them.

Not for the faint Hearted

Some good photos of himalayan Vultures cut and paste this ............!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





"http://mbvtravel.com/burials-in-tibet-not-for-sensitive-souls"

RED KITE

Its taken about 37 years of looking to see a Red Kite locally and today, I saw it out of my living room window and then from the back garden a beautiful adult with forked red tail and grey head .An adult male Merlin watched hunting meadow Pipits,Buzzards ,sand Martins,displaying Sparrowhawk,Kestrels and ravens in another part of Calderdale,all in all a real red letter day..................

First Migrants

12 Sand Martins flew up the valley today whilst watching the local Sparrowhawk displaying ,I had 9 swallows and a House martin on the first and 24 Stock Doves in the local field.

Sunday

11 Stock dove in front field ,1 Redwing very fast calling North,8 Mipits north,3 LBBGull west and 20 canada Geese west.In the moth trap Hebrew character,1 Clouded drab,Common quaker and Chestnut.

Elland Gravel Pits (RIP)

Waded through the chavs along the new road that links Brighouse with elland today.Its allways been bad down there but now they can get in without getting there reebocks dirty there everywhere.The bit I liked best was the bit they cleared for the new duck feeding station very reminisent of the one at ogden.When they put the by - pass in so you can get to Tag loop with out getting your reeboks dirty the place is doomed.Anyway managed 9 Orange Underwings and no migrants yet.

Raining mipits

From first light today mipits were heading n/w in one's and two's and at about 8.15 82 dropped out of the sky and landed in the front field.One female Gooseander s/w 2 Canada Geese east and 2 lapwing n/e.Mipit numbers exceeded 150.

Sparklehorse RIP

Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse has committed suicide, according to a report from Rolling Stone. His family has released a statement reading, "It is with great sadness that we share the news that our dear friend and family member, Mark Linkous, took his own life today. We are thankful for his time with us and will hold him forever in our hearts. May his journey be peaceful, happy and free. There's a heaven and there's a star for you."
The album,' Its a wonderful Life'with PJ Harvey is a classic.