Crossbill x 4 (2 red males ), 1 Brambling (f) , 40 Redpoll , 30 Siskin , 15 Chaffinch , 3 Linnet , (6 finches in same field of view) 1 Chiffchaff , 1 Redwing , 60 + Mistle Thrush , 3 Stonechat , 2 Barn Owl , 1 Marsh Harrier , 5 Hen Harrier (1 male , 2 Juvs , 1 2cy Male and 1 2cy Female ) , 2 Sparrowhawk , Buzzards , Kestrels and 1 Moorland Hawker
On the 5th March 2006 , I looked out of my front window and saw a Barn Owl a beautiful sighting hunting low over the grass , it was the first sighting in Calderdale for many years and at least 20 years since I'd seen one. It stayed for a few nights and then was not seen again . A few twitched it...!!!
The next year 2007 the first pair raised 2 young and again this was the first breeding for 20 + years. Since then they have become the commonest Owl in Calderdale and its not uncommon to see many birds (10+) in an evening up on the moors edge.
Last night I looked out the window and there was a Barn Owl hunting the field in front of the house , to say I was made up was an underestimation , it was the first one since March 2006 ...funny old game this birding lark........
Funny how one minute its a mega rare and then next , it becomes a regular autumn species , only 2 years ago I got my first Vines Rustic , last night had 3.... Plenty good moths this week but could be the end of a poor year here in Northowram , mainly due to weather but also a lack of moth motivation from me. Next year will be better...14 Pied Wagtails , 6 Meadow Pipits , 1 Common Gull and 6 Black -headed Gulls this morning a Tawny Owl in the night and Robins have got there voices back.......
COMMON DARTER in the garden on the 26th September,,,,,,
The first 57 Pink -footed Geese over Northowram this morning , Ive seen a few V formations distantly but this was right over the house. A big move of Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipts the last few days with 38 Meadow Pipits and 18 Pied Wags this morning all on the deck this morning . 3 LBBgulls , 27 BH Gulls , 41 Starlings , 6 House Sparrow ,2 Blackbirds and a couple of Swallows. 2 Raven over on the 19th and a Chiffchaff in the small trees. A few Jays heading south last few days as well....
The sun has been good for butterfly's with 10 + Small Whites , 1 Large White , 3 Red Admiral , 1 Comma , 5 Small Copper , 10 + Speckled Woods , 1 Peacock and a late Purple Hairstreak . Silver Y in the moth trap and the usual autumn fare..........
Although the main purpose of this trip was to play cards(Bridge) the garden was quite superb for butterfly's. If I would have had a net and a bit more time 50 + species would have been possible but very happy with 29 . On arriving at the Old converted barn I had to meet everyone as I did not know anyone there , there was an old apple tree right in the centre of the garden with a few rotting apples still on the branches, on one of these apples was a Lesser Purple Emperor...ahhhhh do I say hello or try and get a phone shot of the LPM....hahahahah.......
List of Butterfly's in the garden
Swallowtail
Scarce Swallowtail
Large White
Small White
Brimstone
Cleopatra
Clouded Yellow
Wood White /sp
Small Copper
Sooty Copper
Common Blue
Silver -Studded Blue
Holly Blue
Brown Argus
Adonis Blue
Chapmans Blue
Red Admiral
Southern White Admiral
Lesser Purple Emperor
Silver -Washed Fritillary
Meadow Fritillary
Weavers Fritillary
Knapweed Fritillary
Glanville fritillary
Gatekeeper
Wall
Speckled Wood (orange form)
Great Banded Grayling
Small Heath
Also seen from Garden , Black Woodpecker , Great Spot W , Green Woodpecker , Short-toed Treecreeper , Corn Bunting , Alpine Swift , Cragg Martin , Pied Flycatchers , Spotted Flycatcher , Serin , Honey Buzzard , Kingfisher , Cattle Egret , GW and Little Egret, ....Also probably missed a 2 tailed Pasha , just flew through the garden at break neck speed ..very large with white band on wing....drat...
It was great to see the 3 Lapwing chicks fly from breeding at Raggalds flood , in the same area Little Owl , Wheatear and Curlew.......
I watched an adult male Merlin at Bridestones the other day , twisting and turning just below the stones it was after a Meadow Pipit ,then a small group of Swallows were alarming and dive bombing the Merlin,It gained height and stooped , plucking a Swallow out of the sky. breath taking........Still plenty Snipe activity at Bridestones and a good display of common Dragonfly's on the ponds. Adult female and juv Wheatear looked good for local breeders and Stonechats raised one young at least.
13 Pied Wagtails on the cricket pitch and a steady stream of BH Gulls over north.....White Letter Hairstreaks and Purple Hairstreaks have also been seen this week
Silver -Washed Fritillary x 15 + seen in display flights and a pair in cop. White Admiral x 2 , Purple Hairstreak x 5 + , Red Admiral x 4 , Large and Small Skipper , 3 common whites , Ringlet , Meadow Browns , and a few Commas , Small Torts and Peacock ......
A stunning adult male..................
A busy morning on the Cricket pitch , the Pied Wagtails are up to 9 birds 2 x adult male , 1 adult female and 6 juvs , 7 LBBGulls 4 adults , 3 juvs , 3 BH Gulls all adults , 55 Starlings , 6 Blackbirds , 8 House Sparrows , 3 Woodpigeon and 4 Linnets ,2 adults and 2 juvs.....It was nice to bump into a Badger the other night and loads of bats about........
Had a walk around an area near Hunshelf today , the first bird I saw was a juv Wheatear , closely followed by 2 Lesser Whitethroats in some brambles , it was an area of pretty traditional farmland and before long a few Skylarks could be hear calling from the fields. It was great to see Yellowhammers and Linnets in a flock of 35 + birds . Then a small group of 5 Tree Sparrows 2 adults and 3 juvs. A Red Kite drifted over and a few calls of Meadow Pipits going over...a great sound to hear and the onset of Autumn migration........
Over the last few days , I have seen a flock of 6 Curlews flying west , failed non breeders or flying family party bit high to get any detail ,a steady stream of Black headed Gulls west , no Juveniles yet , large numbers of Swifts heading mainly south and LBBGulls and Herring Gulls also west. The first family party of Pied Wagtails on the Cricket Pitch today and as usual here an excellent breeding season for both Starlings and House Sparrow. The local Buzzards are seen every day as well as Sparrowhawks. 2 Juv Green Woodpeckers and and 1 juv Great Spot have been seen down near the woods.
Back down in Nottingham last week , and my good run of birds continued with an adult Spoonbill along the river Trent near Gainsbrough heading north . Flushed a \Green Sandpiper ,Lesser Whitethroats everywhere , 1 female Widgeon was a surprise among the Gadwalls , Shovelers and Shelducks . Plenty Little Egrets and a pair of very vocal Peregrines.
Barn Owls and Little Owls are both doing well in the area.
The Twite recovery project folded today , a very sad day for all . I remember flocks of them at Soil Hill , Whiteholme , back of Fly flatts , Langfield |Common held 20 + breeding pairs when we used to go up and help out the Peregrine watch up there , and at Derby delph they were common...Well done to Tim Walker , Brian Leesey , Nick Carter , Andre Raine , Tim Melling , Steve Downing etc etc.but Climate Change is upon us......
Swift migration is in full flow at the moment with many birds over Northowram and Bridestones the last few days . Swallows seem to have settled down to nest , a few House Martins about as well. Golden Plover , Snipe , Skylark, Kestrel , Fox Moth and Bilberry Hook Wing at Bridestones and55 + Starlings feeding on Northowram Cricket Pitch ,more young every day.....House Sparrows seem to be doing well also...
4 Demoiselle Crane ..bird s of the trip.......
May in Romania is an amazing ornithological bonanza, migration off the Black Sea is phenomenal. Last year we recorded 209 species and this year 202 ,(without going into the mountains).In total 231 species in 3 weeks . Goshawk , Artic Skua , Pallid Harrier , Lesser Kestrel , Scop's Owl , Levant's Sparrowhawk , Hen Harrier , Black-eared Wheatear , Quail , Corncrake , Greater Flamingo , Yellowhammer, Kentish Plover , Green Sandpiper , Icterine Warbler, Wood Warbler , Little Bittern , Middle Spotted Woodpecker , Caspian Tern , Cettis Warbler and Desmoiselle Crane were new to Romania for me..
This spring we managed to hit the passage of Black Terns and again Nightjar passage over the sea at Vadu.
A one and a half mile walk in Badabag Forest produced at least 30 Icterine Warbles singing on territory , 15 Red Breasted Flycatchers and 10 Wood Warblers , Hawfinch were common , the highlight was a male Collared Flycatcher singing from a clearing in the wood . Common Glider was an excellent find and Glanville Fritillary showed exceptionally well . Lesser Spotted and Middle Spotted Woodpecker nests were found. and Syrian Woodpecker was commonly seen.
On the coat near Istria there were apox 5000 + Black Terns (100's of White Winged Black and a few Whiskered mixed in) feeding just above an area of arable fields and a flock of 400 + Ruff and 10 + Red footed Falcons in the same fields, 100+ flock of Little Gulls were on one of the nearby lakes.30 Red throated Pipits , 2 Honey Buzzards Drifted over and in the bushes Barred Warbler , Wryneck and Lesser Grey Shrike. White Pelicans were moving north and this is when Gary picked out the birds of the trip 4 Demoiselle Cranes , a lifer for all of us. Even those old buggars who saw the dodgy one at Spurns many years ago (AC,AZ and NCarter). Gary also picked out a Lesser Kestrel that if accepted will be only the first for 21 years....
No let up in the birding as we headed to Vadu , Lesser Spotted Eagles ,lots of Monty's Hen and a couple of Pallid Harrier , Isabeline , Black -eared , Pied and Northern Wheatear , a small flock of 4 Woodchat Shrike , Rollers , Bee Eaters , Red Backed Shrikes ,waders on every small pool , mainly Wood Sands , Curlew Sands , Ruff and Little Stints but occasionally Temminck's and Kentish Plovers. Palla's Gull can be seen flying overhead most days on the coast.
Vadu was birding heaven , same as last year with many highlights , but 57 + Nightjars in two days was exceptional. Broad billed Sands .
Great views of Levants Sparrowhawk displaying was another highlight.
Mallow Skipper
Grizzled Skipper
Scare Swallowtail
Small White
Large White
Green -veined White
Eastern Bath White
Eastern Dappled White
Orange Tip
Common Blue
Small Blue
Eastern Baton Blue
Brown Argus
Silver -studded Blue
Clouded Yellow
Pale Clouded Yellow
Large Copper
Small Copper
Small Heath
Red Admiral
Wall Brown
Comma
Queen of Spain Fritillary
Glanville Fritillary
Spotted Fritillary
Common Glider
Lasts years Butterflys not seen this year ,Swallowtail , Camberwell Beauty , Black -veined White , Silver Washed Fritillary and European Map (32 species)
Moths
Four - Spotted
