What a load of Rubbish

Thankfully its nearly over just one more night out tonight and then thats it.This is the pile of waste that Christmas producers .Looking forward to the new year and getting some new boots,these boots are well pasy there sell by date.

Dusk on Boxing Day

Managed a very small walk,
3 Snipe
2 Mipit
12 Woodpigs
4 Golfinch
1 Tawny Owl calling in the distance.
3 Herring Gull s/w
10 Common gull blogging

Peace and Goodwill to the Humpback

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/oceans/whaling/great-whale-trail/make-the-call-for-whales

Hope u all have a jolly X- Mas

December(early)

There always seems to be a bit of meadow Pipit movement at this time of year as i usually get a small flock of about 20 by the end of December.The first influx started today with 5 birds in the front field,also 5 goldfinch,22 Magpie,11 BH Gull ,4 Common Gull,2 Snipe,2 Cormorant west and 6 herring Gull.

Northowram BTO Atlas square 2

Very Dull indeed,
6 Mistle Thrush
2 Sprwk(male and female)
2 Kestrel
1 Great spot Woodpecker
15 House Sparrow
2Goldcrest
40 redwing
2 Fieldfare
20 Chaffinch
10 Greenfinch
Robins ,Wren ,B Tit,G Tit and Dunnocks.

Northowram BTO atlas

Started off with 40 + House Sparrow and 2 Jays in Back garden.Then added 2 Meadow pipit,1 skylark,4 Snipe and 10 Goldfinch in front field,Into the woods produced 2 GS Woodpeckers,6 Bullfinch,10 Redwing,11 LTTits bird of the day 1 Nuthatch and a Grey Wag by the stream.i checked all the hedges and old buildings but no Tree Sparrows,maybe in the next square.

Not such a Grey Day

Thick fog all day today and about time i did my local walk around Only House Wood.35 House Sparrows,18 Magpie,11 Goldfinch,1 Grey wagtail,2 Pied Wagtail,10 Snipe(a record),1 Skylark,1 female Sparrowhawk,2 Cole Tit and 2 Little Owl.

Red Admiral

A Red admiral in the garden on the 6th of November was the 23rd consecutive month in which i have see a butterfly species.This is a certain sign that its getting warmer.

Sparrowhawk kills Feral pigeon

Female sparwk took Feral pigeon off next doors roof and tumbled into field right outside the house.great stuff.i am sure the increase in sprkws is due to the increase in Collared doves and feral pigeons.?

Blast From the Past

December 1992 at willingham Woods North Lincs a White Throated Sparrow and a male Smew at Covenham res .

Slavonian Grebe ,Lincs

Covenham area Linconshire

Calm weather conditions for November and no rain ?
1 Slavonian Grebe
127 Cormorant
1 Little Egret
1 Marsh harrier
1 Merlin
1 Peregrine
36 Whooper swans South(20 + 12+ 4)
133 Pinkfeet South (60 + 70 + 3 )
150 + Tree Sparrow
2000 Golden plover
500 lapwing
30 Great Crested Grebe
40 Little Grebe
22 Goldeneye
5 Pochard
18 Yellowhammer
200 + Linnet
50 skylark
9 Meadow Pipit
20 Redshank
18 Snipe
2 Turnstone
2 Stonechat
5 widgeon
60 + Blackbird
500 + Fieldfare
400 + Redwing
More than your average year in Calderdale in one day.xxx

Sunrise

A nice sunrise then grey cloud and strong winds.The only birds on the move were a few parties of Fieldfare and Redwing ,a gooseander and 2 LTTits in the back garden

Woodpigeons on the move

The start of the large winter Woodpigeon invasion started today with 700+ moving west soth west.a few small flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.1 Red Admiral in the garden.

New BTO Atlas

This is a PUNK birder JOIN UP TODAY for the new atlas at the BTO home page or he is coming round to ask a few questions

Nice mushrooms

What a difference a day makes.

Same place same time as yesterday but very little moving this morning.
131 Starling
48 fieldfare
46 Redwing
10 woodpigeon
7 lapwing
all north west
2 red Admirals

looking out of the window this morning

Kids ill could'nt get out of the house.mass movment could be seen further south(above EGP)but too far away to id.Still very impressivehouse list.
404 fieldfare west/north/west
23 pink footed goose west
139 Woodpigeon s/w
373 Redwing w/s/w
275 Starling west/norh/west
17 Jackdaw
5 Blackbirds
1 stock Dove
2 jay
14 Golfinch
7 Chaffinch

Its worth a look and a pint

Tetney/Covenham res

1 black Tern
8 Whooper Swans
91 Pink Footed Goose
1 lapland Bunting
550 redwing
200 Fieldfare
42 Blackbird
3 widgeon
2 Turnstone
105 Cormorant
400+ starling
1 green sandpiper
1 Merlin
2 Very Jolly days

Sunday/Monday

The first movement of Starlings this autumn were going through in small groups of up to 50 birds and all were moving wnw.Mixed in with these were small groups of Fieldfare,Redwing and Meadow Pipit no large groups mainly 20 - 30.Common Gull and jays also moving in small numbers, a few groups of jackdaws heading west,2 Snipe, 3 Lapwing and the first woodpigeons(100+)all heading west south west.
500 + Starling
100+ Meadow pipit
150 Redwing
50 Fieldfare
2 snipe
3 Lapwing
100 + jackdaw
In the Garden
1 male Blackcap a first
1 great Spotted wodpecker high south
1 male Sparrowhawk
26 Goldfinch(over
2 Cole tit
2 Goldcrest

Last Nights moths

The Sallow, Pink barred sallow and Barred sallow.

Linconshire

200 Pink footed Goose south
3000 Golden plover
900+ woodpigs (blogging)
13 Whooper Swans s/w
125 Skylark
150 + Tree Sparrow
2 Grey plover
4 stonechat
25 Brent Goose
1 Buzzard
3 Brambling
1 Rock Pipit over
14 Fieldfare
50 + Redwing
2 Song Thrush
10 Mistle Thrush
15 Blackbird
100 + Meadow Pipit
30 Common Seal
1 Clouded Yellow
2 Migrant Hawker
6 Common Darter

Northowram to soil Hill and back

2 redwing in garden
30 Linnet Northowram
1 Grey wag Northowram
55 Lapwing and 2 LBBGull North/Quens border
35 Common Gull Moutain footie pitch
Soil Hill
4 Reed Bunting
2/3 Stonechat
1 Snipe
3 Linnet
2 Kestrel
34 Meadow pipit
1 Skylark
1 large gull shoing characteristics of Yellow legged over at 8.55

Soil Hill

52 Lapwing on the Northowram /Queensbury border
1 Wheatear
3 Red Legged partridge
6 Grey partridge
2 Skylark
10 Linnet
8 Meadow pipit
1 Grey heron
2 kestrel
1 Common Gull over

Cornisholme (linconshire)

1Juv merlin
3 green sandpiper
1 Barn owl
7 Snipe
4 Roe Deer
7 Water vole
2 Red Admiral
2 Common Hawker

Little Heck (near Pontefract)today

320+Linnet
10 Tree sparrow
45 Skylark
7 Corn Bunting
7 Yellow hammer
30 + Common Darter
4 Common Hawker
1 Small Copper
8 Small White

All Quiet

1 Chiffchaff
6 Redwing
4 Goldcrest
3 Skylarks
8 Long Tailed tits
1 Pied wag

Autumn Crocus 'Colchicum autumnale'

This rare plant is a Calderdale speciality.Many thanks to Steve blacksmith for pointing them out.Found at Coley today

Highlights - September Moths

3 Autumunal Rustic
3 Lunar Underwing
15 Black rustic
2 Angle Shades
2 Silver Y
1 Spruce Carpet
5 Large Yellow Underwing
2 Common Marbled Carpet
1 Red line quaker
2 Blairs shoulder knot
2 Pale pinion
1 Copper underwing
1 Canary Shouldered Thorn

Looking for a Gannet

Feeling quite confident one was going to fly over the area as they seem to everywhere ele,I have been keeping an eye on the sky all weekend.Not a sniff surprisingly.Optomistic fool !!!!!!!
17 swallows south
22 Pink Footed Goose(west)
34 Golden Plover(west)
5 Skylarks
2 Little Owl
1 Very dark LBBGull
33 BH Gull
3 Common Gull
47 Meadow Pipit s/w
12 Siskin
20 Goldfinch
37 Redwing west/s/west
1 Sprwk
8 Pied wagtail
3 Jays (on the move)
1 wader went over and called once at 3.00 this afternoon(poss green sand)

Walk to school

172 redwing w/s/w
11 Goldfinch
32 Meadow pipit s/w
1 pink -footed goose North
9 pied wagtails
29 house Sparrow
12 BH Gull

Northowram today

3 House martins s/w
10 Swallows
35 Meadow Pipit s/w
1 Angle shades
2 large Yellow Underwing
1 garden carpet
1 Grey pine Carpet
Thats it

Great Northern Diver

Well,well, there i was counting Golden Plover in Linconshire and i get a text.GNDiver at ringstone do i-
1.Drive straight to Ringstone and the return to count (4hour trip)
2.Carry on counting GP and hope its there tomorrow.
Having dipped on the avocet,I decide it wont stay long and carry on counting.ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh(just call me Dipper)
So i get up on Saturday 4.55 drive to Ringstone for first light 6.40.
And thankfully its there,low mist over a still(pond like)Ringstone and the evoctive call of the diver echoing round the res.I watched it for 31 minutes before it flew off westnever to be seen again.It really was fantastic .A continuous stream of Mipits overhead (400 +) a classic Greeland Wheatear and a couple of siskin made the early start worthwhile.I then had to work till 22.30 Cheffing.(knackered)I hope you dont mind Sean nicked your photo of birders blogg.

Things in the garage today

Wasp Nest,sectaceous Hebrew Character and 2Brown Spot Pinion

Soil Hill

2 Grey partridge
8 Skylark
60+ Linnet
30 Mipit
1 Common Gull (north)
10 Goldfinch
1 female Sprwk mobbing Juv Kestrel for 5 mins.
7 Stock dove
12 Woodpigs

Pontefract today

1 Yellow wagtail
1 Stonechat
30 Yellowhammer
237 Linnet
3 Corn Bunting
20 Skylark
1 reed Bunting
30 Goldfinch

Autumn Colour

A splash of colour with Autumunal Rustic and Red Admiral

Linconshire

2500 Golden Plover
1 Hobby Juv
5 Marsh harrier
2 Buzzard
3 Merlin
2 Little egret
52 tree sparrow(1 flock nice to see)
1 Green sand
50 + yellow wag(1 flock of 20)

Canary Shouldered Thorn

Just Brilliant.

Soil Hill

1 Mistle Thrush
1 wheatear
6 Grey partridge
25 Goldfich
1 LBBGull North
7 meadow pipit
2 stock Dove

Vis 8.00 - 9.30

Low cloud and drizzle.
1 Willow warbler in garden
6 Meadow Pipit s/w
6 House Martin s/w
30 swallow s/w

More Butts,no Birds

This morning i had 5 Goldcrest in the garden, amazing for here,I felt sure today would bring me a Black redstart after a two hour slog and only one willow warbler + usuall stuff it was back to the Butterfly patch.2 Painted lady,2 wall Brown,10 small Copper,30+ speckled wood,2 Red Admiral 8 Peacocks and a White type.

First day in Calderdale for ages-

Northowram-6,30 - 7.30
3 Common Gull North
3 Cormorant west
1 LBBGull west
25 House Sparrows (in garden)
10 Swallows s/w

1 Black Redstart...Soil Hill(nice one Nigel.K)its my first since 1993

Ringstone
30 Lapwing
8 mallard
1 Teal
1 GC Grebe

Vis 8.00 - 9.30(then heavy rain)

37 Swallows west
2 House martin west
6 Meadow Pipit s/w
2 Skylark south
6 Stock Dove (bloggers)
10 Bh Gull s/w
6 Goldfinch

Copper Underwing

First Copper underwing last night,identified by pale palps.

Wales 2

A sunny week with loads of these two about,Also 20+ Red Kites,40+ Buzzard,30+ Little Egrets,1 Dartford Warbler,Cetti's Warbler,Chough,Rock Pipits and usuall Gannets,Ravens etc

Wales

Black Arches and Square Spot Dart.(Top moffing)

What a week to go away(not)

Well after missing the Avocet,I should have known that going to Wales was bad timing.The first invasion of Great Brocade in Calderdale since 1964 was this week as well as the first Yellow Barred Brindle.Black redstarts,Osprey(over Southowram) ,Pintails,yellow wags ,Spotted Flys etc,O well it could have been worse I could have gone to Green Withens.

Last Night at Withens Clough

A very poor night with low temperature ,clear skies and Northerly wind.
12 Square Spot Rustic
20+ Lesser Yellow Underwing
5 Large Yellow Underwing
1 Dark arches
2 Antler Moth
1 Chevron
1 Purple Bar
1 Shuttle Shaped dart
4 Common Wainscot
3 Smoky Wainscot
That was it.?

Small Copper

8 Small copper
1 Purple Hairestreak(female)
15 Speckled wood
10 peacock
1 Gatekeeper
4 small Tortoiseshell
2 Nuthatch
2 willow warbler
2 GS Woodpecker
2 Skylark

Sun at Last

Yesterday evening saw 2 Swift,3 House martin,1 sand martin and 100+ Swallows all heading s/w
Today was sunny for the first time since.........mmmmmm last week sometime.
20+ peacock
1 Red Admiral
10 small White
2 Large White
4 Speckled Wood
6 Small Copper
1 Gatekeeper
Last nights Moths
1 Grey Chi
2 Antler Moths
2 Dusky Brocade
1 Six Striped Rustic
2 Small Square Spot
4 Square Spot Rustic
1 Single Dotted wave
1 Scalloped Oak

The Sallow

The first autumunal moth last night was this Sallow,also Antler Moth and Small Dusty Wave

Pontefract Vis

07.30 - 11.30
1 Yellow wag s/w
8 Swifts s/w
10 House martin s/w
8 Sand martin s
50 Swallows bloggingd
other
Yellowhammer 20+
Linnet 50+
Red Legged partridgge 10

SWIFTS

1 Swift s/w
I usually have Swifts here until about the first week in september.There are a few early October records in Calderdale

Pontefract bird survey.

Just finished a bird survey for a small industrial site off junction 34 of M62.
2 pairs lesser whitethroat
10 pairs Yellowhammer
9 pairs Corn Bunting
1 pair Barn Owl
3 pairs Yellow Wagtail
1 pair Willow Tit
8 pairs Tree sparrow
8 pairs sand Martin
14 pairs whitethroat
Its only 1/2 hour from Fax.????????
Start winter survey in Linconshire in september ..............watch this space.

More Rain.

1 Swift s/w
1 Willow Warbler north along hedge then high north.
4 LBBGull west
1 Grey wag s/w
25 BHGull s/w
1 female Sprwk

August?

A very poor couple of days with high winds and rain.A few LBBGulls west,100+ Swallows last night and 30 Goldfinch.jays seem to on the move and a male Sprwk has been terrorising the ever increasing Collared Dove population.The only moth of note was a migrant Silver Y.

Swallows

At least 50 Swallows feeding over the frount field last night.1 Sparrowhawk,a few BH Gulls and 2 distant Peregrines over Southowram.10 LTTits were the first for the autumn.

Welsh Wave and Anomalous

Welsh Wave and thr Anomalous

An Hours vis - mig and a 'Charm' of Goldfinch

The first decent finch flock of the autumn 25 Goldfinch in front field this morning.
5 Swift(1 blogging ,4 s/w)
3 LBB Gull s/w
2 Great spotted Woodpecker
1 Kestrel

National Moth Night(after work)

Blake Dean was the spot for NMN,and a great night it was.
7 Lesser Swallow Prominent
1 Welsh Wave
2 Twin Spot Carpet
4 Gold Spot
3 Early Thorn(second generation)
2 Common white Wave
25+ Northern spinach
2 Chevron
2 Engrailed (second generation)
1 ANOMALOUS(female)
1 Large Ear
10+ Antler Moth
10 + True Lovers Knot
1 Common Footman
2 Straw Dot
+ common species.

U just car'nt get um all

Working hard feeding the general public an Saturday night is bad enough ,but when all your mates ,are been spoon fed an AVOCET at whiteholm its just too much.ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

The Olive

The Olive a poor shot of a good species for the garden,The 10th new species this year,along with Pale Pinion,Buff Tip,Pale Tussock,Straw Dot,Fryer's Pug,Small Dotted Buff,Pinion Streaked Snout,Shaded Broad Bar andThe Olive

Gatekeeper

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Walk round the Cricket Pitch

2 Skylark,1 GS Woodpecker,3 Stock Dove,1 Kestrel,1 Grey Heron 6 House Sparrow and a Pied Wag calling high up heading s/w.




R.I.P.............Yangtze River Dolphin ,The four Moutain Gorilla's and Leeds United.(all very sad)

Last Swifts ?

2 Swifts yesterday could have been the last of the resident swifts to leave Northowram.a few more migrants and that will be it for another year,It is also the start of autumn Vis(visible migration)lets hope for those Mipits(meadow pipits )heading south west soon.!!!!!

Breeding Birds

An excellent year despite the rain,with House sparrow breeding for the first time in the eaves ,at least 10 juvs,Nuthatch with 2 juv's,Displaying whitethroat,Little Owl, Tawny owl,Blackcap Green and Great spot Woodpecker all doing well also a Juv Stonechat (they must be somewhere close?).

Freyer's Pug

1 of 6 recorded this year the first on the 16th of June.Only the second record for Calderdale the first been on the 15th June by NCDawtry at Pellon.(i think)

A good year so far

White - letter Hairstreak a new species for Northowram,also this year so far - Ringlet(also a first),Gatekeeper(another first),Small Skipper,Peacock,Red Admiral, Speckled wood,Small,Green Veined and large Whites,Small Tortoiseshell,Meadow Brown,Comma and Orange Tip

Buff Tip

A new species for the garden also on the 14th July 2007

Peacock released by the boys this week

The Blackneck

The Blackneck recorded on the 14th July a first for Calderdale(i think?)

Peacock Butterfly's

The boys found about 20 Peacock butterfly catterpillers on the nettle patch in the frount field in June.We raised them through and 8 flew this week.There were also 2' Nettle Tap'moths in with them.

Back on line at Last

Last week was very cool at night with clear skies but a few new micro's for the year were Red - barred Tortrix and Ypsolopha sequella.

Northowram so far this Year

What a great year so far with,Osprey,Woodcock,White-letter Hairstreak,Ringlet,Gatekeeper,Buff Tip,The Blackneck(a first for Calderdale) and many more to come.