Whooper Swan and Gull...HO HO HO

On X -mas eve I was taking the kids shopping(o joy)...Dad there are 3 large ducks flying towards us... well done 3 Whooper swans flying south /west.God I love um some times.
Way back in 2003 on the 10th January I was stood waiting for the kids to finish there swimming lesson at Ploughcroft when I noticed a large white gull heading west which I was sure was an adult Glaucous Gull,,,,!!! with out my binns it would have to be a probable...a few days later an immaculate adult Glaucous Gull was found by Big Adi at Blackley tip........
On the 23rd the same thing happened but this time it looked like an adult Iceland Gull,....Always have a pair of binns handy

Saturday Morning

A male Sparrowhawk spent a few minutes in the back Garden tree this morning,also a Great Spotted woodpecker and Grey Wagtail flew over ,and the Redwing dropped in yesterday morning.

From the window today

8 Herring Gull and 4 GBBGull flew west today

Pink-footed Geese

A brilliant blue clear skies and red ball sun today with 64 Pinkfeet west at 2,30 also 2 Snipe,1 Golden Plover ,70 lapwing,1 Stock Dove and 1 Goldfinch

Record

A records count of Golden Plovers today with 31 in the field,also 141 Lapwing ,1 snipe and a pied wag

Golden Plover,Lapwing and Snow

The first snow of the winter forced 7 Golden Plover and 6 Lapwing low over the house this morning and the garden feeders were packed with House Sparrows,Chaffinch,Great,Blue and Cole Tits

Snipe

Flushed two Snipe today from the field near the house,1 Mipit and a wren were the only birds of note.

Waxwings

2 waxwings flew over Northowram school today at 3.25.They headed for the old Northowram Hospital grounds.

Lapwing

You can tell when its getting cold when the Queesbury Lapwings move to Northowram ,had my first of the winter over the house this morning,also 1 Herring Gull North

Whooper Swan

1 Whooper Swan flew north just above the housesat 1250.Yesterday afternoon saw a movment of 40 GBBGull west and 20 Herring gull west mid afternoon.25 House Sparrows on the feeders and 20+ Collared Dove in the back garden ,I saw a sparrowhawk take a Starling last week ,Great Spot and Grey wagtail have been seen flying over the house.
I also herd calls last night at about 9.15 that sounded like Crossbills.??????

Sunday(not so big) Vis Mig

7.00 - 7.15
...Redwings calling overhead but still too dark to see um
7.15 - 7.30
Local Blackbirds ,Corvids and Robins calling and 5 redwing s/w and 1 Pied wagtail west
7.30 - 7.45
16 Redwings,44 woodpigeon,3 Meadow Pipit,15 Fieldfare and 3 Pied wagtail all s/w cloud cover 9/10 wind s/w 2.
7.45 - 8.00.
Redwing 32,Woodpigeon 91,Meadow pipit 7 and 2 Grey wagtail west /south /west.
8.00 - 8.15
69 Redwing,Starling 31,3 Gooseander ,4 Fieldfare,Stock Dove 1 all s/w light Drizzle and Mist forming
8.15 - 8.30
66 Redwing, 1 woodpigeon s/w
8.30 - 8.45
51 redwing,80 Fieldfare,12 woodpigeon west
8.45 -9.00
4 Redwing,2 Starling and 20 Goldfinch s/w
9.00 - 9.15
40 redwing and 1 Meadow pipit
9.15 - 9.30
43 Redwing and 4 Pied wagtail west
9.30 - 9.45
300 Redwing and 2 Pied wagtail s/s/w
9.45 - 10.00
Blank
Total
Redwing 643
Woodpigeon 148
Fieldfare 99
Goldfich 20
Meadow pipit 11
Pied wagtail 10
Goosander 3
Grey wagtail 2

Total 936
Species 8

Note***** 1 Red Admiral

Other ,1Great Spotted woodpecker,1Jay,2Sparrowhawk,Jackdaw,Carrion Crow, magpie,Collared dove

BIGVis-mig! Sunday 19th October 2008, 0700 – 1000hr

BASIC METHODOLOGY…… very simple!
Anyone in the UK can take part. The more contributions and the wider
the spread the better.
The "counting period" is as stated above, if you wish to go on
longer than 1000hr then do so but keep this supplimentary total
outside the "counting period" separate.
Count each species in increments of 15 minutes starting at 0700hr ie
incremental periods for us all will be:
0700 – 0715hr
0715 – 0730hr
0730 – 0715hr
and so on……
This incremental counting will enable immediate comparison of
results between each site.
Identify and count all of the moving birds you see or hear at any
distance using bins, scope or unaided vision and note their main or
various directions of movement.
Record basic weather as we are all in the habit of doing,
specifically noting any factors you may think are affecting the
movement of birds.
If possible take a few digital photos of your outlook / counting
conditions.

Thursday

Redwings and the first movment of Woodpigeon and Starlings today.
35 Redwing south(20 + 15)
100 + Woodpigeon west/south /west
4 Stock dove west
50 Stalings in small groups heading directly west
1 Grey wagtail south
2 Pied Wags south

Last few Days

A female sparrowhawk was watched taking a starling off next doors roof today which sent the local corvid population crazy,they immediately went for the hawk but it just flew for the nearest cover.The last of the Swallows and House Martins this week and Redwings were seen in the local wood and herd in the night heading south.Still a few butterflies kicking around with Speckled wood and Comma this week.

Friday morning Vis

No movement at all first thing with no wind at all.Then at about 9.15 a small ammount of drizzle dropped in
7 House Martin s/w
23 Swallows s/w
1 Grey Wagtail s/e
20 Goldfinch over
1 Jay over
Excellent moths last night with Black Rustic,Lunar Underwing,Silver Y and Secaceaus Hebrew Character.

An hours vis before the rainnnnnn....

7 Meadow Pipits
12 Swallow
10 House martin
2 Skylark
5 wader sp (not id'd)
all vis this year is from back garden or cricket pitch 100yards away.

First Mipits today 8.9.08

The first mipits over the house today with 5 s/w
15 swallows s/w
2 pied Wags south
17 Canada Geese south
4 Snipe s/w
200 BH Gull south
10 LTTits in the Garden and a small inflix of 4/5 Goldcrests

Lunar Underwing and Red Green Carpet in the moth trap means autumn is here.

a few holiday snaps

barred hook tip

blood vein

Rosy footman

Let the vis begin

30 house martin s/w
20 swallow s/w
1 grey heron high south
1 sparoowhawk chasing hirundines

Cornwall 2008

Black arches,canary shouldered thorn,4 spotted footman

Meadow Grasshopper(a massive beast)

cornwall / hols

birds
Corys shearwater 1,sooty shearwater4, manx's 700 + ,balaric 3 ,Bonxie,artic skua,med gulls,Bar t godwit,Knot,whimbrel,
Butterflys
Silver washed fritillary,small pearl bordered Fritillary,Brimstone,
Moths,
Privet hawkmoth(larvae),Maidens blush,Bloodvein,White speck,Four Spotted footman,black arches(25),Small wainscot,Fox moth (larvae),Feathered Gothic,
Barred hook tip,Coxcombe prominent,drinker .

Can I ask you to take 1 minute out of your day to help in advocacy for
the restoration of quarries to wildlife areas. QPA (Quarry Products
Association - the umbrella trade organisation) are running an online
poll until Thursday on their website (web address below) asking what
people would like to see quarries restored to.

Seeing as though most of Englands wildlife seems ever increasingly
dependent on quarries and brick pits then maybe we are best placed to
vote !

Thanks


Vote here
http://www.qpa.org/voting.php

August 1st

The first of the autumn gatherings locally and the first migrant heading off
30 Lapwing
48 Black Headed Gull
10 Pied wags
20 Goldfinch
5 LBBGull
1 Sparrowhawk
3 Swifts
25 Swallows (on the wires)
1 Willow Warbler

July - Vis

1 Golden Plover n/w
2 Common Gull s/w
10 Lbb Gull n/e
14 BHGull s/w
4 swift north
1 House Martin North

Med Gull Madness

On wenesday I found 4 Med Gulls at Jay house lane Clifton,2 Adults ,1 second summer and a first summer.On Thursday I found 3 near Horseshoe point in Lincs 2 adults and a second summer.Great stuff pity the photos rubbish.

Chambers farm wood

White admiral

Marbled white
A quick look round Chambers Farm Wood in Lincolnshire saw - 2 White Admiral,1 Marbled white,1 Purple Hairstreak,30 Meadow Browm,2 Gatekeeper,20 Ringlet and 3 Small White

Out and about over the Weekend

Northern Brown Argus(i think)

High Brown fritillary

Yellow Legged Gull

Last night about 7.10,I noticed a group of 14 LBBGull heading west,as I was watching/scoping a kestrel at the time I decided to have a closer look at the gulls immediately one stood out to be a grey backed gull, similar in shape to the LBBGull's,as it banked sideways the yellow legs could be seen.Its well worth looking at all groups of LBBGulls at this time of year for a Yellow Legged.!!!!Good luck

Vapourer caterpillar

Found this on bramble today.

Sunday

12 Curlew flew west at 8.00
3 LBB Gull west at 8.15
Green woodpecker and Great spot over the garden as well.

Last nights Moths

Dusky brocade

White Ermine
At least 30+ species on tuesday night with Dark Spectacle,Spectacle,Beautiful Golden Y,Small fanfoot being the best of the haul(100+moths) and also the first Dark Arches and Large Yellow Underwings.

Crowle moor

Ringlet

Large Heath(davus)
2 woodlark,1Turtle Dove,Hobby,Gropper,Marsh tit, grass Snake,Cuckoo,3 Ringlet,Small Copper and loads of small / large skippers and 10+ Large Heath

Bits and Bobbs

Loads of good moths about at the moment with this Mother Shipton,Small Yellow Underwing(another first for Calderdale),Small and Large Elephant Hawkmoths and poplar hawkmoth and the first migrant Silver Y.Mallard raised 7 young in next doors pond and the House sparrows are on with there second brood after having a bumper first brood.Managed Duke of Burgandy,Dingy skipper and Pearl bordered Fritillary at Silverdale.

Donna Nook

A walk from Donna Nook to Pyes Hall produced this beauty found and photographed also Barn owl,Lesser whitethroat,4 Grey plover,8 Dunlin,2 Little egret,6 cuckoo and 4 Yellow Wags

Linconshire

Barn Owl

Marsh Fritillary

2 Black necked Grebe

Centre Parcs..Whinfell Forest

6 Crossbill
2 redpoll
2 blackcap
plenty of Red Squirrel(nice to see ,shoot them Grey's)
Buzzards
And a White Stork flying west being mobbed by 2 carrion Crows and 3 Swallows(an escape ???)

Last Nights moths

Yellow Barred Brindle,V-Pug,Clouded Drab,Double Striped Pug,Hebrew Character,Early Grey,Common Quaker and eriocrania sup

Last week

Large numbers of Swift and Swallows have been seen this week along with Blackcap and the garden species are well into the breeding season

Covenham area Linconshire

2 Black Tern,2 Common Tern ,Little Egret,Lesser/Common Whitethroat,15 + Sedge Warbler,10 +Yellow wag,6 Common Sand,Cuckoo ,Wheatear and Yellowhammer

Moths so far this Year

This first for calderdale is a Tawny Pinion(above)caught at light on the 23rd April
Early Grey
Hebrew Character
Common Quaker
Small Quaker
Dotted Border
Twin-spot quaker
Clouded drab
Brindled Pug
double -striped pug

Whimbrel + Whitethroat

2 whimbrel flew noth east at 6.50 this evening infront of a very dark black cloud,excellent to see two flying together.Also one whitethroat back in.good numbers of Swallows over the last few days and up to 8 Linnets

The Locals

6 Linnets,5 goldfinch,Sparrowhawk (m+f)Swallow and Blackcap today 28th april

Collared Dove

Favorite prey of our local sparrowhawk

first Swallows

The first swallows have been seen this week ,1 on Monday nad 10 today, you can see the peak districk in the distance coverd in Snow.Also Blackcap and Chiff-Chaff singing around Shibden Park.

last week

2 Goosander north
2 snipe west
8 GBBGull west
50 + mipit N/w
M + F Sparrowhawk most days around the garden
Greenfinch display daily

Last few Days

A first for the garden today in the form of a female Bullfinch,green Woodpecker herd calling from the vally below and a Sparrowhawk in full display.Grenfich and House Sparrow seemed to be everywhere also.

Bio fuels......??????????

Bio Fules destroy large areas of natural habitat.
Click on link below or g
o to whitby birding

Last few Days

Still very windy and little about, the last few mornings a very smart male Sparrowhawk has bee on the prowl,it sat in the garden for a good 20mins yesterday.Greenfinch have started displaying with four together this morning.6 unidentified geese flew n/e yesterday first thing and a few Herring gulls and 1 first winter GBBGull have been moving s/w.

Bali Starling

The critcally endagered Bali Starling has a strange call......

Identification 25 cm. Medium-large, stocky starling. Almost wholly white with long, drooping crest, black wing-tips and tail tip. Blue bare skin around eye and legs, yellow bill. Similar spp. Black-winged Starling Sturnus melanopterus has shorter crest, much larger area of black on wings and tail and yellow eyering and legs. VOICE -Variety of sharp chattering calls and an emphatic twat.

Somtimes you just have to LOL

Lapwings

137 Lapwings today between Shelf roundabout and Queensbury,if we get a cold snap they usually move down to the warmer climate of Northowram.1 female Sparrowhawk was causing chaos in the back garden this morning chasing starlings and Sparrows with no luck today.At least 6 pairs of House Sparrows were nest building this morning around the village.

Proposed revision of Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

The Department for the Environment (DEFRA) are proposing to revise Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. They intend to reduce the number of species listed from 46 to just 7. Crucially they intend to remove Peregrine Falcon from the list. Peregrine Falcon is highly susceptible to criminality, not only from the shooting lobby but also from some disreputable falconers. The species has a high monetary value. Please write to Joan Ruddock the minister of state responsible and ask her to reconsider.Calderdale Birdwatchers have spent countless hours protecting this species and it would be unforgiveable to give in now.

Joan Ruddock's email address is..... ruddockj@parliament.uk

It is important to include your name and address in the.email.
There is a copy oF a letter on Alistairs Whity Birding that you could use.

Thanks for your support in this matter.

Pink Footed Geese

Pink Footed Geese have been seen heading west this week over Northowram.Look and listen out for high flying geese over the next few weeks.

RSPB,Garden Birdwatch Weekend

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/index.asp
What a week it started with torrential rain then gales and then today at least we had some sunshine,and not many birds locally.Fieldfares and redwings seem to be gathering for there return flights to the north .It was the RSPB's big garden Birdwatch weekend with high winds it was difficult to get a decent count.-2 Blue Tit ,1 Great Tit ,2 Cole Tit,1 Robin,2 Dunnock,17 House Sparrows,14 Collared Dove,10 Starling,2 Greenfinch,5 Chaffinch,5 Blackbird,12 magpie ,4 jackdaw,3 Rook,4 Carrion crow and 3 Goldfinch.

Tuesday

A much better day than of late with House Sparrows starting to build a nest in the eaves,Sparrowhawk looking for dinner with no success,and 2 first winter Common Gulls in front field.I have also got this Bee House for the spring .The queens emerge in Spring from hibernation, they first search out nectar bearing flowers from which they feed on nectar and pollen at the same time pollinating those flowers causing seed to be set. When nice and plump and feeling the time is right they search out a suitable nest and hopefully will choose this box I have purchased.

Nordic Jackdaw

It may well be a shot in the dark but we defiantly get European birds moving through our area in autumn.This picture show what to look out for.2 have been seen in Linconshire recently

Northowram BTO atlas

Braved the very poor weather and did the first square today(second time)Started with an excellent Scandinavian Herring Gull (argentatus)in with 30 BH Gull and 25 Common Gull,loads of Magpies ,Jackdaws,C,Crows and Rooks kicking around the Cricket pitch and about 25 Collared Doves.2 Meadow Pipit and a Snipe flushed ouy of the field and a Little Owl was seen in the local barn.1 female Sparrowhawk,1 Green woodpecker,2 Bullfinch,30 House Sparrows and a calling Treecreeper was about the best of it.Robin Blue,Great Tit , Chaffinch,2 Goldfich on the feeder

A grey day

Tawny Owl calling at the back of the Arboratum and a Redwing herd calling overhead.

A bit of snow

Filled the feeders up yesterday as it was getting very cold.
1 Song Thrush(first for nearly a year)
2 Goldfinch
2 Greenfinch
2 Cole Tit
4 Blue Tit
2 Great Tit
6 Blackbirds
32 Starling
10 collared Dove
2 Dunnock
1 Robin
1 Wren
6 Chaffinch
11 House sparrow
7 Magpie
1 Mistle Thrush
2 Rook
7 Jackdaw
1 Carrion Crow
10 Lapwing high s/w
3 Common Gull high s/w
2 BH Gull High s/w

Happy New Year

A Grey and damp start to the year and not much about as i went to pick the car up from the Shoulder of mutton car park.
50+ House Sparrow
1 Common Gull
1 BH Gull
100 Starling
27 magpie
2 Mipits
4 Goldfinch
1 Grey Wag