Orchids

Common Spotted, Northern Marsh and Bee Orchids.Found in Calderdale this last week , many thanks to Bruce and Damian for help with the Bee orchids..

Crow Hill

A flock of 85+ Lapwing and 60 + starling at Crow Hill today also around 2 Teal , 5 Pied wags,4 Skylark,6 + Curlew high west and a few locals  a few Snipe still drumming away and plenty Swifts and swallows about.

Raptors

The Buzzard by Tubbs arrived today another good read and a book ive been looking for.Thanks Martyn H.

South Pennines

Green hairstreaks wessenden valley

Its been a poor year so far for Moths and Butterflys but it was encouraging to see lots of small colony's of Green hairstreaks around Wessenden Valley

Female Emperor Moth ,Cupwith res May

Round and about

Nice to see SEowl this week at a nest site with one large young,also scoped a SEOwl eating a Vole..down in two gulps and tail still hanging from bill.Nesting BHGull was a suprise find on the moor tops and Golden Plover,Curlew and lapwing seem to have survived this terrible spring.A Tree pipit was a good find near bridestones and loads of Redpoll,Chaffinch ,Linnet and Greenfinch around...Im sure Twite have been reduced in numbers by there stronger cousins as well as habitat reduction. 7 GCgrebes ,3 Oycs ,Herons and Grey wags at batings .also here Yellow Shell,Chimney sweeper and migrant Silver Y..

Hobby and Cuckoo

A good day started well with Cuckoo calling near mixenden res,Blackcap,Willow warbler and Chiff singing from plantation.an adult Hobby was seen briefley hunting along the west side of the valley heading off towards Ogden.Plenty of Curlew,lapwing,Linnets,Skylarks,1 Oyk and a few reed Bunts made for a good walk in the sunshine (whats that ...!!!!)

Hell Fog

Today I walked from Holme village to Holme Moss,it was steep and unforgiving,I carried my scope,bins large flask of coffee and packed lunch.it was good to see Red Grouse in there natural habitat of billberry slopes just off the moors edge ( a beautiful species when in its own).Short eared owl,Curlew,Golden plover and lapwing were all observed in good light.I reached the top and set up my scope ,I could hear Golden Plover overhead but could not locate them.I could easily see Ovenden moor wind farm in the distance and a small whisp of cloud on the nearby hill.Within 20 minutes of reaching the cloudless top,it was covered in thick fog from nowhere,it covered the whole area.the bottom of my tripod was covered,i dont recall ever seeing such thick fog in JUNE visibility was down to 10 feet.I had to stumble down the track to the car and away , the fog stll thick at Blackmoor foot but had lifted by the time I got home..................????