Lad Law

                                                        Druids Slaughter Stone (Lad Law)

The Pinnacle (Dove Stones)

A hike up lad law for the last day of the year.. A flock of 47 Red Grouse was impressive and the area was alive with Grouse with a low estimate of 150 birds , (on dead bird found which was a raptor kill either HH or PE) ,  2 Raven , 1 Buzzard and a unidentified wader which i flushed from some juncuss. Must have been a Golden Plover but call was all wrong.?? The weather turned on the way back and little was seen in the driving rain.

I dream of Moor and Misty Hill.............

I  felt i need some fresh  air today so back up the moors , In Northowram the sky was blue and clear all the way to the Peak district . The moor by total contrast  was grey , the mist hung to the tops of the hills and the horizon was lost in the swirling  mist. A lot of Red Grouse could be herd calling and a small flock of 8 flew low to the north . 3 Kestrels were looking for food and a distant Carrion Crow  was all I could muster. The moors were golden but the mist kept on rolling in and made viewing difficult. A Dipper feeding along the dam wall and a Buzzard flew low flushing a few grouse. Then a Ringtail Harrier was seen briefly. A lone birder was stood looking into the mist (Phil D) he had just seen the male Hen Harrier and had a couple of record shots on his camera were pretty clear . I did not see the male but was worth it just to know it was still there and had not 'gone missing' like many Harriers do. Looking forward to my next visit.

December

A quiet week with , 1 flock of 25 Pinks , 1 Goosander , 1 Cormorant , 10 Herring Gull all heading west , a few Fox sightings around the village . A Peregrine was in the Town centre...

Shibden Valley

7 heralds in Bare Head tunnel.

Looking north to Queensbury and Black Dyke Mills

Bare Head Tunnel

Looking south to Beacon Hill and the Peak district in the distance. 

Little of note with a cool n/w wind , the odd Song thrush , 20 Common Gulls , 1 Cormorant over west, 55 Lapwings over to Shelf moor.

Herring Gulls

A big move of Herring gulls north today with 412 between 10 and 12. I had to go out till 3 but they were still on the move until 4 with another 135 noted. A few GBBGulls and LBBGulls mixed in but no wingers .A strong flock of  140 continental Starlings moved west.