Northowram over the Weekend

A Spotted Flycatcher on the wires behind the cricket pavilion was a good start this morning..a male and  female Blackcap , Chiffchaff ,and a Whitethroat in the hedge,. 6 Pied Wagtails , 44 Starling , 65 Goldfinch , 4 Linnet  along the wall and on the pitch//Great Spot , Nuthatch , Sparrowhawk and Buzzard over calling....and a very vocal Tawny Owl at night ....

Whinchats..x 2

Cold edge Dams along the main track held 2 Cole Tits , 4 Reed Buntings , 6 Stonechats , 2 Whinchats 1 Wheatear and 2 Swifts . Speckled Wood , Painted Lady , Peacock and Large White at Northowram

                                                            Speckled Wood

                                                              Juv Stonechat

Large White cats

Cabbage Moth 

Yellow Legged Gull and ' Polish Swan '

Another text from Bri who has been camped out at Fly Flatts forever ( inspirational )..A juv Yellow Legged Gull on the shoreline , I viewed from the road which was not perfect in the wind but there was only one gull present with massive body and white head , .!! One Kestrel , 1 Meadow Pipit and a stunning young male Sparrowhawk were the only birds of note...
  Shibden Park was busy with birds , 40 + House Martin over the lake with a few Swallows mixed in . 30 + Mallard , 15 Coot , and  7 Mute Swan including the very cute Polish Swan which is born white and does not have the brown juvenile plumage.... ( far left on pic)  Many thanks to Mick Cunningham for comments on Yellow legged Gull and Polish Swan.....

More breeding sucsess

Watched the local Sparrowhawks hunting sparrows on the lane today , the female was lucky and was seen carrying the prey to the nearby nest. Confirmed breeding this year so far are..Nuthatch , Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers , Mistle and  Song Thrush , Cole Tit , Goldfinch , Bullfinch , Greenfinch , Starlings , House Sparrow , Dunnock , Stock Dove , Woodpigeon , Collard Dove , Wren , Chaffinch ,Kestrel , Blackbird and Robin...
    Also today a Wall Brown the firzt since 2010........

Up Hill and down dale....................

A busy day at Walshaw ( no guns thank goodness ) 5 Stonechat (4juv 1 ad male) , 6 Wheatear (juvs + 2 very young juvs) , Willow Warbler , 3 Raven , 2 Reed Bunting . 5 Buzzards ( 3 + 2), 1 Redstart a cracking young male (same one as NCD and DF had yesterday) ,1 LEO calling during the day , loads of butterflies   2 Wall Brown , 10 + Painted lady , Small Skipper , Small Heath ,Small Tortoiseshell , Green veined Whites and the odd Large White.

 Turnstone at Fly Flatts on the way back and a juv  Peregrine chasing a green Sandpiper .........................!!!!!!!

                                                     Spotted Fly

                                                 Redstart (thanks NCD )

                                                             Wall Brown

                                           Turnstone (photo and finder BS thanks Bri )

August 8th...Northowram

A red hot day today ---
Peacock x 30 +
Painted Lady 5 +
Holly Blue x 1
Gatekeeper x 2
Large Skipper x 2
Small Copper x 3
Small Tortoiseshell x 10
Comma x 6
Speckled Wood x 10
Purple Hairstreak x 3
Green veined White x 2
Large White x 1
Small White x 3
White sp x 20
Mother of Pearl x 12 watched displaying around a bramble bush...

Little Bustard

Saw this little cracker today , only 1/2 an hour down the motorway , also Hobby , Buzzard , 2 Red Kite and a Common Tern..............

Common Scoter x 40

40 Common Scoter at Ringstone , 27 Males and 3 Females......thanks Phil D for photos

Cricket Pitch

9 LBBgulls , 35 BH Gulls , 1 Common Gull , 7 Pied Wagtail , 5 Blackbird , 30 House Sparrow ,28 Goldfinch mostly juvs feeding on dandelion heads ,  2 Juv Mistle Thrush and a Dunnock.......................................