Ned Hill

 The last walk on Ned Hill track of 2020 , 1 Cormorant over , 5 Bullfinch , 10 Common Gull , 1 Chaffinch , 2 Blue Tit , 1 Kestrel , 5 Roe Deer   and 1 Wren..Been a bit of a life saver this year Ned Hill track..

A few highlights from 2020

                                                          Long tailed Blue

                                           Westeren Silver studded Blue

                                                             Large Blue

                                                           Dark Green Fritillary

                                                            Four Spotted Chaser

LEO

            LEO

                                                                  Roe Deer

                                                            Silver Spotted Skipper

                                                          Chalkhill Blue female

                                                         Scorched Wing

 

                                                               Elephant Hawkmoths

                                                                   Caspo
 

Adult Winter Med Gull

 Adult Med Gull today at Thornton , there were 2 ,1st winter s about but could not relocate them..Thanks to MP and good to see you Bri , in typical Queensbury weather.....54 Pink Footed Geese , 6 Rooks and 5 Stock Doves west around lunch time

Soil Hill..

 Kestrel , Sparrowhawk , 2 Meadow Pipit , 1Snipe ,6  Magpie , Stock Dove , Chaffinch , Goldfinch , Blackbird , Mallard , Moorhen , LBBGull , Herring Gull , BH gull ,Common Gull , Starling  , Carrion Crow and a distant hunting LEO near Ogden...and a few Pink -footed Geese over Beacon Hill 300+ (thanks DJS)

Out and about

Had a couple of Stonechats on Soil Hill but it is very muddy on every path at the moment..1 Snipe and bumped into NK..cheers Nigel....hope you had a good day..Lower Gorple had a couple of Barn Owl ,Little Owl , 1 Woodcock and 138 Pinks over west...
 

Owls and Woodcock

 The local Tawny Owls have been very vocal for the last couple of week early morning and early evening, it even landed on the house roof last week, Little Owl and Barn Owl up on the hills and a distant Long Eared Owl ..at the very back of Ogden..I flushed another Woodcock near Ned Hill track .The Bullfinch flock was still kicking about yesterday and 5 Fieldfale , 2 Greenfinch and 1 Mistle thrush were close by.." 2 Harriers  were also seen well this week..

Ned Hill Mud Bath

 Had a walk on Ned Hill track today its very muddy on there so take your wellies. As I got to the heather patch 7 Bullfinch were sat in the middle of it 3 Males and 4 females ,,,!! I flushed a Woodcock up on the top and a flock of 45 Lapwings and 2 Skylarks flew south which made for a excellent afternoon walk..The Bullfinch flock was 8 today the 17th with a Song Thrush as well....

Water Pipit and Calderdale today..

                                                           pic DB.....
 Glad to catch up with this little beauty today,,very smart and showed well in the drain from the boat house all the way to the road ..3 Red Grouse , 2 Carrion Crow , ..60 Pinks over the House at lunch and then Barn Owl and Hen Harrier showed well on the moors..Also seems to have been a very good year for Calderdales Mute Swans with 8 + 4 + 2 seen in the last few days...

Sharp and Round HAW...Skipton

 Another beautiful day on the hills , watched a Stoat being mobbed by about 15 Meadow Pipits which was  a first , 2 Stonechat , 1 Red Grouse and lots of Carrion Crows....

Gorple Area early Dec

 Seems to be a good flock of Reed Buntings about with at least 25 + this morning , this attracted a Male Sparrowhawk but it missed ...    !! A Peregrine was causing havoc with the Grouse with two flocks of 20 /30 birds been scattered in all directions .A small group of 18 Pinks headed s/w. Grey Wagtail , Wren ,3 Meadow Pipits ,Raven Mallard , Teal , Little Owl ,Barn Owl , Kestrel , Buzzard and a distant Harrier.......

9 Standards Rigg

 Early morning saw the whole hill side alive with Red Grouse , calling and carrying on..2 Kestrel , 2 Red Kite 2 Buzzards , 1 Woodcock and 1 Grey Heron flew high south.....

Dawn at Lower Gorple

A juv Merlin was watched this morning chasing Woodpidgeons !!!! , 7 Teal , 1 Raven , a very loud skiene of Pink Footed geese followed by 7 BH Gull and a small flock of 6 Reed Buntings,,,,The dawn chorus was of 30 + calling Red Grouse and a distant calling Raven an unexpected noise to start the day..

Elland Gravel Pits......(no more)

There were at least 200 people walking round today with at least 50 dogs,,,,,,Long Tailed Tits , Buzzard, Cormorant and Grey Wag was all I could muster....Its amazing that this site has not produced a Cettis Warbler , Bearded Tit ,another Bittern or something of note..it the last few years...

Ringstone

A windy day up at Ringstone , 2 LBB Gulls , 200 +BH Gulls and 50 + Common Gulls on the water but nothing else of note.70 Canada Geese , 4 Redwing , 3 Fieldfare and a Blackbird.Pretty quiet for Ringstone then out of nowhwere 3 Peregrines were playing around just abouve the water stooping at the gulls and generally having a good time, great too this magnificent raptor....

Dovestones

Whooper Swan on the res and a few Ravens cronking away...A fantastic flock of Starlings over the house first thing at least 500 +...

Ilkley Moor

Tweleve Apostles , Bager Stone and various Cups and rings.....Raven , Red Kite , meadow Pipit and lots of Red Grouse

Busy day

 Pre dawn...view from the Cricket Pitch..

Woddpigeon x 5901 s/w

Whooper Swans x 40 s/w

Pink -footed Geese 200 east 130 west 

Raven x 2 present

Starlings x  408 ...west all day in small parties

Redwing  x 426 north

Fieldfare x 378 north 

Meadow Pipit x 6 blogging

Goldfinch 10 x s/w

Chaffinch 35 x s/w

Stock Dove x 1 s/w

Jay x 3 s/w

Whoopers x 92 .....Pinks  400

Lower Gorple 4th November

Woodcock x 1

Whooper Swan x 2

Barn Owl x 1

Hen Harrier x 2 

Reed Buntings x 10

Greenfinch x 6

North Cave Wetlands

                                             Cheers Fozzy for the photo...
 Green Winged Teal x 1 , Teal 150 + , Shoveler x 20 + , Widgeon , 50 + , Pochard 10 + , Ruff x 2 ...great little reserve ....

Devils Arrows