Mid - January

 Its a pretty grim January so far with strong winds and heavy rain...Tree Sparrows , Siskin and a few Teal on Jay House lane...Plenty of Pink footed geese heading west . Hen Harriers  have been seen over and around Walshaw Dean . Goldeneye , at Cromwell and Little else.....

 Watched this Hen Harrier yesterday up beyond Lower Gorple. It was sat out in the sun preening for about 30 minutes . Started on the right wing primary's each individual one cleaned and polished, then the left wing and then all the tail feathers left to right..,,when it had done them all it gave its self an almighty shake from top to toe...at this point a dog walker flushed it from its post...!!! 6 Crossbills , 1 female Merlin , Kestrel , Red Grouse , 3 Greenfinch , 2 Meadow Pipit and 2 Reed Buntings.....

Sparrowhawk feathers and Glossy Ibis

 Found this dead female Sparrowhawk the other day , may have been taken by a Fox, or died and was then picked up by a Fox

             

Dropped into Swilly for the Glossy Ibis , GW Egret , Little Egret , Water Rail , Red Kites....etc....

Black Throated Thrush

Finally caught up with the Black throatrd Thrush at Top Hill Low...a beauty showed really well. Pics are poor but hey ho...,Gadwall , Whooper Swans , Bullfinch .....
 

Bridestones

 A really excellent trip to Bridestones , A adult female Hen Harrier was watched hunting low over the fields just to the south of the stones. It landed in some juncuss and was flushed out by two Carrion Crows 

It then flew low over the Bridestone , hunted for a minute then headed off towards Egypt , 1 Fieldfare , 2 Snipe , 8 Red Grouse , 20 Lapwing , 2 Magpie , 4 Carrion Crow and 10 Pheasants. 1 dead Common Shrew and 3 Roe Deer...Golden Plover , Grey heron was a surprise ,Kestrel took vole off a Barn Owl

New Years Day........

Northowram first thing , Jackdaw ,Carion Crow , Rook ,Magpie , BH Gull , Wren , Blue Tit ,Robin ,Mistle Thrush ,Redwing , Fieldfare , Blackbird , Sparrowhawk , Collared Dove , Woodpigeon , Feral Pigeon , Stock Dove , Common Gull , Great Tit, Starling and Dunnock ,

 Bridestones ..Stonechat , Golden Plover , Lapwing , Red Grouse , Starling , Fieldfare ,100 + Pink footed Geese and the star of the day 4 differnet Barn Owls hunting in the afternoon sunshine,,,,beauty