Wednesday, 2 April 2025
Sunday, 9 March 2025
100 species in Calderdale in 58 days
Well with Redshanks at Lower Gorple and a singing Chiffchaff this morning , I made it to 100 species , with 42 days to spare....now is it possible to get 50 species in Calderdale before next year...probably not....LOL
1) Red Kite , 2) Peregrine Falcon , 3 ) Kestrel , 4) Sparrowhawk , 5 ) Hen Harrier , 6 ) Buzzard , 7 ) Barn Owl , 8 ) Little Owl , 9 )Tawny Owl , 10 ) Med Gull , 11) LBBGull 12 ) GBBGull , 13 ) Herring Gull , 14 )Common Gull , 15 ) BH Gull , 16 ) Pink F Goose , 17 ) Whooper Swan , 18 ) Mute Swan , 19) Coot , 20 ) Moorhen , 21 ) Mallard , 22 ) Pochard , 23 ) Tufted Duck , 24 ) Scaup , 25 ) , Goldeneye , 26 ) Shoveler , 27 ) Mandarin Duck , 28 ) Widgeon , 29 ) Teal , 30 ) Goosander , 31 ) Little Grebe , 32) Greylag Goose , 33 )Canada Goose , 34) Red Grouse , 35) Pheasant , 36 ) Red-legged Partridge , 37 ) Cormorant , 38 ) Grey Heron , 39 ) Kingfisher , 40 ) Dipper , 41 ) Grey Wagtail , 42 ) Pied Wagtail , 43) Lapwing , 44 ) Golden Plover , 45) Feral Pigeon , 46 ) Woodpigeon , 47 ) Stock Dove , 48 ) Collared Dove , 49 ) Great Spotted Woodpecker , 50 )Green Woodpecker , 51 ) Treecreeper , 52 ) Nuthatch , 53 )Wren , 54 )Robin , 55 ) Dunnock , 56 ) House Sparrow , 57 )Tree Sparrow , 59 ) Meadow Pipit , 60 ) Skylark , 61 ) Chaffinch , 62 ) Brambling , 63) Goldfinch , 64 ) Greenfinch , 65 ) Redpoll , 66 ) Siskin , 67) Crossbill , 68 ) , Bullfinch 69 ) Reed Bunting , 70 ) , Blackbird , 71) Song Thrush , 72 ) Mistle Thrush , 73 ) Fieldfare , 74 ) Redwing , 75 ) Goldcrest , 76 ) Jay , 77) Raven , 78 ) Rook , 79 ) Jackdaw , 80 ) Carrion Crow , 81 ) Magpie , 82 ) Starling , 83 ) Blue Tit , 84 ) Great Tit , 85 ) Long - tailed Tit , 86 ) Cole Tit , 87 ) Stonechat , 88 ) Common Snipe, 89 ) Jack Snipe , 90 ) Blackcap , 91 ) Curlew , 92 ) Oystercatcher , 93 ) Barnacle Goose , 94 ) Egyptian Goose , 95 )Ringed Plover , 96) Short -eared Owl , 97 ) Redshank , 98 ) Woodcock ,99) Merlin , 100) Chiffchaff 101) Linnet 102) Great Crested Grebe .103) LRPlover 104) Shelduck 105)Wheatear 106) Twite 107) Swallow
Thursday, 20 February 2025
Monday, 17 February 2025
Great Hornbills Fraser's Hill Malaysia , 2024
Friday, 31 January 2025
January 2025
1) Red Kite , 2) Peregrine Falcon , 3 ) Kestrel , 4) Sparrowhawk , 5 ) Hen Harrier , 6 ) Buzzard , 7 ) Barn Owl , 8 ) Little Owl , 9 )Tawny Owl , 10 ) Med Gull , 11) LBBGull 12 ) GBBGull , 13 ) Herring Gull , 14 )Common Gull , 15 ) BH Gull , 16 ) Pink F Goose , 17 ) Whooper Swan , 18 ) Mute Swan , 19) Coot , 20 ) Moorhen , 21 ) Mallard , 22 ) Pochard , 23 ) Tufted Duck , 24 ) Scaup , 25 ) , Goldeneye , 26 ) Shoveler , 27 ) Mandarin Duck , 28 ) Widgeon , 29 ) Teal , 30 ) Goosander , 31 ) Little Grebe , 32) Greylag Goose , 33 )Canada Goose , 34) Red Grouse , 35) Pheasant , 36 ) Red-legged Partridge , 37 ) Cormorant , 38 ) Grey Heron , 39 ) Kingfisher , 40 ) Dipper , 41 ) Grey Wagtail , 42 ) Pied Wagtail , 43) Lapwing , 44 ) Golden Plover , 45) Feral Pigeon , 46 ) Woodpigeon , 47 ) Stock Dove , 48 ) Collared Dove , 49 ) Great Spotted Woodpecker , 50 )Green Woodpecker , 51 ) Treecreeper , 52 ) Nuthatch , 53 )Wren , 54 )Robin , 55 ) Dunnock , 56 ) House Sparrow , 57 )Tree Sparrow , 59 ) Meadow Pipit , 60 ) Skylark , 61 ) Chaffinch , 62 ) Brambling , 63) Goldfinch , 64 ) Greenfinch , 65 ) Redpoll , 66 ) Siskin , 67) Crossbill , 68 ) , Bullfinch 69 ) Reed Bunting , 70 ) , Blackbird , 71) Song Thrush , 72 ) Mistle Thrush , 73 ) Fieldfare , 74 ) Redwing , 75 ) Goldcrest , 76 ) Jay , 77) Raven , 78 ) Rook , 79 ) Jackdaw , 80 ) Carrion Crow , 81 ) Magpie , 82 ) Starling , 83 ) Blue Tit , 84 ) Great Tit , 85 ) Long - tailed Tit , 86 ) Cole Tit , 87 ) Stonechat , 88 ) Common Snipe, 89 ) Jack Snipe ,,,,,,,
I was aiming for 90 species in January but missed it by 1 ,,,,,, missed , Yellowhammer , Grey Partridge , Woodcock , Twite , SEO , Great Crested Grebe , Little Egret and Shelduck so 90 + is possible in a good January...or maybe 100 if you have the time and a bit of luck.....!!!!!
xxxx Stop press Male Blackcap first bird seen on the 1st Feb..that is the way it goes...xxxxx
Curlew and Oystercatcher makes 92 17th Feb.....
Barnacle Goose , Ringed Plover and Merlin 22nd Feb.....95
Short -eared Owl ..24th Feb ...96
Egyptian Goose x 3 at Cromwell Bottom ..97
Photo's and finder Mike Sharpe , many thanks...
Tuesday, 21 January 2025
Excellent weather for Duck's
Its been hard going so far in Calderdale , the best way to describe it is ..GREY...but its been good for Duck's
9 Goldeneye , the displaying males and females at Cromwell Bottom Ski lake are superb , Shoveler 3 (1m and 2 f) , Scaup (m and f ) , Pochard , Tufted Duck 27 + , 40 + Mallard , 6 Teal have all put in an appearance at Cromwell , a pair of Widgeon feeding along the dam wall at Ringstone and 19 Mandarins on the River Ryburn . Lots of Goosander about on the River Calder......
Monday, 13 January 2025
River Ryburn and mid January
A walk along the river Ryburn today produced 19 Mandarin Duck by far my biggest count in Calderdale in fact anywhere , the 12 males were in perfect plumage and 7 female types . Dipper , Moorhen and Mallards made for a great walk, Cromwell was very busy with 23 Tufted Duck , 2 Pochard , 2 Scaup , 8 Goldeneye , 5 Teal .500 Black headed gulls( the odd one or two with full black hoods) , 100 Common Gulls , 3 LBBGulls (1 intermedius) and 6 Herring Gulls...12 Tree Sparrows on Jay House Lane on the 14th and 9 Teal on the small pond..
11 Whooper Swans at Lower Gorple in terrible conditions , 8 Crossbills , Redpoll , Siskin , Cole Tits and Goldcrests in Walshaw Plantation 15th . Had 3 Brambling (thanks Martyn and Carol) today which made 80 species in Calderdale so far this year...
Wednesday, 1 January 2025
2025 early January
The Stonechat was still kicking about today which was a good way to start the year and Barn Owl at dusk.
Hen Harrier , Peregrine Falcon and Crossbills today and some big flocks of Fieldfare at last , around Walshaw plantation.
Scaup at Cromwell with Tufted Duck , Goldeneye ,Goosander Grey Heron , Little grebe and Long-tailed Tits.
Ringstone was busy with Adult Med Gull ,Kingfisher , Great-Black Backed Gull high west , Lapwing 245 + , Golden Plover 260 + and 8 skeins of Pink-footed geese west 1000 + birds involved, 3 Buzzards , Kestrel , , Bullfinch , Goldfinch and Fieldfare...5 days 60 species
9th Jan , had a quick look at Ogden but very little except a smart male Sparrowhawk , Goldcrest in the back garden and a Ring necked Parakeet at Shibden Park kept the year list ticking over.70 species in 9 days....its tough out there , every path frozen and one slip and its a broken ankle,,stay safe.....