Collared Dove

Favorite prey of our local sparrowhawk

first Swallows

The first swallows have been seen this week ,1 on Monday nad 10 today, you can see the peak districk in the distance coverd in Snow.Also Blackcap and Chiff-Chaff singing around Shibden Park.

last week

2 Goosander north
2 snipe west
8 GBBGull west
50 + mipit N/w
M + F Sparrowhawk most days around the garden
Greenfinch display daily

Last few Days

A first for the garden today in the form of a female Bullfinch,green Woodpecker herd calling from the vally below and a Sparrowhawk in full display.Grenfich and House Sparrow seemed to be everywhere also.

Bio fuels......??????????

Bio Fules destroy large areas of natural habitat.
Click on link below or g
o to whitby birding

Last few Days

Still very windy and little about, the last few mornings a very smart male Sparrowhawk has bee on the prowl,it sat in the garden for a good 20mins yesterday.Greenfinch have started displaying with four together this morning.6 unidentified geese flew n/e yesterday first thing and a few Herring gulls and 1 first winter GBBGull have been moving s/w.

Bali Starling

The critcally endagered Bali Starling has a strange call......

Identification 25 cm. Medium-large, stocky starling. Almost wholly white with long, drooping crest, black wing-tips and tail tip. Blue bare skin around eye and legs, yellow bill. Similar spp. Black-winged Starling Sturnus melanopterus has shorter crest, much larger area of black on wings and tail and yellow eyering and legs. VOICE -Variety of sharp chattering calls and an emphatic twat.

Somtimes you just have to LOL

Lapwings

137 Lapwings today between Shelf roundabout and Queensbury,if we get a cold snap they usually move down to the warmer climate of Northowram.1 female Sparrowhawk was causing chaos in the back garden this morning chasing starlings and Sparrows with no luck today.At least 6 pairs of House Sparrows were nest building this morning around the village.

Proposed revision of Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

The Department for the Environment (DEFRA) are proposing to revise Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. They intend to reduce the number of species listed from 46 to just 7. Crucially they intend to remove Peregrine Falcon from the list. Peregrine Falcon is highly susceptible to criminality, not only from the shooting lobby but also from some disreputable falconers. The species has a high monetary value. Please write to Joan Ruddock the minister of state responsible and ask her to reconsider.Calderdale Birdwatchers have spent countless hours protecting this species and it would be unforgiveable to give in now.

Joan Ruddock's email address is..... ruddockj@parliament.uk

It is important to include your name and address in the.email.
There is a copy oF a letter on Alistairs Whity Birding that you could use.

Thanks for your support in this matter.

Pink Footed Geese

Pink Footed Geese have been seen heading west this week over Northowram.Look and listen out for high flying geese over the next few weeks.

RSPB,Garden Birdwatch Weekend

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/index.asp
What a week it started with torrential rain then gales and then today at least we had some sunshine,and not many birds locally.Fieldfares and redwings seem to be gathering for there return flights to the north .It was the RSPB's big garden Birdwatch weekend with high winds it was difficult to get a decent count.-2 Blue Tit ,1 Great Tit ,2 Cole Tit,1 Robin,2 Dunnock,17 House Sparrows,14 Collared Dove,10 Starling,2 Greenfinch,5 Chaffinch,5 Blackbird,12 magpie ,4 jackdaw,3 Rook,4 Carrion crow and 3 Goldfinch.

Tuesday

A much better day than of late with House Sparrows starting to build a nest in the eaves,Sparrowhawk looking for dinner with no success,and 2 first winter Common Gulls in front field.I have also got this Bee House for the spring .The queens emerge in Spring from hibernation, they first search out nectar bearing flowers from which they feed on nectar and pollen at the same time pollinating those flowers causing seed to be set. When nice and plump and feeling the time is right they search out a suitable nest and hopefully will choose this box I have purchased.

Nordic Jackdaw

It may well be a shot in the dark but we defiantly get European birds moving through our area in autumn.This picture show what to look out for.2 have been seen in Linconshire recently

Northowram BTO atlas

Braved the very poor weather and did the first square today(second time)Started with an excellent Scandinavian Herring Gull (argentatus)in with 30 BH Gull and 25 Common Gull,loads of Magpies ,Jackdaws,C,Crows and Rooks kicking around the Cricket pitch and about 25 Collared Doves.2 Meadow Pipit and a Snipe flushed ouy of the field and a Little Owl was seen in the local barn.1 female Sparrowhawk,1 Green woodpecker,2 Bullfinch,30 House Sparrows and a calling Treecreeper was about the best of it.Robin Blue,Great Tit , Chaffinch,2 Goldfich on the feeder

A grey day

Tawny Owl calling at the back of the Arboratum and a Redwing herd calling overhead.

A bit of snow

Filled the feeders up yesterday as it was getting very cold.
1 Song Thrush(first for nearly a year)
2 Goldfinch
2 Greenfinch
2 Cole Tit
4 Blue Tit
2 Great Tit
6 Blackbirds
32 Starling
10 collared Dove
2 Dunnock
1 Robin
1 Wren
6 Chaffinch
11 House sparrow
7 Magpie
1 Mistle Thrush
2 Rook
7 Jackdaw
1 Carrion Crow
10 Lapwing high s/w
3 Common Gull high s/w
2 BH Gull High s/w

Happy New Year

A Grey and damp start to the year and not much about as i went to pick the car up from the Shoulder of mutton car park.
50+ House Sparrow
1 Common Gull
1 BH Gull
100 Starling
27 magpie
2 Mipits
4 Goldfinch
1 Grey Wag

What a load of Rubbish

Thankfully its nearly over just one more night out tonight and then thats it.This is the pile of waste that Christmas producers .Looking forward to the new year and getting some new boots,these boots are well pasy there sell by date.

Dusk on Boxing Day

Managed a very small walk,
3 Snipe
2 Mipit
12 Woodpigs
4 Golfinch
1 Tawny Owl calling in the distance.
3 Herring Gull s/w
10 Common gull blogging

Peace and Goodwill to the Humpback

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/oceans/whaling/great-whale-trail/make-the-call-for-whales

Hope u all have a jolly X- Mas

December(early)

There always seems to be a bit of meadow Pipit movement at this time of year as i usually get a small flock of about 20 by the end of December.The first influx started today with 5 birds in the front field,also 5 goldfinch,22 Magpie,11 BH Gull ,4 Common Gull,2 Snipe,2 Cormorant west and 6 herring Gull.

Northowram BTO Atlas square 2

Very Dull indeed,
6 Mistle Thrush
2 Sprwk(male and female)
2 Kestrel
1 Great spot Woodpecker
15 House Sparrow
2Goldcrest
40 redwing
2 Fieldfare
20 Chaffinch
10 Greenfinch
Robins ,Wren ,B Tit,G Tit and Dunnocks.

Northowram BTO atlas

Started off with 40 + House Sparrow and 2 Jays in Back garden.Then added 2 Meadow pipit,1 skylark,4 Snipe and 10 Goldfinch in front field,Into the woods produced 2 GS Woodpeckers,6 Bullfinch,10 Redwing,11 LTTits bird of the day 1 Nuthatch and a Grey Wag by the stream.i checked all the hedges and old buildings but no Tree Sparrows,maybe in the next square.

Not such a Grey Day

Thick fog all day today and about time i did my local walk around Only House Wood.35 House Sparrows,18 Magpie,11 Goldfinch,1 Grey wagtail,2 Pied Wagtail,10 Snipe(a record),1 Skylark,1 female Sparrowhawk,2 Cole Tit and 2 Little Owl.

Red Admiral

A Red admiral in the garden on the 6th of November was the 23rd consecutive month in which i have see a butterfly species.This is a certain sign that its getting warmer.

Sparrowhawk kills Feral pigeon

Female sparwk took Feral pigeon off next doors roof and tumbled into field right outside the house.great stuff.i am sure the increase in sprkws is due to the increase in Collared doves and feral pigeons.?

Blast From the Past

December 1992 at willingham Woods North Lincs a White Throated Sparrow and a male Smew at Covenham res .

Slavonian Grebe ,Lincs

Covenham area Linconshire

Calm weather conditions for November and no rain ?
1 Slavonian Grebe
127 Cormorant
1 Little Egret
1 Marsh harrier
1 Merlin
1 Peregrine
36 Whooper swans South(20 + 12+ 4)
133 Pinkfeet South (60 + 70 + 3 )
150 + Tree Sparrow
2000 Golden plover
500 lapwing
30 Great Crested Grebe
40 Little Grebe
22 Goldeneye
5 Pochard
18 Yellowhammer
200 + Linnet
50 skylark
9 Meadow Pipit
20 Redshank
18 Snipe
2 Turnstone
2 Stonechat
5 widgeon
60 + Blackbird
500 + Fieldfare
400 + Redwing
More than your average year in Calderdale in one day.xxx