Thailand..2024

 

A family holiday at a friends house in Railay Beach , Not much birding done and the highlights around the House on the morning walk there  were singing Gibbons , Dusky Lagunas , Dark Thighed Falconet , Crested Goshawk , White Collared Kingfisher , Blue -eared and Red -throated Barbet , Pied Hornbill in small flocks of around 6 birds, Green billed Malkoha , House Swift , Asian Palm Swift , Pied Imperial Pigeon a small flock of 4 one morning was a real treat , singing Spotted Doves , Peaceful Pigeon , Pale Capped Pigeon was also unexpected , Whimbrel , Curlew ,Common Sandpiper ,  Brown Flycatcher and Artic Warbler in the garden..Good numbers of Pacific Reef Egret patrolled the shorelines,  Brahminy Kite and White Bellied Sea Eagle (magnificent),Osprey , Peregrine Falcon , Shirka ,were all pretty common . Large Billed Crows , Common Iora , Blue Rock Thrush ,Blue Whistling Thrush , Brown Flycatcher and Artic Warbler in the garden most days . Common Myna .The skies and cliffs were full of swallows mainly Pacific Swallows with young birds seen leaving the nest , Red - rumped Swallow and Straited Swallows the latter of the badia brick red form. Stripe-throated , Yellow Vented and Grey Eyed Bulbul , Common and Dark-necked Tailorbird , Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker , Brown throated and Olive backed Sunbird and Little Spiderhunter. Grey Wag ,  Tree Sparrow  and Plain Backed Sparrow .Apox 10,000 Fruit Bats flew over every night to feed in nearby forest.

   A couple of hours birding at Phatthalung saw , Pied Harrier , Easter Marsh Harrier , Blue Tailed Bee Eater , Painted Stork , Lesser Whistling Duck , Cotton Pygmy Goose , Oriental Pratincole , Bronze -Winged Jacana , Asian Open billed Stork , Little Cormorant , Little Grebe , White -throated and Common Kingfisher , Greater Coucal , Brown Backed Needle tail , Purple Swamphen , White breasted Water hen and Black Headed Munia

   

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

Weekend................

 

Waxwings

Stopped at the JET garage in Gainsborough for some petrol...I know that call...20  Waxwings.....nice one
 

Short toed Snake Eagle

 Without doubt the best bird to be seen in Calderdale .....Short toed Snake Eagle , 29th April 2022 pity no local birders saw it................

London by train for the Day

                                                             Blue Whale

                                                                  Lion

 Carion Crow , Ring necked Parakeet , Magpie , Feral Pigeon and Herring Gull.......

National History Museum

 

Waxwings

 Thanks DJS for finally pinning down some Halifax Waxwings , with 15 on St Albans Road by the Hospital on Friday , this one was one of the 25 in Todmorden taken by Bri Leesey..

A good move of Pink footed Geese on Saturday , all heading west,,,

200 +  at 10.42

100 + at 10.44

175 + at 12.57

57 at 13.41

31 at 14.41

563 apox.....

VADU

Just found this one from the  spring......................
 

The sweet smell of Otter poo.....!!!!!

First time ive seen Otter poo in Calderdale..and it does smell ok..a bit like damp hay...who knew...!!!Cheers Andy M...now where is that White clawed Crayfish,,,,,,

                                                                      Lepista soridida

November /Pine Marten

 The Great Northern Diver at Ringstone was the first decent bird locally for a while.(nice one PD and LD) ..A couple of Hen Harrier sightings from Lower Gorple and a Woodcock flew over the garden on Saturday morning .The odd flock of Pink footed Geese east..A half decent move of Woodpigeon totalled only 6,600 birds. 

   Hen Harrier , Peregrine , 2 Barn Owls , 3 Woodcock , Kestrel , Greylags , Mallard , Common Gull and BH Gulls at Lower Gorple...

This photo of a Pine Marten was taken in Calderdale in August /September time ...Brilliant

Dusky Warbler

 Dusky Warbler at Hartendale today Flambrough , 3 Swallows , 1 Woodcock , 1 Brambling, Chiffchaff , Tree Sparrow , Yellowhammer ,Sparrowhawk really awful weather but good to be out....