Saturday 31 August 2019

Green withens Twite

Me and the bear aka Jessie got there for 7 am.
Lots of meadow pipits in total approx 100 maybe more as they like the bracken. Wren and reed bunting calling, 2 wheatears along the dam plus lots of twite around 70 in two groups
They like the thistles along the track plus bracken and they like to settle on the wire fence. Nice to see  such large numbers.
A kestrel and a couple pied wagtails rounded off a nice walk

Saturday 17 August 2019

A good mornings birding

Arrived at 07:50 it looked good sw wind and heavy cloud on the Pennine ridge. Nothing in the valley . First bird seen was a meadow pipit along the track/drain, more mpipits by the boathouse plus 28 twite, this is proberly the only flock in Calderdale...cool no sign of colour rings on them.
A distant bird flying sw in the low mist proved to be a buzzard. The rest of walk was livened up by 3 swallows going west. A skylark was by the track and more mpipits at the rear of the depot along with a wheatear


Sunday 11 August 2019

Green withens by accident Saturday

We'll off we went in the camper van, as we got to junction 22 it made a funny noise so parked up where I usually park the weather was shite
Whilst the wife phoned the RAC, I put the kettle on got out the bins and watched a lull in the weather saw 2 wheatears head sw towards rockingstones. I headed up the depot track 3 goldfinch feeding on thistles they brighten up a dull wet day then what happened next was really amazing a dozen swallows flew up the valley struggling in the wind and rain 2 nearly hit me, I heard a crow looked round a HOBBY going full pelt chasing the swallows!! Amazing
Eventually we were back on the road and soon got to Pilling where the weather was not much better! I was chatting about the hobby and how you just have to be in the right place at the right time.

How on earth we put this up is beyond me 

Sunday 4 August 2019

Up the with

Great birding this morning 

Arrived at around 07:20 

As soon as parked up the van I could see loads of meadow pipits darting about around 30, this looks good.
The small valley by the parking spot had a juv willow warbler juv blue tit (scarce up here) I hears the tack of a blackcap but never saw it, 3 swallows flew south a adult grey heron flew low down east
After a good while I set off the the res 
The track held more meadow pipits and a couple of pied wags, a bird calling overhead got my attention a faint "tsst" yellow wagtail get in ! Second record , eventually it doubled back and landed in the drain. It was very flighty saw it few more times but always briefly 
Cormorant went east high up 
More meadow pipits around the dam walls along with 3 wheatears on the dam fence and 4 twite on the overflow bridge 
6 swallows went south and 2 ravens went north

A good mornings birding