Some 2010 Queensbury Highlights

Several skeins of PF Geese over

Seperate visits of male and female Wigeon at Ogden

Good passage of Wheatear.

Here are just a few of the 2010 highlights reported over the last 12 months :-

Buzzard
Pink Footed Geese
Brambling
Woodcock
Peregrine
Nuthatch
Waxwing
Cormorant
Pintail
Raven
Snow Bunting
Crossbill
Twite
Osprey
Tree Sparrow
Redshank
Bar Tailed Godwit
Little Ringed Plover
Ring Ouzel
Grasshopper Warbler
White Stork
Marsh Harrier, cream crown
Ringed Plover
Spotted Flycatcher
Tree Pipit
Red Kite
Black Redstart
Little Grebe
Goshawk
Greenland Wheatear
Arctic Tern
Common Tern
Gannet,  yes you read it right, GANNET !!
Hobby
Wigeon
Pochard
Hen Harrier, ring tail.
Grey Plover
Shag
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Short Eared Owl
Mediterranean Gull
plus many many more.

To anyone who knows and birds this area will understand what an impressive list we have achieved for such a small area with only one reservoir and no river. Many thanks to regular contributers, NK. DJS and Jen. CK. DCB. HC. Denise S. Halifax Birdwatchers and
B.O.G. members, not forgetting members of the public who pass on a great deal of sightings throughout the year.
A full list of 2010 highlights with areas and credits will appear on Nigels Queensburybirders website as soon as Ive worked out how to do it.

Thanks again for all your efforts and I wish you a very HAPPY NEW YEAR and a bird filled 2011.
All the best, Bri.

Some sunsets from 2010

Soil Hill

Foxhill

Foxhill

Foxhill.
BS

Gulls and Tit flocks

Black Headed gulls heading North

A slightly better day with longer periods of clear skies though the fog hung about all the day. Temperatures were well up with 7 degrees in the garage.
Several tit flocks were moving through the village today with groups of up to 9 Blue Tits and odd Coal Tits showing in various gardens on the way to work.
One flock was on waste land by the side of the garage around a wild rose hip shrub with 5 Blue Tit, 2 Coal Tit a Wren, 2 Dunnocks and a Blackbird. I think they must be finding food covered by snow for so long.
During the clear patches gulls dominated the sky with several groups of 20+ high up and heading >N.
A scattering of big gulls went over but these were mainly LBBs with one or two Herring gulls in amongst, all were heading >NW.
A Tawny Owl flew across the main Halifax / Shelf road this evening and went behind the filling station near Shelf roundabout.
BS

More fog for the village

Another day of thick fog sticking around most of the day with only limited periods of it lifting slightly before rolling in again.
It didnt affect me too much being back at work but its depressing when you can,t see the sky.
Some interesting reports today from Roy, the Oats Royd warden, of Tawny Owl showing well down there and also 2 Little Owl near to the owners house. Whether or not these two are the birds from the bottom field forced up because of the weather or differant birds remains to be seen but as DJS remarked the other day, its good to see Little Owl about after the long run of severe weather.
Also Roy reported a variety of birds down in the old railway station including, Fieldfare, Redwing, Green Woodpecker , Woodcock and several Grey Partridge.
He also commented that he had not had any more Buzzard sightings since well before the bad weather of the 2 birds seen regular at an undisclosed sight and the birds were quite probably movers.
BS

At the risk of getting boring, more gulls

1st winter Black Headed

Twins

1st winter BH with a problem on its lore.

A non birding day today due to thick fog and freezing rain this morning, the fog then persisted all day, even lower down was murky and grey.
A nice flock of 18 Waxwings flew over Pellon Lane this pm heading for the bottom end of Hopwood Lane as we were on our way to Asda which stopped it being a birdless day for me other than the gulls, house sparrows and starlings feeding through the fog.
The gull photos are more of yesterdays batch, just something to look at till the fog clears which they say could be Friday, at least its thawing well.
Back to work tomorrow for 3 days then a long weekend to get the new year list cracking. I think my local area list is at 120 this year and in this weather its where it will stay.
BS

More Gulls

2nd winter Black Headed. Adult plumage on wings and
body with red legs and bill but lacking white tips on primaries.

1st winter B.H. with juv markings on wings, yellow legs and
bill and incomplete black headbands.

2nd winter B.H. with faint headbands no white tips
on primaries

1st winter B.H.

A quick look at Soil Hill proved fruitless with now heavy rain and fog closing in so shot back down to Wibsey to try get some more gull photos. Unfortunately it was damp and misty there with limited Black Headed and no Commons.
Last day off tomorrow so hoping we dont get the snow thats promised.
BS

A snowy Ogden

1st winter BH Gull

Adult BH Gull

1st winter BH Gull

Hungry Magpie

A dark miserable morning with drizzle to start then turning to snow forcing an early finish whilst I could still get back up the hill to Queensbury.
The water hole was near deserted with just 18 BH and 5 Common plus 8 Mallard, most of the Mallard were in the feeding area.
A bag full of left over sausage rolls and mince pies failed to tempt the gulls but the corvids had a good feast and a few gulls were hovering round as I left. No sign of the Med gull today but with limited water it could have been forced on.
The 2 pair of Bullfinch were in the same area with Lt tits but no Siskin or Redpoll. Goldcrests were dotted about in the conifers but only 5 were counted.
Looking out now the snow is looking serious with flakes as big as half crowns coming down. Bet most of you dont remember half crowns!
BS

The Diving Common Gull

Looks cold but here goes

Belly Flop

Phew, surfaced

I,m not doing that again.

Strange behavior from a late 1st winter Common Gull.
BS

Pics from Wibsey

Striding over Coots

A bit of a Barnie ?

Feeding Time

Tree full of Collared Doves.
See report below.
BS

Bank Top Country Park

Moorhens

My first Coot of the year

Plenty small gulls

Frozen reed beds, awaiting a Bittern

Went across to the east of the area hoping for Water Rail or even Bittern but not to be. All the water was frozen solid and the reed beds deserted apart from Coot and Moorhen. An active flock of 17 Siskin were flying around the Alders and several Chaffinch and Greenfinch were in the trees. Called at Wibsey park to try get some gull photos, some of which I,ll put on later. Most of the lake there was frozen but the place was alive with Coot which you virtually had to walk around, very tame Moorhens, Canadas, 1 hybrid Barnacle, and several small gulls. A tree just inside the park gates held 32 Collared Doves.
BS

Boxing Day Bash, Ogden

Everyones favourite, Bullfinch, except gardeners.

Bullfinch and Long Tailed Tit

The only water hole

Gulls in the early sun

A cold crisp morning with early dense fog patches low down luckily clearing from Ogden early on.
Only one small water hole remaining surrounded by Mallard and gulls and several gulls scattered about on the ice including the Med gull.
The Med gull was standing on one leg making me wonder if it was the Tabor bird but several of the other gulls were doing the same probably due to the ice.
All the passerine birds were on the western side of the res in and around the Alders, at one point getting Redpoll, Siskin, Bullfinch and Long Tailed Tits in one tree. Goldcrest numbers are also increasing but this group was very mobile moving through the conifers and eventually going deeper into the plantation.
Got away early before all the Boxing Day once a year walkers in their designer gear arrived.
BS

Dailie Fields

Dailie fields from Carter Lane

Fox getting pestered

Harp Lane to Foxhill school

Got away from work late afternoon Christmas eve so had a quick check on the Dailies then up Harp Lane to Foxhill and home.
The Dailies were alive with Fieldfare and Redwing in the Hawthorns and 2 Green Woodpeckers were moving bush to bush.
I could see a commotion down in the bottoms with Magpies and Corvids then saw the Fox which started to get heavily mobbed before retreating into thick undergrowth.
Harp Lane held 4 Blackbird, 1 Little Owl and several Blue tits again in Hawthorns.
BS