Swifts moving through.

First young fledged crows out at Foxhill

                                Parents close by.

As usual the weather took up for Monday leaving a bright clear day with a fresh E>4.
Hoped to get to Fly Flatts this evening to find DJSs Ring Ouzels but her indoors had other plans and we ended up at Tesco.
When we got back the sky was perfect for movers with bright sun to the west and dark sky to the east so 30 minutes of  eastward sky watching, as expected, proved fruitful.
Swallows moved through and Swifts headed in the same direction of >NE along with LBBs and several Woodpigeons.

c 40 Swallows
7 SWIFT
38 Woodpigeons
16 LBB gulls
2 Curlew
4 Alba Wagtails
All were moving >NE.
BS

Elland Gravel Pits

                                                        Picture Postcard

                                 Plenty Pied, no Yellow.

                                      Male Goosander

                                   Tranquil scene.

A horrendous afternoon but easing slightly by the time I was clear for birding so my aim was Fly Flatts for Terns, that was until the fog came down.
Nothing else for it but to head for the lowlands and EGP which was below the cloud base but the rain was coming down in stair rods. It did however ease enough for me to have a look around before the drizzle and mist came in.
Again no Terns but hundreds of Hirundines, 75% Swallows, the rest House Martins with at least 4 Sand Martins amongst them. Up to 8 Pied Wagtails were on the grass by the ski lake but no sign of yesterdays Yellow.
The flooded feeders had 2 pr Bullfinch and a single Lesser Redpoll though very mobile in the heavy rain.
At least I rescued todays birding and its back to work tomorrow with a forecast of sunshine and 18 deg.
1 Lesser Redpoll
4 Sand Martin
Loadsa Swallows and House Martins
8 Pied Wagtails
1m Goosander
2pr Bullfinch
2 Mute Swan
2 Coot
2 Blackcap
+ usual sp.
BS

Ogden and more rain.

                                    The resident Heron

                  Getting desperate for something to take.

                                                 Willow Warbler

Fly Flatts 0715hrs, unworkable in the gale force wind and rain, seed down then off to Ogden.
Ogden, Strong ENE>5 rain getting heavier as morning went on, sleet and snow thrown in.

As expected a poor morning in the conditions with just a single male Goosander on the water. Ideal for moving Terns but the nearest I got was 1 BH Gull skimming low over the water which made me panic for a minute.
A few Chiffchaffs and Willow Warbers were singing from the shelter of the branches and the first Whitethroat  was singing near the northern end but kept low in the foliage only giving quick views so no pics.
A lady walking round had just seen 2 Kingfishers but I was unable to relocate them.
1 Heron
3 Willow Warblers
2 Chiffchaff
1 Whitethroat
1 BH gull >N
1 Curlew >W
1m Goosander
+ usual sp.
BS

Soil Hill

                                   One for Tracy, Roe Deer.

                           The only Wheatear remaining on Soil Hill.

                                             Pied Wagtails look like breeding

Soil Hill   1700-1900hrs. Sunshine and showers, Strong ENE >6

A full search of Soil Hill, top to bottom, end to end to do a Wheatear count found that  all had moved on apart from 1 male on the western slope. Pied Wagtails look ready for breeding and Skylark numbers are building. No sign of movement in the sky but had 4 seperate Sparrowhawks over the garage this a.m. between 0800 and 1100hrs all very high and >N.
Forecast looks grim for tomorrow !

2 Curlew
1m Wheatear
7 Linnet
9 Skylark
c30 Meadow Pipits
2 Canadas,  NK pond
6 Mallard
2 Grey Partridge
1 Pheasant
1 Lapwing.

WATCH OUT FOR COMMON TERNS, Daniel had 2 at Yeadon Tarn today, see Cullingworth Birder.
BS

Shelf Moor/ Soil Hill west.

A fine decent day with good moving skies, or that was until after tea when I got a spare hour during which time it poured down.
A scout around Shelf Moor found no Wheatears so on to the west side of Soil Hill by the Ned Hill track.
7 Wheatears were showing but very flighty and shy, typical of new in moving birds, and strangely all males.
A couple of Pied Wagtails were present along with a cock pheasant whilst 2 Swallows went through the coll >N.
BS.

Soil Hill Wheatear

A report today from Dave Pinder who visited Soil Hill midday said Wheatears were plentiful with about a dozen counted on the wall down the track at the NE corner. I hope they hang about for Nigel or the air will be blue.
This evening on the way to Illingworth Morrisons several LBB gulls were moving over Bradshaw all>NW in the pouring rain whilst 2 Common gulls flew over Illingworth >N.
Nice to hear of a local Swift back today, AC, Calderbirds, I bet after todays rain it wished it hadnt bothered.
An ideal day for Terns coming through but no reports locally as yet.
BS

Photos from a blog watcher

                                             Tufted Duck

                                         Ogden Tawny Owl.

Here are a couple of photos taken and kindly sent to me by Ken Jarvis who watches my blog and is rekindling his interest in birding and photography.
Ken watches local areas Ogden and Soil Hill. Thanks for that Ken, keep them coming.
BS

More Wheatears

You,ll have to excuse more Wheatear photos but with a foggy start this morning, heavy rain throughout the day and a foggy evening it was this or nothing. Hopefully the east wind will have blown something in when the weather clears.
Why does Google keep altering the blog ?
BS

Shelf Moor Wheatears

A tour of Shelf Moor fields this evening inspired by Tracys report yesterday produced 13 female and 2 male Wheatears.
Possibly the males move on to moorland territory first followed by the females.

Tracys field...................................4f  1m Wheatear
                                                     2 Pied Wagtail
                                                     4 Meadow Pipit
Hawthorn field...............................3f  1m Wheatear
                                                     8 Woodpigeon
                                                     1 Lapwing
                                                     2 Mistle Thrush
Gorse field.....................................2f Wheatear
                                                     c 50 Starlings
Shelf Moor pond ,field above........4f Wheatear
                                                      6 Canadas.
BS.

Queensbury Today

More rain and fog today with nothing to report other than the birth of the 2nd Grandaughter to daughter Rachel, a sister for Lucy.   2-1 to me Dave, your move next.

                                                  Amelia Rose. 14hrs old.

                                                 Lucy and Amelia.
BS

Shelf Moor Wheatears

 This cracking Queensbury Roe Deer photograph was sent in by Tracy.

Tracy also reported checking the Wheatear field and finding birds still present as well as Wheatears in the Hawthorn field. Well found again Tracy, you,ve put Shelf Moor on the Wheatear map, somewhere to watch this autumn..
BS

Cold Edge Dams

                                          Pheasants everywhere

                                                  Reed Bunting on territory

                                                        Common Sandpiper

                                  Redshank and Curlew on the water edge.

Cold Edge Dams  1630-1815hrs.  Sunshine and showers.
A pleasant calm evening apart from a shower or two but enough birds to keep your mind off it.
Disappointingly no Wheatear and a check of all the old Stonechat areas proved fruitless.

28 Canadas
1 Greylag
2 Moorhen
1 Little Grebe
11 Pheasants
1m Reed Bunting
1 Redshank
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Oystercatchers
+ usual Curlew, Grouse, Lapwings and Mallard.
BS

Rain, Hail, Sleet and Snow, Welcome to Fly Flatts.

                                      Mipits now carrying nest material

                                              Good number of Curlew this year

                Not a common sight, Red Legged Partridge

Fly Flatts  0645-1000hrs. Early snow turning to sleet then torrential hail and rain showers clearing by 0930hrs. Calm at first then WNW>4.

A real horrendous start to the morning with shower after shower piling over from the west with the reservoir right up to the tops of the banking now.
Had to dip on any early moving Common Terns although conditions were ideal. Very little about with no Twite or Wheatear  but Oystercatchers, Redshank and Common Sandpiper were on the east shore .
Nice to get Red Legged Partridge which are getting rarer in the area since birds are no longer released at TMR.

2 Red Legged Partridge
3 Oystercatchers
2 Redshank
2 Common Sandpiper
1 Greylag goose
Usual Mips, Curlews, Canadas etc.
BS

Ogden after tea.

                                          LBB gulls on the move all day

                                    Greylags moving >N

Ogden  1700- 1845hrs. Bright, W>5 Drizzle appearing from west by 1830hrs.

LBB gulls have been trickling over all day so thought it was worth a visit to Ogden early p.m. to see if anything had dropped in.
Pleasing and unusual to find 2 LBBs on the water and 2 more over >N and 2 lots of Greylags over reasonably high and >N.
The m Goldeneye was still on the water but could,nt locate the female but most likely it would still be present.
The usual Mallards were there as well as 9 Canadas and a single Jay flew across the water. A few Willow Warbs and Chiffchaffs were briefly seen but not singing due to the lateness in the day.
Heres hoping the showers hold off in the morning as Ive to go find a Common Tern for DJS !

9 Greylag Goose..............................>N
4 LBB gulls.....................................2 blogging,  2 >N
1 Jay
12 Canadas
2Curlew
1m Goldeneye
2 Willow Warblers
4 Chiffchaff
+ usual sp.
BS