A day without work and fog on the tops meant an opportunity to cruise around a few different sites around Halifax picking up different birds that I normally don't see on Soil Hill. In total I clocked 75 different species from my travels today, which is pretty good, and had I tried harder it could easily have been more.
Cromwell Bottom
A warbler fest this morning with singles of Garden Warbler and Reed Warbler singing, plus seven Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff and 2 Willow Warbler.
Over the Ski lake there were my first Swift of the year, with two blogging high up. Additionally, there were good numbers of Hirundines present.
Perhaps the biggest surprise was a female Brambling that flew past calling, giving excellent views of the birds white rump.
Whiteholme Reservoir
A late morning visit to the reservoir, in the hope of finding a Dunlin or Ringed Plover, but the only wading birds present were two Common Sandpiper.
Whilst watching I heard the distinctive three-note call of a Greenshank over the moor towards Warland. Despite scanning desperately I could not pick the bird up. It called around 6/7 times in total, eventually getting fainter as it appeared to move north. I tried to record the sound using the Merlin App and despite the windy conditions, you can make out the sound of the bird on a few occasions.
Additionally, the sites Grasshopper Warbler has returned and was reeling from the tree below the dam wall.
Hardcastle Craggs
A very pleasant afternoon in the Craggs for a couple of hours produced seven Pied Flycatchers; six males and a single female. Otherwise just common woodland species.
