Soil Hill; Isolation week 13

Soil Hill has been slightly livelier this week than the last few weeks, cooler conditions followed by baking hot conditions with a dash of rain have helped boost the average species list for a daily visit to above forty on a number of occasions. Highlights are still thin on the ground but there were a few standouts from the week.

On the 20^th a Chiffchaff could be heard singing from Ogden plantation. While not actually on the Hill it could be heard from the Ned Hill Track and so it my second site recording of the year. On the same date I recorded the first Siskins of the week. However they featured more towards the end of the week, when I recorded singles on both the 25^th and 26^th followed 05.30 starts to try and cash in on the insane finch migration happening on the East Coast. Sadly, these two Siskins were all I have to show for my effort. On the subject of finches, a Lesser Redpoll flew over Taylor Lane during the morning of the 22^nd calling loudly and giving the full call. I had suspected a Redpoll was lingering around Soil Hill after hearing a bird twice, but only ever seeing it flying over at altitude. This time the bird was much lower in height and was giving a full rendition of its flight call. Also on the finch front, a single Bullfinch was at the bottom of the north slope, also on the 22^nd with a pair present in the same location the following day. On the 23^rd a new Blackcap took up territory half way down the North Slope Treeline, but sadly it had moved on by the 26^th. At least four of the six Stonechat fledglings were still going strong, feeding together at the bottom of the North Slope on the 25^th and 26^th. And finally a Common Buzzard flew over on the 22^nd.

The standout bird of the week was a cracking juvenile Great-spotted Woodpecker that came bombing over the North Slope on the 25^th. I managed to grab some flight shots, the first time I have seen on actually in Soil Hill airspace and the second time I have seen one from the site. Then, on the 26^th I found presumably the same bird in the North Slope Tree Line, calling loudly but occasionally showing. This brings my Soil Hill yearlist up to 92.

There was also a female Emperor Dragonfly during the week, my third Dragonfly species on site this year.

On the 21^st I headed out to Withens Clough Reservoir following a reported Red-necked Phalarope. Alas the bird could not be found, with suspicions the report may have involved a juvenile Black-headed Gull, which I also did not see. A few Stonechat and Little Ringed Plover were the best birds of the afternoon. On the way back I called off at Fly Flatts where there was two pairs of Tufted Ducks and a Ringed Plover to enjoy. And on the 26^th I visited Whiteholme Reservoir following a scattering of wader reports from inland sites. The best I could manage in this unseasonable time was a pair of Dunlin and a Ringed Plover. But it was very pleasant birding all the same. 

-Great-spotted Woodpecker

-Emperor Dragonfly

-Volucella bombylans

Species List:
Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard, Red-legged Partridge, Common Pheasant, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Grey Heron, Common Buzzard, Little Owl, Long-eared Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, European Stonechat, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin, Common Reed Bunting, European Rabbit, European Red Fox, Western Roe Deer, Emperor Dragonfly, Azure Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Common Blue,

Fly Flatts: Canada Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Common Ringed Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Common Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Kestrel, Meadow Pipit, Common Reed Bunting,
Whiteholme Reservoir: Canada Goose, Mallard, Common Swift, European Golden Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Skylark, Northern Wheatear, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Reed Bunting, Black-tailed Skimmer, Emperor Dragonfly, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Small White, Large Skipper, 
Withens Clough Reservoir: Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Common Swift, Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Barn Swallow, Willow Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Mistle Thrush, European Stonechat, White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting,