Soil Hill; Isolation week 15

Another week passes, and another week with mixed to poor weather. As usual I visited a few sites across Calderdale with a few nice species and a few outstanding highlights.

On the 6^th July my visit to Soil Hill turned up probably the find of the year when I stumbled across a male Red-veined Darter at the bottom of the North Slope. As soon as I saw the insect fly past me alarm bells started ringing, and as it landed, I knew I had an extremely rare insect on my hands, the first for Calderdale. In dull conditions it was extremely docile allowing suitable photo documentation. When I left it was still sat in the vegetation, but AC when looked later it could not be found. A real turn up for the books and the highlight of what has been an exceptional spring.

Also on the 6^th there was some bird action as well when 2 Crossbills flew west across the Hill, as well as two Siskins. On the 7^th there was probably the bird highlight of the week with a cracking Grasshopper Warbler loudly reeling and occasionally showing on the North Slope. Presumably this bird was the individual singing on the 10^th. Otherwise the birdlife on the Hill remained largely consistent, with a few Stonechats and Sand Martins the best of the rest during the week. Bullfinches were also on the around on the 9^th and 10^th of the week. During the week Black-headed Gull numbers increased rapidly, and on the 10^th the first Common Gulls returned over the Hill.

Just a single visit to Whiteholme this week, on the 7^th, due to the recent rainfall having devoured the shoreline that looked so promising for migrant waders. A couple of Wheatear were the best that I could muster here. On the same day I made a quick stop at Ogden to see the juvenile Dipper that has been reported recently. It showed quite nicely in the gloom of the woods, but the supporting cast was fairly limited to common woodland species.

On the 8^th I did a bit of a tour around SE Halifax, starting at Cromwell Bottom for Reed Warbler, where I also had Kingfisher and a nice party of Goosander. There was also my first Common Gull of the Autumn. I followed this up with my first visit to Jay House Lane to see the Tree Sparrows, a few of which were on show, and finally a quick stop in Shibden Park to Calderdale year-tick Coot.

-Red-veined Darter

-Dipper

-Grasshopper Warbler

Species List:

Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard, Red-legged Partridge, Common Pheasant, Feral Dove, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Common Snipe, Eurasian Curlew, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, European Herring Gull, Little Owl, European Green Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Common Blackbird, European Robin, European Stonechat, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, European Greenfinch, Red Crossbill, Common Linnet, Eurasian Siskin, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, 

Whiteholme Reservoir: Canada Goose, Common Swift, Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Eurasian Wren, Northern Wheatear, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit,

Ogden Water LNR: Canada Goose, Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian Magpie, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Barn Swallow, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Treecreeper, Eurasian Wren, White-throated Dipper, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, Grey Wagtail, Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin,

Cromwell Bottom NR: Mute Swan, Mallard, Common Merganser, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Grey Heron, Common Kingfisher, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Eurasian Blackcap, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Treecreeper, Eurasian Wren, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, Grey Wagtail, Eurasian Bullfinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin, Common Reed Bunting, Western Grey Squirrel, Bank Vole,

Jay House Lane: Common Wood Pigeon, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Owl, Eurasian Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Barn Swallow, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Common Blackbird, House Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, European Goldfinch,

Shibden Park: Mute Swan, Mallard, Feral Pigeon, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Coot, Black-headed Gull, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap, Eurasian Wren, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Eurasian Bullfinch, Eurasian Siskin,