Soil Hill & Whiteholme; Week 10th - 16th May

Soil Hill
Soil Hill was fairly quiet and uneventful this week, with very few new migrants arriving and no notable passage species. The resident breeding birds continued strongly, so that there was always plenty of activity even if there was little change in the species composition. Wheatears peaked at 7 on the 11th and that was the migrant highlight of the week, with the only other notables being a female Blackcap on the 11th and a brief Sedge Warbler on the 10th. The Tufted Duck pair remained in residence on and off throughout the week on the NK pond. Passage birds were limited to a scattering of Siskin, a single Lesser Redpoll on the 10th and a Grey Wagtail on the 11th.

Oats Royd
I also made a breif visit to Oats Royd on the 12th to look for a Garden Warbler that had been present for a few days. Once I was in the right location it was easy to hear the bird but more tricky to actually see it. However it showed on occasions, and I was able to get a few pictures as well as listen in detail to its song. This is a Calderdale tick for me, hence the visit. 

-Garden Warbler

Whiteholme Reservoir

Where Soil Hill was quiet, Whiteholme continued to be lively with notable sightings on nearly every visit. The Dunlin and Ringed Plover contingent continued to be in reasonable numbers, although the former dropped off towards the end of the week. The excitment of the week started on the 10th when a Whimbrel arrived late afternoon and promptly fell asleep on the reservoirs center structure. The following day it had moved on, and the shoreline was quiet overall. However a very smart male White Wagtail in the NW corner of the reservoir livened up proceedings, this being the first time I have found a male of this race in Calderdale. Following on the 13th was again lively with a Marsh Harrier U-turning over Blackstone Edge, but frustratingly looking into the early morning sun. The Pink-footed Goose that had been present on Sunday also reappeared, but just flying over on this occasion, calling loudly as it did so. Rounding off the day was a smart pair of teal that were in the ditch along Blackstone Edge. On the 14th there was limited activity until the end of my visit when I flushed a Twite from the footpath adjacent to the car park. It was colour ringed but frustratingly flighty and so I was unable to observe the full combination. The week then rounded off with a Cuckoo along the barbed wire fence in the SW corner of the reservoir, and a flyby Mute Swan on the 16th. Another exceptional week for this site and I can't wait to see what next week brings. 

-Cuckoo

-Marsh Harrier

-White Wagtail

-Whimbrel

Species List:

Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Red-legged Partridge, Common Pheasant, Grey Partridge, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, Lesser Black-backed Gull, European Herring Gull, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, Eurasian Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting,

Oats Royd: Common Pheasant, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, Meadow Pipit, Eurasian Bullfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin,

Whiteholme Reservoir: Pink-footed Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard, Eurasian Teal, Tufted Duck, Red Grouse, Eurasian Oystercatcher, European Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing, Common Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Northern Raven, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Eurasian Wren, Northern Wheatear, White Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Linnet, Twite,