At the close of this week we have managed to see no less than 72 different species on Soil Hill during August. To make that fact even more bonkers is that 66 of those have been seen in just the last week with some excellent local species turning up with ample common migrants. Once the heatwave had moved on the birding became more vulnerable to windy conditions but fortunately this only really affected us on one day so we were still able to make the most out of our time on the Hill.
It was also a huge bonus that my replacement camera arrived on
the 18th, which means I can now hopefully get more photos of any
potential rarities that turn up during the autumn. It has been a success so
far, although I am already finding a few limitations that will need some
getting used to.
The last day of the heatwave was the 15th, and it was also the day with the best bird of the week. At the bottom of the North Slope, Lia was recording a ‘tacking’ Grasshopper Warbler when I heard a distinct but distant call that was almost certainly a Green Sandpiper. I gestured to Lia to move her microphone to record this new call. The bird was clearly approaching but it took us some time to pick it up as it was flying at some height and moving fast. Once we did though we could clearly see the contrasting upper and lower halves of the bird, as well as the white rump. It quickly made its way down the valley and was soon lost behind the Hill, on its way towards Halifax. This is only my second record here after the bird on the 1st August 2020!
- On the 16th the good birding continued. At 08:45 from
the bottom of the North Slope, we spotted a raptor circling distantly over
Denholme which gave the impression of soaring with its wings at a distinct
angle, indicating Marsh Harrier. As the bird flew south, coming closer, it
became clear that we were right, and the bird was a juvenile Marsh Harrier. It eventually
circled over us a couple of times before flying off towards Bradford. This is
only my fourth observation of this species here on Soil Hill, and more than two
years since the last!
- The final standout of the week was on the morning of the 21st
as Lia and I were walking up Taylor Lane. At around 06:35 there was the distinctive
call of Dunlin overhead, and we looked up to see four flying SW towards
Halifax. Lia tried to audio-record them and I tried to photograph them, but we
both failed; Lia because they didn’t call again, and me because I had butchered
my settings the previous day. Needless to say, frustrated wouldn’t quite cut
it, but sometimes these things happen. Of course, it is difficult to confirm
that all four birds were Dunlin based on just the single call, but they
appeared uniform in size and structure.
Once again there was a healthy number of migrants passing through
during the week. The weather was more hit and miss than during the previous week once the heatwave had subsided, but there
was still ample activity and already you can see the demographic of the
migrants beginning to change as the autumn draws on.
This week the Whinchats finally started to appear! The first was found by HC in the evening of the 17th, sat on the Stone Circle in the company of three Wheatears (the only Wheatears of the week). Two days later on the 19th Lia and I came across three at the bottom of the North Slope, showing very well. In windier conditions, only one was still present on the 20th, but on the 21st there were two. All these birds were on the dry-stone walls at the bottom of the North Slope. In total, I would say that there had been at least five birds during the week, but it could be up to as many as seven.
The only Spotted Flycatchers of the week were on the 15th, but the three we managed to find across the site on this date are the most I have ever recorded here in one day. Surprisingly, we could not find any more for the rest of the week.
There were four additional Tree Pipits this week, bringing the autumn total so far to 12. There were singles on the 15th and the 21st, and then two flew south on the 19th. The wind made it difficult to audio record them this week, but still good to know that they are migrating south over the Hill.
Just the one Sedge Warbler this week, on the 19th. It seemed to be following round the small group of Whinchats, which was odd to observe. Grasshopper Warbler was seen on three dates during the week, all appearing to refer to the same juvenile bird at the bottom of the North Slope. The state of the bird, including its apparent gape, suggests it is a juvenile and would seem to suggest that the birds did produce a second brood. A male and a brown-headed Blackcap have also been around the bottom of the North Slope throughout the week.
After a peak count of 15 on the 15th, Willow Warblers really dropped off during the week, with no other counts in double figures, although they were seen every day. The first Chiffchaff of the autumn started to appear this week, with singles on the 16th, 18th and then on the 21st. Soon they will replace the Willow Warblers as we draw later in autumn.
Just the one House Martin this week, a distant individual on the 16th. And Swift was also only seen on one date, although that did involve three individuals during the evening of the 17th.
There was also a handy selection of other species on offer,
including Curlews seen (or heard) on two dates during the week. The first
was feeding in the bottom fields on the 16th and then a heard only
on the 18th. There was just one Common Snipe during the week
with one flying over the bottom Cattle Fields on the 21st.
We saw the Barn Owl twice this week, with singles on
the 17th and again on the 19th. On the 15th a Peregrine
was hunting distantly over Denholme. And once again there have been a couple of
sightings of Grey Partridge, with six seen on the 18th and
two on the 21st.
Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard, Grey Partridge, Common Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Dunlin, Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Western Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Western Barn Owl, Little Owl, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Mistle Thrush, Common Blackbird, Spotted Flycatcher, European Robin, Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Tree Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting,
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