Soil Hill; Week 16th May - 22nd May

Soil Hill

After a quiet previous week, this week there were a few more notable birds. The highlight of the week was on the 19th when a distant Shelduck flew north over Ovenden Moor and then continued over Thornton Moor Reservoir. Frustratingly I couldn't pick up the bird once I took my binoculars off it, and as such, I only managed to fluke a couple of record shots with my camera at the wrong settings. Still, this is my first patch tick for 18 months and is my 116th species for the Hill.

An evening visit on the 16th turned productive with a very mobile Cuckoo in the North Slope area, and also a pair of Grey Partridge on the Taylor Lane manure pile. Presumably, this pair was also on the summit the following day. My first Barn Owl of the year was hunting on the morning of the 19th, so its good to know they are still around. Otherwise the species remained very similar to last week, with no notable new arrivals of other migrants. Something seems to have prompted the Common Snipe population to begin breeding activities, with at least five birds displaying and many more residing in the fields below. Drumming snipe is one of my favourite sounds, so this is a very welcome development. 

-Common Shelduck

-Grey Partridge

-Common Cuckoo

Species List:

Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Common Shelduck, Mallard, Grey Partridge, Common Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Cuckoo, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Western Barn Owl, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting,

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,

NGB Spurn Weekend day 1

I had not decided when I was going to head over to Spurn for the NGB weekend, but as little seemed to be happening elsewhere I decided to make my move late Thursday morning to arrive on site around mid afternoon. News had broken during the day of a couple of Icterine Warblers on site, the second of which was at Sammies Point. With that in mind thats where I headed first.

Once at Sammies there was very little on offer so I headed off down the canal to the original Icterine Warbler that had been showing again. On the way down to the canal Paul collard me, telling me that Adam had just caught a Bluethroat at the warren. Without a radio I was oblivious and had missed it by the time I knew about it. This was a bit gutting but decided to make my way down that way on the off chance that it was still showing after its release. On the way down I picked up one of my tartiest year-ticks in the form of a Barn Owl gracefully hunting along the top of the Canal. I managed a few nice shots, of what was undoubtedly the best views I have ever had of this species. Also down the canal were a couple of very showy Cuckoos, which it would have been rude not to take a photo of.

-Barn Owl

-Cuckoo

I continued on my way, past the Icterine bushes. I had a quick look but the bird was not currently showing so opted to carry on down to the Warren. Once there I could see an assembled crowd where I was informed the bird (a female) had been showing after release in the lower branches of a tree. However, after a while waiting the bird did not show again, and it looked likely that it had gone. The crowd disbanded until there were only a few of us left. It was then that Adam came round from checking the nets to reveal he had re-caught the Bluethroat. To prevent the bird becoming unsettled he did not show it, as it had been flicky before, but did allow me me to have a brief view in the hand before he released it. Once it had been let go it entered a dark dell, where it sat for some time, but in especially gloomy conditions so I was unable to get a good photo. However, the shots I got of the bird in the hand were nice, showing the strong facial markings and even a hint of colour on the throat. A superb lifer and a great start to the weekend.

-Bluethroat

After a while of sitting in the dell the bird did drop in, never to be seen again. Once it left I headed back up to where the Icterine Warbler was being viewed from in Canal Hedge. To describe it as distant would be an understatement but the bird did show, allowing me to get a view of my first of this species for over a year. I also sang intermittently too, which was something of a novelty. Obviously the light and the distance meant my photos are not particularly good, but its a record shot at least...

-Icterine Warbler

So despite only having half a day I did manage to pick up a lifer, a couple of year-ticks and have a swell time doing it. What a great start to the weekend.

Sightings List:

Spurn: Sammies Point: Greenfinch, Pied Wagtail, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Swallow, House Martin, Starling, Meadow Pipit, Reed Bunting, Greylag Goose, Oystercatcher, Mallard, Redshank, Whitethroat, Wren, Great Tit, Dunnock, Dunlin, Sedge Warbler, Linnet, Avocet,

Spurn: Canal and Warren: Swift, Barn Owl, Mallard, Woodpigeon, Swallow, Shelduck, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Cuckoo, Mute Swan, House Martin, Skylark, Kestrel, Great Tit, Spotted Flycatcher, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Bluethroat, Herring Gull, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Brent Goose, Curlew, Whimbrel,

Greaves' Piece

Work on the dissertation has kept me in for most of the last week, my thinking being if I can keep working on it now, I will be able to go twitching crazy when I need to. Its worked so far, but with the dissertation a third of the way complete and still a month before the deadline I decided to take the day off.

Chosen destination: Greaves' Piece for the gg shrike thats been there for a couple of weeks. It was a lovely day, and I was taking my course-mate with me in the hope to add the shrike to his life list. Sadly we did not see the shrike, be we had a host of other goodies which compensated somewhat.

First yeartick I got was Tree Pipit, but they were very abundant on the moor as we found out, with numerous birds singing and more 'spizz'-ing overhead. Second was a Cuckoo which my mate found. I would have though it a little early but clearly not, although I only managed a terrible record shot before it flew off. It then started calling from wherever it landed, and most of our walk was serenaded by intermittent Cuckoo calling.

-Tree Pipit

-Cuckoo

Without a doubt the highlight of the day was a very vocal Raven soaring above us. Sadly it kept soaring where the sun meant we couldn't see it clearly. It had me for a moment, as its tail was not as forked as I remember for Ravens, and the call not as deep. That being said, its so obviously a Raven I don't know what I was thinking.

-Raven

The warm air meant plenty of Buzzards on the wing, as well as Kestrel and Sparrowhawk. The only additional yeartick was just before we were going to call it a day, when I managed to find a Redstart singing along the edge of the trees. Sadly it did not sit still for a photo but went back into the wood where I lost it. Still, today's additional four year-ticks put me 160 for the year, with plenty of easy species still to get.

Species List:

Greaves' Piece: Swallow, Kestrel, Meadow Pipit, Common Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Tree Pipit, Robin, Wren, Blackbird, Sparrowhawk, Willow Warbler, Raven, Cuckoo, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Curlew, Pheasant, Redstart,

Soil Hill 27.08 - 01.09

A few afternoon visits this week to see what was about. Most of the activity relates to the Juvenile Cuckoo that had now settled near the bottom of Taylor Lane. That single juvenile Cuckoo soon became 2 Juvenile Cuckoos, and then an adult. The most I have managed was 2 birds at once but I reckon I have seen all 3 at some point. They have been present for all my trips up this week, which is a nice bonus to the pretty low bird diversity.

Any patch ticks this week? The first, though not really a patch tick, was on the 27th when a Grey Wagtail flew over Taylor Lane whilst watching the Cuckoos. Sadly not in the patch area but still a bird I've not seen on the hill at all previously. 

So the only real patch tick was on the 30th. Whilst walking up, but in my recording area, I heard a Siskin calling, but could not see it at all, and so considered it a patch tick that had got away. However, along the western side of the hill I flushed 2 Siskin feeding on thistles and managed to pin them down settled on a wall-top. However, they then flew off North into another thistle patch further up the track, where they were greeted by a chorus of siskin calls. A quick investigation revealed a flock of around 20 birds. I watched them for some time and got a few nice record shots. Walking round the hill a few more flew over calling, so I reckon it total I saw about 25 birds. A nice way to get a patch tick. 

27.08.2015 

Diddnt make it up to the summit today, ended up watching 2 of the cuckoos for an hour and half, though they never came close. 

Species List:

Soil Hill: Cuckoo, Grey Wagtail, Common Gull, Swallow, Black-Headed Gull,

-Cuckoo

29.08.2015

Species List:

Soil Hill: Linnet, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Common Gull, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Starling, Kestrel, Swallow, Pheasant, Stock Dove, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, 

30.08.2015
Besides the Siskins there was also a good count of Starling on the hill tonight, at least 50 birds gathered on the wires outside the Koi farm.
Species List:
Soil Hill: Swallow, Carrion Crow, Feral Pigeon, Jackdaw, Meadow Pipit, Black-Headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Common Gull, Siskin, Goldfinch, Wren, Blackbird, Skylark, Starling,

-Siskin

Soil Hill 20.08 - 26.08

From 2 trips so far this week I have managed two outstanding birds, and not just by Soil Hill standards. On the 22nd I had cut my time on the hill short on account of my parents who warned me of and oncoming storm. On my way back down Taylor Lane, I was scanning the wall tops when I spotted a largish bird on one of the near walls. I struck me by its shape as being a Cuckoo immediately. However, a jogger was coming, so my heart was in my mouth that it would not flush. It did, but did not go far at all and I was able to rattle off a few photos. Thrilled, I texted out the news but when I looked up again it had gone and I could not refind it. However, on the 24th I refound the bird feeding on Peacock Caterpillars further down Taylor Lane and showing very well indeed. 

If that was one patch tick, the second came on the 23rd when I was walking along the top and flushed a Grasshopper Warbler. To say I was thrilled with this would be an understatement. I've put the description under the date. Having only seen gropper once before I could stand to be corrected, although the evidence seems to be stacked up. A real nice treat.

Also on the 22nd I found a second Spotted Flycatcher down the lane left of the Koi farm. This time I got a proper look at them, and they were even flycatching right above my head, which was pretty awesome to see. Signs that Autumn has really hit the hill.

22.08.2015

Species List:

Soil Hill: Rook, Magpie, Starling, Feral Pigeon, Black-Headed Gull, Kestrel, Linnet, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Wren, Spotted Flycatcher, Cuckoo,

-Spotted Flycatcher

-Cuckoo

23.08.2015
On the Northern Side of the hill's summit I was trudging through the grass when I flushed a small dark passerine. It lacked any white on its tail, which was narrow and pointed, or on its wings, removing both Skylark and Meadow Pipit as possibilities. Its back was a uniform dark brown. I considered Grasshopper Warbler as an option and went to flush it again in order to establish anything else on the bird. It clearly had an orange-y flash on its side, which was very distinct on the second flyby. The back was still very dark but appeared to be streaked. It landed in a field which was barbed off, so I decided to try and play it a gropper call and see if that did anything. I realised that the wind was strong, and my phone speaker was not, so quickly gave up. However, after around 5 mins it flew from the field, did a flyby past me and landed in the scrub behind me. I flushed it a few more times after to try and get a photo but did not pick up any more features, except the lack of a distinct Supercilium. I lost it in the thicker scrub at the top of the North Slope and subsequent efforts failed to re-locate it. From the features described I am confident that the bird was a Grasshopper Warbler, which was a species I never excepted to see on site once the marsh had been demolished. I was pretty thrilled with that.
Also a few bonus birds around this afternoon. First of these was a female type Common Teal which I initially flushed from one of the top pools, followed by a subsequent flushing from one of the fields adjacent to the summit. I also flushed a nice Common Snipe from the scrapes on the top, which was my first of the Autumn.
Species List:
Soil Hill: Rook, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Swallow, Feral Pigeon, Linnet, Meadow Pipit, Black-Headed Gull, Starling, Common Teal, Grasshopper Warbler, Magpie, Common Snipe, Skylark, Common Gull,

24.08.2015
Besides the aforementioned Cuckoo showing well, there were also 2 Common Buzzards circling the hill, though quite high and increasing in height as they moved south. Also 17 Mistle Thrushes down the track where the Spotted Flycatchers had been, plus a late Swift going south, and a large group of around 40 Swallows going south high.

Species List:

Soil Hill: Swift, Mistle Thrush, Starling, Meadow Pipit, Feral Pigeon, Swallow, House Martin, Black-Headed Gull, Kestrel, Magpie, Pheasant, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Stock Dove, Wren, Jackdaw, Common Buzzard, Lesser Black-Backed Gull,

-Common Buzzard

-Cuckoo

Spurn Weekend Day 2

First full day back at the site where I spent 3 months solid. I got up nice and early, half 5 and was just on my way up to numpties when Steve ran down saying Mick had got Bee-Eater up in Easington and turtle dove at Wetlands. As a result I jumped in the car with Steve and we rushed off to Easington to see if we could track in down on the wires. We could not, which follows the pattern of the bird the previous day.

I decided the wetlands would be a waste of time and instead got a lift back to Numpties where I hoped the bee-eater would go past. There was a steady trickle of swifts moving down over numpties and a few other bits and pieces. It was not pulling up trees but there was enough to keep you sharp whilst seeing some good stuff.

During the morning a reported 3 Grey Herons came in off the sea, though 2 were before I arrived. It was bizzare to see these great big birds which I usually see flying over wetlands or fields, out in the sea coming inland, and made for some more unusual photos of the birds in their habitat.

-Grey Heron

The wind was an absolute nightmare so we were watching from the downwind side of the seawatching hut. It was just as well as otherwise we would have missed some good stuff. Early in the morning Rich Swales picked out a couple of Egyptian Geese flying in the distance, which was the rarest bird recorded at spurn all weekend, but they were distant and seemed to drop down over the ponds, though we heard nothing.

Next I picked up a flock of Canada Geese at the same sort of distance. However, not yet completely familiar with the workings of Spurn I considered them 'just' Canada Geese and kept them quiet, until I mentioned it in passing later to a cry of them being suppressed. Awkward! Given they were now very unusual and I had only got the facial pattern on one of the birds I told Paul that there had been one Canada Goose and 5 other geese sp. but after seeing that a flock of 6 Canadas had been reported earlier in the week it would make sense that they were all canadas. The weird workings of birds at Spurn have caught me out again.

The highlight of the morning for me came a little later on. It all happened very quickly but simultaenously we heard a call that sounded familiar but I could not put my finger on it, and a pair of birds flew past us, the one closest to me was clearly red and a reasonably large finch sp. Had I time I would have got it, but the others there were onto it straight away, Common Crossbill, my third Spurn Tick of the morning. There seemed some confusion that it might have been two Crossbills and a Linnet but we will never know as the birds kept on going over and beyond the buildings at the Warren. I was pretty buzzing after that to be sure.

The same thing happened again not long after, with another call I knew I recognised but could not put my finger on it. This time we picked up the bird much quicker, though it still went through pretty fast, a Siskin, which is only my second for Spurn.

There had been Cuckoos calling yesterday up at wetlands but by late morning we had 3 flying about over Clubleys. Two went back to canal hedge but one did a full loop of clubleys allowing me to get some decent, if not exceptional, shots of the bird in flight.

-Cuckoo

By early afternoon the numbers of Swifts had started to pick up and we were soon on over 1000 having passed through. Other stuff continued to be around, and next on the list was a Hobby that one of the birders had picked up coming in over the Borough Pits. Obviously that's a long way away and I managed no photos of it. It kept diving below, and stayed down for a while before coming back up. It did this a couple of times before moving back out to sea and going south, again at a distance.

The Siskin decided to come back, unlike the crossbills, and did a loop over our heads before heading south again. I was keen to try and grab a photo but caught my camera on my bag, breaking the screen. fortunately no internal damage was done but it does mean I have now broken 2 cameras at Spurn, which is far from ideal.

-Siskin

After 8 hours up at numpties I decided to go for a little walk round the triangle, despite Ian saying it was a big mistake. The wind, of course, kept everything down in the triangle and the only birds I saw were Grey Plover and a solitary Brent Goose (Pale Bellied) from Canal Bank.

-Pale Bellied Brent Goose and Grey Plover

I was thinking to myself that I should have stayed at numpties when the inevitable happened; Pete text me saying that the bee-eater had gone south while I had been away. I was gutted, but felt surprising not bothered. Whilst I had not seen the bee-eater, major bummer, I had always wanted to tick it where I could appreciate it, and not some flyby, so I did not feel as bad as I could have done. That being said, it did not help me when I was being ripped to pieces by the guys when I returned to numpties...

I waited at numpties to see if it would come back, but it did not. I helped Steve count Swifts and in the end there were around 2300 that went through, which is not bad going at all. Another fantastic days birding at Spurn, with 3 Spurn Ticks to boot.

Species List:

Numpties: Egyptian Goose, Gannet, Swift, House Martin, Linnet, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Black-Headed Gull, Brent Goose, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Sandwich Tern, Carrion Crow, Whimbrel, Mallard, Little Tern, Grey Heron, Kestrel, Jackdaw, Feral Pigeon, Starling, Common Crossbill, Great Black-Backed Gull, Greenfinch, Canada Goose, Collard Dove, Goldfinch, Oystercatcher, Reed Bunting, Skylark, Little Egret, Collard Dove, Common Scoter, Pied Wagtail, Cuckoo, Siskin, Common Gull, Grey Plover, Graylag Goose, Hobby, Tufted Duck, Knot,