Soil Hill birding; updates from the week 12th - 17th September

Sadly this was Lias last week on the Hill, as she returns the tropical climes of Brazil. And it was quite the send off as the first real autumn days rolled in this week, with a cold northerly wind and single figure temperatures, combined with glorious blue skies. In addition there was the steady transition of birdlife as the first winter migrants began to arrive, seeing off the final summer visitors. 

• The 14^th was a warm day once the early morning fog cleared, and it seemed promising for raptors but we were limited to six Common Buzzards. That was until we descended from the Hill and were walking back along Bradshaw Lane when we spotted a raptor high up that was immediately something different. Although distant, the photos showed it was a nice Marsh Harrier. It cruised slowly NW, taking it over the Soil Hill area, making it my second of the year.

As the autumn has progressed the number of migrants has continued to drop off with this week maintaining that course. Many of the summer warblers have now moved on, with just the last few hanging on. Not long before the thrushes arrive to keep things lively!    

• Almost certainly the last Spotted Flycatcher was actively feeding at the bottom of the North Slope on the morning of the 13^th, the last warm morning before the colder northerly winds set in. Its been a phenomenal autumn for this species here, with this individual bringing to the total up to seven in 2022! 

• Another species that has almost certainly run its course is Whinchat, with a single on Taylor Lane on the 14^th likely to be the last of the year. If this is the last of the year, it rounds off a truly phenomenal autumn with a total estimate of 16 different individuals.

• One species that has certainly increased in abundance this week is Stonechat. The first of the autumn appeared on the 13^th, when we were able to find four different individuals. Then we had birds on two other dates, although just singles. A single Wheatear was enjoying the horse paddocks from the 12^th until the 15^th, when it was joined by a second individual before they both departed. 

• A single Tree Pipit was heard flying south on the 13^th in a good passage of Meadow Pipits, in which 118 were counted in an hour, and an estimated 300 flew south in total. 

• This week there was just two Willow Warbler sightings, both on the 14^th and both on Ned Hill Track. In start contrast, Chiffchaff was seen on every single day, although the cold winds certainly contributed to numbers dropping off at the end of the week. The best count was seven on the 15^th, and six on the 12^th.

• Remarkably we were able to find three Common Whitethroat on the 13^th, but the only other record was one calling at the top of the North Slope on the 15^th. In the past the species has lingered on Soil Hill until the end of September, but there is no evidence that this year will have such a lingering individual, as we have searched hard for the last individuals. There was also a male Blackcap at the bottom of the North Slope on the 13^th, the only sighting of the week. 

• Small flurries of Hirundines kept moving during the week, but there was no sustained movement worth counting. There were House Martins on two dates, the 13^th and 15^th when groups of eight and 13 respectively flew south. On the 13^th there was a reasonable movement of Barn Swallow, with an estimated 50 individuals, and again the 15^th was the only other date of note with an estimated 35 heading south. Two Sand Martin again on the 13^th probably see the species out for what has been a very poor year for them on Soil Hill.

• This week Goldcrest returned to the Hill with individuals recorded on almost every single day, in a variety of locations. The highest count was still only three on the 13^th and 14^th, but it is good to at least hear these teeny birds on almost every visit.  

• On the livelier days there was finally an appearance of Siskin this year, with small groups recorded on the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th flying across the Hill calling. Having had none in the spring, it was good to finally get some, especially since the autumn seems quite slow for finches so far.

•  The only Jay this week was a pair that flew south together on the 13^th, which as you’ve probably gathered at this point was the liveliest day for movement of all species this week.

In addition to the usual passage and summer migrants that have been slowly filtering through, there has been a burst of wildfowl activity on the Hill this week. Although the species involved have not been super unusual, it still represents a good start to the autumn and a sure indicator that the season is progressing rapidly. 

• The highlight of the week has been the first skeins of wintering Pink-footed Geese returning from Iceland. Although nationally there had been numerous sightings in the preceding days, the first flock over Soil Hill did not occur until the 15^th when a skein of 177 flew southeast over Halifax, the largest flock of the week. On the 16^th there were 328 individuals that flew over in five skeins, and on the 17^th 359 headed southeast in eight skeins. 

• Another goose species appearing in numbers this week was Greylag Goose. I was informed that this increase in records is due to the feral English population moving to Scotland to moult during the summer before returning, and that Icelandic birds don't arrive until November. Interesting stuff anyway. Individuals were seen on four dates this week, heading in all different directions, with the largest group being 11 heading west on the 14^th and 9 going the same direction on the 17^th. 

• This week saw the first Goosander of the autumn, with a flock of seven heading distantly south on the 15^th, before a closer individual flew northeast on the 16^th.  

• Shockingly I have not seen Eurasian Teal on Soil Hill since October 2019, so it was pleasing to have three individuals on the NK Pond on the 15^th this week. They spent their time resting on the small shoreline that has appeared where they preened and were pestered by the local Moorhens.   

  The best of the rest was pretty limited this week. The standout was probably a Collared Dove that flew north over Taylor Lane on the 17^th, my first the 31^st August and only the third this year. The Grey Partridge were seen on the 12th and the 14^th with a male and two females sitting out nicely on the latter date.

  Remarkably the Curlew remained throughout the week, heard every day between the 13^th and the 16^th but never seen. Presumably feeding in one of the more distant livestock fields, but certainly not feeding quietly. There were just two dates for Common Snipe this week, with a single on the 15^th and a couple on the 17^th.

  The only notable other passerine sighting was a group of four Bullfinch that dropped in to the bushes at the top of the North Slope on the 15^th.

  And as a final note, there was another notable sighting this week when a Herring Gull with a darvic ring was in the reservoir field. Frustratingly the grass was just a little two long to get the full code, although I was able to get some of it. I sent it off to PC to see what he suggested, and he thought it could be a York bird and to maybe pass it to them. This is still on my to do list, but its unlikely it will lead anywhere. 

-Marsh Harrier

-Stonechat

-Spotted Flycatcher

-Eurasian Teal

-Goosander

-Greylag Geese

-Pink-footed Geese

-Herring Gull with darvic ring

-Lesser Black-backed Gull

-Collared Dove

-Dunnock

Species List:

Soil Hill: Greylag Goose, Pink-footed Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Eurasian Teal, Goosander, Grey Partridge, Common Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, 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 Jay, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Northern Raven, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sand Martin, 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, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Tree Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin, Common Reed Bunting, 

 

Spurn Bird Observatory

For the 60^th birthday of PC, myself and a few friends attended Spurn for a surprise birthday party. While most of the weekend involved drinking and social activities there was a little time for birding and seeing some of the sights.

Just as I arrived an Oriental Turtle Dove was found in Easington. Initially I drove past it, not knowing what was occurring, and so missed the original sighting. It then took a further two hours before I finally connected with the bird, but I finally managed it. It then had the decency to linger into the weekend so the following day I returned and got more views of the bird perched more prominently than at first. This is my second of this species in the UK, and was the first for Spurn since 1975 and only the second ever record.  

There was a reasonable Swift passage during the weekend, with the highest count being 2500 on the 5^th. We also tried flick-netting low flying birds and as such caught two juveniles that we were able to ring, a ringing tick for me. Another species that seemed to be passing through in good numbers was Little Gull, with flocks exceeding 50 birds blogging about the area and often passing low over the observatory building.

In the sunny afternoons I went out hunting for dragonflies. Although it is still quite early in the season there were reasonable numbers, including a smart male Hairy Dragonfly that I removed from the Church Field Heligoland Trap. Although not the prize it once was, this species is always exciting to see. Also nice were up to three Common Emerald Damselflies on the back pond of the Churchfield, a good sign after none were recorded last year.

One afternoon we also went out twitching some Orchids, which seemed to be in good numbers here this year. There was a Southern Marsh Orchid in Church Field, Pyramidal Orchid down the Canal Bank and Bee Orchid at the top end of Sandy Beaches. Whilst there we spotted PK fishing on the beach, and watched him removed a Starry Smoothound shark from the sea. It was roughly a meter long, so not huge, but is my first actual wild shark that I have identified, so very cool to see. Sadly he had released it by the time we made it down onto the beach. 

-Happy 60th Paul Collins, SBO warden

-Spoonbill

-Little Gull

-Swift

-Oriental Turtle Dove ssp. meena

-Collared Dove

-Pyramidal Orchid

-Hairy Dragonfly

Species List:
Spurn Bird Observatory: Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Common Shelduck, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Common Scoter, Common Pheasant, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Oriental Turtle Dove, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Cuckoo, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Oystercatcher, European Golden Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Eurasian Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Little Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Little Tern, Sandwich Tern, Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Eurasian Spoonbill, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Western Barn Owl, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Western Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, Common Reed Bunting, Roe Deer, Brown Hare, Common Frog, Common Toad, Smooth Newt, Grass Snake, Starry Smoothound, European Perch, Azure Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Common Blue-tailed Damselfly, Hairy Dragonfly, Emperor Dragonfly, Four-spot Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer, Common Darter, Ruddy Darter, Large Skimmer, Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Small Tortoiseshell, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, 

Catching Up

just a quick note. Walking back from my biology exam today, spotted a few swifts flying below the tree line in bradshaw park, which was great to see because they were so close.
  On the nesting birds on my route, I spotted the collard dove sitting this morning, even though the postman walked right under her. On other nests, I've counted at least 10 starling nest along the route, including some bringing food and removing fecal sacs. As of yet I have seen no house sparrows showing nesting behavior, and the blue tit nest I mentioned I have seen no activity. Also no swallow nests been seen yet, possibly due to the lack of swallows.

Recently

Its been quiet recently due to exam commitments. However, as I have walked to and from school I have spotted quite a few birds displaying nesting habits, as well as finding around 6 nests of various species, inlcuding starling, collard dove and Blue tit. I can clearly see the collard dove nest and watch them easily. Theyare awkwardly perched between a satellite dish and a wall, which makes me wonder if the house owener might push them off. Lets hope not.
  Helping with Ogden Watch Group on saturday, at Cunnery wood, I managed to spot a jay flying between the trees there, as well as there being plenty of bluebells to admire.
  Over the house yesterday we had a pair of kestrels, we think displaying, though when I caught up with them they had moved on a bit. We also had a mining bee, resting on the driveway. I only know it is a mining bee because I have seen one identical to this is the lake district, but it would be nice if it set up home in our garden somewhere.

progress

Yesterday I built a bird hide (to my own design) so that I would be able to get close to the birds in the garden. Today my dad provided a green cover and so I decided to give it a try. The only birds I saw were the local collard doves, who also landed on it after their original visit. The whole frame creaked, and seeing as though its not very well built, I though it might collapses, but it held out. Hopefully, it will be really useful in the future

garden birds

we had a coal tit in the garden this morning which was cool becuase it is only the fifth time we have ever seen one in the garden. it came onto the feeders for a while before two great big collard doves came and scared it away. still, another great garden record. Photos to follow!

a week ago on wednesday at burnsal bridge

Okay, so this was quite a long time ago but my brother has been hogging the computer since and seeing as though he is currently out I can catch up with all that i have fallen behind with! so the only thing that actually needs posting is the fact that a week ago on Wednesday we went to Burnsal Bridge again for the second time this summer. And this time I brought a real glass fish tank and not the crummy plastic one!

still, first things first! we went for a walk. The first bird I saw was a collard dove which I took a photo of because it was perched so conveniently on a branch.

Since I had caught up with all the other sites specialities last time I was secretly hoping for a kingfisher today. I spotted another of the locals first with a female mandarin duck.

It was whilst I was photographing this that my brother came and told me that my family had found a kingfisher. I went back to try and get some photos. Surprise, surprise! it was on the wrong side of the river leaving me with small blue specs instead of kingfishers in my pictures.

I chased it all morning, up and down the same stretch of river, but id just didn't look like it was going to come to my side of the river for a photo. Look at the photo below and you would see that not coming to my side of the river was a very silly thing to do if your a kingfisher and to be far there were plenty of conveniently placed perches for it.

Then, whilst taking the above photo, It did! It came to my side of the river, about 5m to my left. Perhaps it was my sudden movement of surprise but either way the bird stayed there less than 1 minuet so I got what I got. luckily, for my camera, that ain't bad!

The photo below shows it belting off up river after that...

I continued to follow it but it decided that it wasn't going to give me a second chance but I followed it anyway, after kingfishers are arguably Britain's most stunning bird. I managed to gather quite a few crowds to view the bird and, as I was following it, Many people left feeling pretty pleased with themselves!

After lunch Me and my brother went fishing in our traditional Burnsal pastime. In order to not crack the fish tank, this time we kept the fish in the plastic fish tank and then brought it over to the glass tank to take the photos. see below the equipment that we used for the photos

We managed to bring in quite a haul of fish and I managed to get some great photos if I do say so myself!

Minnows with a bullhead. This time we managed to catch one of the big minnows that evaded us last time!

The minnows. The bottom photo is my favourite.

The bullheads.

There was a decided lack of large loaches in the river and the one we found seemed to be badly damaged. We caught two small ones but they were happy with their new home and as a result did not come to the front but stayed within the murk of the middle where the camera couldn't reach.

After this my mum and dad said they were going to stick around and as a result me and my brother decided to try and catch a crayfish for the tank as there was also a lack of them and a photo of them in the water is something that Had evaded me!

After about rock twenty we caught a real beauty which obediently allowed himself to be caught. sadly though he was less obedient when it came to photos as he would not stay still. I suppose though that he did have perfect reason and right to be scared but the less he moved, the sooner he would be out. eventually I managed to get a few that we acceptable

As you can see this was quite a day and well worth it!

the garden and a quick post norfolk round-up

The last time that I posted on this website was the Norfolk holiday. I would just like to clear up the reasons why there has been no posting since! Mainly in the immediate weeks after the holiday was because of exams (shudder) and later because of the world cup. Now however things will return to normal. Luckily to keep you all interested I did a spot of garden birdwatching during the football matches as the birdfeeders are just outside the living room window. So here follows a 6 week account of garden wildlife after the Norfolk holiday!

A few days before the physics exam I went to my dads shop to work (before world cup) When I arrived back home my mum Showed me and my dad some four baby blue tits looking lovely in the trees. No adults that we saw but all were looking fit and healthy. My photos of the four birds on a branch were a bit poor so these are all I can really show you.

During many of the late evening matches we were visited by our local stock dove who offered mild entertainment. One night he even brought a Friend to come and feed on the lawn. Its great to have such unusual garden birds come so frequently to the garden

The window bird feeder was causing some stirring amongst the house sparrows who constantly came to the window for a feed. The glass reflection can be a bit of a pain but I managed to get some decent pictures.

And it was not just the sparrows. The local mob also have started coming onto the window again see below, one contemplating the short flight across from the birdtable.

There were not only baby blue tits but baby sparrows around as well with their gorgeous little yellow gapes!. Here is a picture of daddy feeding one of his offspring from the lower stand of my mums flower hanging things!

However maybe its not just the birdseed that this collard dove was interested in. He seems far more interested in the football.

Here's a profile shot of one of the baby house sparrows that have been flitting around. This was the most showy but at one point there were about 10 sat in one bush (unfortunately low light meant no shots from that instance)

And a final note of three baby robin chicks that have been around and about the garden recently. A nice surprise during some of the less exciting football matches. Only two baby's featured here but trust me that there were three.