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I found myself at the other side of Huddersfield today and had a couple of hours to spare so I had a walk around Deer Hill in what turned out to be a warm but windy day. Birds seen were nothing out of the ordinary but there was a good number of Swallows about skimming the newly cut fields with Swifts taking the higher air currents. Higher up the lane Willow Warblers calling from the small wood and then the “chipping” sound of Common Snipe (year bird) sat boldly on the fence post, plenty of Meadow Pipits about with Linnets and a Kestrel hunting the fields Lapwings in good numbers not a day for the numbers game but a good couple of hours walk.

It all started Friday night the 17th when I found myself standing next to a bush for 2 hours at Edderthrope Flash for a bird I hadn’t seen since 1993 and see we did, the bird was a Marsh Warbler which kept popping out now and again just to keep the attended crowd interested. Along with the warbler more warblers like Garden, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Reed, Willow and Chiffchaff. None warblers Cuckoo, Litte Ringed Plover, Redshank . On our way out and whilst in the car we were joined by a Barn Owl crossing the road in front of the car it had us scrambling for our binoculars again we watched for a good 10minutes has it hunted the grass verges and at one point was taken out by a Kestrel.

 The fun didn’t stop there I was back Saturday morning the 18th to find a splendid male Garganey, this duck is a summer visitor which spends the winter in Africa. I was on then to Old Moor for more Warblers to add to the list namely Sedge and lesser Whitethroat so I ended up with 9 species of warbler for the day which I didn’t think was to bad but I was hoping to catch some on video/pictures but ended up with a Dunnock which took over the Whitethroat perch that I was hoping for. 60 species for the day List Here

Leisure day today out with people from Church so birding takes a back seat and chatting seems to take over but birds we saw and some good ones in and amongst the banter, I did manage to pick out a few warblers around Old Moor Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler,Reed Warbler (good views of this shy bird at Wath Ings Hide) along with Whitethroat here. Also at Wath Ings hide Little Ringed and Ringed Plovers and Redshank on the wader side. All the usual common ducks etc Mallard, Gadwall, Shoveler and Tufted. A good morning beautiful weather once again, no photos, and didnt get down to the new Bolton Ings hide that I think will have to be a day for me

Day List :-

Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Gadwall, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Kestrel, Pheasant, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Redshank, Black Headed Gull, Common gull, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Sand Martin, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Crow, Starling, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, linnet,Bullfinch, Reed Bunting

Today was to be Pipits and Flycatchers and trying to find the ever elusive Tree Pipit which for me is fast becoming a bogey bird. Pipits I did find but it was to be Meadow Pipit in what is a reliable HBW area site for Tree Pipit, along with Meadow Pipit there was Swallow, Swift, Curlew and Reed Bunting.

It was on then to the Langsett Area for Flycatchers and for the hoped for two species we get in the British Isles. Spotted Flycatcher I did find but Pied Flycatcher I didnt along with the Spotted Flycatcher there were Willow Warblers, Garden Warbler, Siskin, Blue Tit, Swallows and Swits. Not a very successful day in the hoped for species I set off to find hope tomorrow and Old Moor are better

Meadow Pipit

Bank Holiday usually brings jobs to do at home and bad weather but with the prospect of a reasonable weekend weather wise I managed to get some jobs done to get some brownie points then it was off to the coast for the day.

We ended up at Bempton which for me always seems to be windy and today was no exception but the birds were about which gave me a chance to practice my in flight shots. All the usual species were about Gannets, Razorbills, Guillemots, Puffins (you can tell were the Puffins are they always draw a crowd), Kittiwakes, Herring Gulls, Tree Sparrows, and we also chanced on Corn Bunting, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler no unusual birds for us today

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It was Owl watch night one time of the year when I go out specially looking for the nocturnal dwellers. First call was around Whitley Common and Little Owl, this  individual was along the roadside which gave me good views and a chance for some photos there was little else of note around here except the one or two Lapwing. On then to the next site and a wait for the next one Tawny Owl and then lastly when it was nearly dark not to see a Long Eared Owl made it self known as it flew past the car

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Not very much to report this week things seem to have gone quiet, or the weather could be playing it’s part. I went around the Langsett area to try and find a site for Tree Pipit but didn’t succeed birds in the area that I did see were a very pale phase Buzzard a day flying Woodcock which took me a litte bit by surprise and of course the woodland species of birds in support mainly Siskin ♂, Blackcap ♂, Goldcrest, Jay, Garden Warbler, House Martin, Swift and Swallow to name a few

 The day started early once again this time 7:30am at Horbury Wyke and once again within the Huddersfield/Patch area after parking up and getting set to move off I was greeted to day by a singing Garden Warbler didn’t show himself after five minutes so I moved off. The birds on the river were Mute Swan, Mallard, Moorhen with a couple of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaff singing on the the other side.  I made it to the filter beds finding a stunning Male ♂ Pied Wagtail and then a Whitethroat, whilst watching the whitethroat the hoped for bird made itself known firstly by its song and then its flight display before settling on top of a bush Sedge Warbler (150), a new bird for the patch making it now 150, target meet. Afetr watching it and taking some very disappointing photos because of distance and poor light I left and moved off further down river to find more Whitethroat and a single Lesser Whitethroat, Common Swift, Sand Martin, House Martin and Swallow overhead. Just to stop there has anybody else noted a lack of Swallows this year? or is it just me? anyway more birds Oysetcatchers (2) Grey Heron and more Moorhens on the river

Oystercatcher > Horbury

Enough of Horbury and after taking to another HBW member and catching fleeting glimpses of Kingfisher I decided to go for new bird number 2 at Potteric Carr, this one would make to the British and Yorkshire list. Arrived at Potteric Carr an hour later to here the bird was still there but at the other end of the reserve, things are never easy so off I set set finding more Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaff, Garden Warblers and a couple of Reed Warblers on the way thro to finally view the other new bird of the day Iberian Chiffchaff, if you want to know the in and outs of this Chiffchaff to Common Chiffchaff read this at Surfbirds., well that was about my day apart from a Male Reed Bunting on the way back and heres the attempt of taking a photo of it and then theres the Day List at the end :-

Male Reed Bunting > Potteric Carr

Day List

Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk, Kesterl, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Black headed Gull, Leseer Black Backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, Swift, Kingfisher, Sand martin, Swallow, House Martin, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Leseer Whitethroat, Whitethroat,Chiffchaff, Iberian Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Crow, Rook, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting

Well it didn’t quite go as planned but nothing never does what with a few days of rain when we got there and a sick family member things were changed. Thursday the 6th was Urban Birding day David Lindo style taking in a few parks and river side walks as we made our way to the hospital. Birds inclued my first lifer of the trip in Italian Sparrow other birds of note in Padova were plenty of Serins, Common Swifts, Grey Wagtail, Blackcap, Spotted Flycatcher and a Kingfisher.

Friday was our day off so we went to “The Caves of Gaggio” a LIPU reserve near Venice here I saw my second lifer of the trip Pygmy Cormorants these were easier to see than I expected but what I thought would be easy wasn’t and never did see that was Pendulie Tit but the beautiful Male Golden Oriole more than made up for it and along with Cettis Warblers and Reed Warblers it wasn’t such a bad day 🙂

A full report can be seen at the LINK

Yellow Legged Herring Gull

Started the day at 7am at Ingbirchworth Reservoir to the voice af a calling Whitethroat and watching a good size flock of Swift dashing to and fro over the dam wall with Swallows in and amongst careful scrutiny revealed a couple of Sand Martin and my first House Martin (148) of the year then the familiar “rattle” call of a Lesser Whitethroat in the dam wall hedge and then three Common Sandpiper feeding and calling on the dam wall itself, great start on then to Langsett.

Pulling up at the Langsett car park in pouring rain meant I had a 30 minute wait before it stopped but then it did stay clear for the rest of the day so I couldn’t complain. Birds were good at Langsett at the start of the walk a flock of Lesser Redpoll went overhead giving off their familiar flight call, amongst the trees Siskin, further in a Blackcap gave a quick burst giving itself away. Along the track Robins, Chaffinch and Blue Tits then I heard Redstart (149) calling it took some finding but ten minutes of being patient paid off a nice male with that tail flicking as well, beautiful one of my favourite birds well he moved on and so did I to find Meadow Pipt, Cuckoo (150), Red Grouse, Buzzard, Willow Warblers and Grey Wagtail. I had gone as far as I could so I made my way back finding a single Male Crossbill (151) , Dipper and a Garden Warbler (152) another couple of first’s for the year but I failed on Tree Pipt I’ll save that for next time because coffee and a bacon buttie beckoned. On the way home I called in again at Cheesegate Nab but only found Wheatear three in all so I now think the Ring Ouzel have moved on, thats it for this week next report might having something a little different  Todays Full Bird List