Soil Hell

           Made the mistake today of visiting Soil Hell 9.30am its not the wisest
           decision I've ever made, gale force winds, snow, ice it was absolutely
           freezing I felt like I was on an SAS entrance test and to make things
           worse nothing to show for it apart from a few Gulls and Magpies.
           Garden had 10 Goldfinch, 2 Dunnock, Blackbird, Jackdaw, 3 Starling,
           2 Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Collared Dove and a few unknown flocks flying
           over.

                                           unknown

Windy Soil Hill

       Up to Soil Hill this morning for a quick look in wild wind
       and pouring rain after reports of Snow Bunting still being
       up there, had a scout around for Ring Ouzel as well but no
       look with the Ouzel but better luck with the Bunting which
       was at the top of the track on my second look at that spot, I
       just managed to spot it before it took off over the hill but was
       still chuffed to see it, was a lot more jittery than last years SB,
       nothing else happening up there a couple of Meadow Pipits a
       few Gulls and Corvids and a 8 Lapwing flyover, had report of
       Pinkies flying over but they passed me by, garden had Goldfinch
       Collared Doves, Chaffinch, Dunnock and Blackbird. 3 ducks on pond uid

Latest News

           Not been out for a while so decided to go mad yesterday with
           a bit of nicer weather forecast so went to Blacktoft Sands, but
           Friday got a nice surprise when I got home from work with 6
           Fieldfare in the garden, then on Saturday looking out of the
           window were 5 Crows getting blown about along with another
           birds which was a beauty a Harrier type and I'm 99% sure it was
           a male Hen Harrier but with no pics to support it will stay at 99%,
           it flew over or more like blown over Claremount towards Shibden
           Park, today at 9.00am 3 Collared Dove flying fast overhead and just
           behind them a Peregrine Falcon in fast flight over Claremount Hill
           then veered off in the direction of Fly Flatts.

           Blacktoft Sands was a productive day with 2 female Hen Harriers,
           3 Marsh Harriers, 1 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk, lots of waders and Snipe,
           a beautiful Kingfisher that kept us entertained for an hour, 3 White
           Wagtails, didn't stay late enough to see the Barn Owl but had a good
           day none the less. Seen report today of Sort Eared Owl up Soil Hill
           which I'm gutted I didn't get to see and Pinkies over Northowram.

                                           Marsh Harrier

                                          Whooper Swans

                                          Shelduck

                                          Kingfisher

                                          Teal

                                          Gadwall

                                          Snipe

                                          Little Grebe

                                          Wigeon

                                          Redshank

Bad day at the Office

         Thought I'd have venture out today as not been out for ages
         because of decorating duty's and wall to wall fog, started out at
         Ringby Lane, Swalesmoor but nothing but crows to see 200+
         of them so onto Taylor Lane and same result nothing but a few
         crows 10+ Gulls and a dead rabbit in the road, was hoping to see
         Fieldfare but drew a blank but they were reported there 1 hour
         later by Dave S, next I decided to brave Soil Hill hoping to see
         the reported Long Eared Owls, bumped into Dave S who was of
         the same mind ( lovely bloke always willing to teach me ), we
         flushed a Snipe which is a first for me up there, then went in search
         of the owls and bumped into NK who told us they were nowhere to
         be seen so with hopes dashed set of home as it was windy, wet and
         miserable flushing a Skylark on the way back to the car, the Jay was
         a bonus in the garden but overall I'd call today a disaster so hoping
         for better luck at the weekend.

Cromwell Bottom Today

         Took a walk down to Cromwell Bottom today with the wife which
         started quiet bit improved as the day went on, went past the cabins
         where they've made a seating area and bird garden which was very
         nice and then down to river where 2 Kingfisher flew past just missing
         my head then walked up to the weir and around to where they're
         building some new ponds but very quiet bird wise, next onto the
         viewing area where there were plenty of the Tit family as usual which
         a Sparrowhawk seemed to like as it flew through the viewing area at
         super fast speed, 2 noisy Nuthatch then turned up and were very keen
         on bird box number 10, 2 Redpoll which was nice to see and the regular
         greedy squirrels and a drumming Woodpecker, over the bridge were 8
         Long Tailed Tit and the lagoon was full of Gulls as was the water sport
         lake, along the canal another flyby of a Kingfisher both ways and a look
         down at the river produced a Dipper which I haven't seen at Cromwell
         for a while and then up to the car park where another Nuthatch showed
         up with a Greater Spotted Woodpecker and a 2 Cormorant flyover.

         Garden had 20+ Goldfinch, 2 Mistle Thrush, 20+ Redwing flyover along
         with 20+ Starling.

   

Oh So Quiet

            Not blogged for a while due to family commitments
            but nothing to report really, 8 Mistle Thrush have been
            in the garden and the back field and 1 Redwing in the garden
            this afternoon, 2 Dunnock, 20+ Goldfinch, 4 Chaffinch, lots of
            Wood Pigeons flying over in dribs and drabs and a Roe Deer
            in the garden yesterday morning seen by the Mother-In-Law.

            Last night went to Hebden Bridge to a talk being given by
            Mark Avery about his new book the "Inglorious" about banning
            driven Grouse Shoots and heather burning which could be the
            reason for the floods in Hebden Bridge, it was an interesting and
            enjoyable talk and as well as being a nice guy he also tries to get
            things done rather than just taking a back seat and watch things
            go bad like me for instance.

            was nice to bump into Steve B and Ted at the talk who are both
            very knowledgable about conservation and nature, its always nice
            to listen and learn off them, the same applies to Dave S and Brian S.

Very Quiet

        Nothing happening garden wise today, I didn't venture
        out with a good sport day on the tele and a £110 win on
        the Arc De Triomphe so it was worth it, good old Golden
        Horn and Frankie Dettori.  20+ Goldfinch, 2 Coal Tit and
        a swarm of 100+ Crows in the back field.

More pics from Cromwell

      Not been out this evening so heres a few more pics from Cromwell.

                                          Red Kite at Harewood