Buzzard Overhead

     Reports this morning of Osprey flying in from Skipton
     and Marsh Harrier over Ringstone so took a look overhead
     hoping to see something, Kestrel was above getting pestered
     by Crows then at about 13.00 a Buzzard came across and did
     a couple of circles before shooting off towards Beacon Hill,
     another Kestrel then made an appearance hunting in the back
     field, garden had Goldfinch, Collared Dove and Woodpigeon
     along with a couple of Jackdaws.

   

                                          Marsh Harrier at Blacktofts

Quiet on the Tops

    Took a trip up to Fly Flatts today for an hour but was
    surprisingly very quiet, stopped at Nolstar first and saw
    nothing on the ground and just a flock of Goldfinch overhead,
    then up to the radio masts where there were just Starlings.
    I was driving up to the lake when I saw some wings fluttering
    so stopped and had a look and among the ruins up there were
    6 Whinchat & Stonechat all looked like juveniles, 8 Canada's were on the
    water with others in the grass, 2 Curlews flew over and more
    could be heard later and also 2 Raven flew over Cronking and
    2 Little Owl were seen up Withens which cheered an old couple
    up when I showed them where they were and also cheered me
    up too, they're a cracking little bird.

    Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Blue Tits, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove,
    Wren and unusually 2 House Sparrow were in the garden and
    last night the local Tawny Owl was on the hunt and doing
    plenty of screeching.

 

Blacktoft Sands after Osprey Visit

    Nice surprise last Saturday morning as I was just setting off to work
    at 6am as I looked into the sky like I always do when I step out of the
    door, there was a Osprey flying over Claremount Hill and then over
    Halifax towards the moors, I had no time to get my camera so was
    a bit gutted. News came in over the week that one was at Leeming
    Reservoir diving into the water and another at St Aidans Rspb
    Swillington so its great that there about locally.

    I decided to go Blacktoft Sands now that Ive got my mojo back
    for photography in hope of seeing the Spoonbills before they migrate,
    but they didn't show but I still had an enjoyable day with my mate
    Chris T who was good enough to do the driving, lots of waders about
    and Marsh Harriers kept making an appearance but everything was at
    long distance though I was surprised at seeing a Sparrowhawk attacking
    a Harrier as it was perched in a tree, and I was also surprised at how
    quiet it was with the smaller birds hardly any about to be seen and
    birdsong was nearly non-existent, most small birds seen were Treesparrows.

     Garden has been very busy with all the finch family feeding there young
     and a big gang of Blue Tits raided the feeders early doors this morning,
     Sparrowhawk has been a regular visitor swooping through nearly everyday.