Fairburn Ings in the Sun

    Finally got out and about today after all my hospital visits
    for me and then my daughter but all ok now.
    Anyway decided to venture down to Fairburn Ings after
    hearing about the Spoonbills breeding there, I think it must
    have been too hot for the birds as there wasn't much about really
    or any that stood around long enough for a photograph apart from
    a young Bittern that had been seen close up by a lot of people
    including DP who I bumped into down there, but guess what I
    missed it but I did get to see 3 Spoonbills from about a mile away
    it was just one of those days especially after I ended up crashing
    into the car in front on the way home, how there was no damage
    to either car I'll never know.
   
    Lots of Little Egrets were about on the reserve, 2 Buzzards were
    seen and a Green Woodpecker in flight and a couple of Willow Tits
    and all the regular birds that visit the reserve, it was nice to see a
    Greenshank at Lin Dyke and two Kestrels dancing about over the
    fields, I also bumped into Steve C and his wife who go on the Hudds
    & Halifax bird trips both very keen birders and a lovely couple.
    I then drove up to St Aidans at Swillington but it looked very quiet,
    I asked a few birders if they'd seen owt but all said not much seen, so
    with being roasted under the sun decided to have a coffee in the hut
    and then set off home.

    Garden has been fantastic for bird life the last couple of weeks, its
    been really busy, Goldfinch, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Great Tits
    and Linnet all visiting regular and a daily Sparrowhawk fly through, one
    of which nearly hit my arm as it swooped past me. I find it kind of strange
    with the Linnet visiting regular, one visited a few months ago for a couple
    of days but now theres 2 a male and a female and they seem to be hanging
    around with the Goldfinch all the time, also had Deer and a Frog in the
    garden.
    So bye for now, I think I'm gonna try Staveley tomorrow weather permitting.

Sunday Delight

   
      My gardens been chocka with finches these last few weeks all
      coming for food for there young along with the Tit family and
      6 Collared Dove and believe it or not a regular Stock Dove and
       a racing pigeon, Bullfinch and Greenfinch are popping in everyday
      now which I'm always glad to see, I was out in the garden on Sunday
      at around 1.30 when high up in the sky were 2 birds one of which I
      thought was a large Gull at first glance but I went and got my
      binoculars anyway just to make sure, and how wrong I was as it
      was a Red Kite being harassed by a Crow it had flown from over the
      town centre over Claremount and was heading towards Shibden Valley,
      I was like a kid in a sweet shop when I realised and dashed in the house
      for the camera its just a shame it was so high up but great to see around
      here at anytime, also last week I had a Tawny Owl in the garden tree but
      flew off before I could get the camera. Also had a young House Sparrow
      which was nice as not had one in the yard for ages.

Yesterdays Wanderings

     Took a walk down Coach Rd and Sutcliffe Wood Rd yesterday
      in the sunshine but I think the midday heat had kept the birds
      hiding in the shade as not a lot to see but still an enjoyable walk
      its not easy to see anything while all the leaves are on the trees
      and Coach Rd was very dark down the bottom of the track, Blue
      Tits, Dunnocks and Chiffchaff seen and heard.
      Sutcliffe Wood had Kestrel high overhead and Grey Heron down
      by the stream, also drumming in the trees which I thought could be
      LSW but I couldn't locate it.

      Next I decided to drive up to Cold Edge Road to have a look in the
      fields around that area, the Nolstar produced Starlings and Swallows
      with a few flighty small birds that could of been Wheatear or Mipits.
      I then parked up by the mast where there were plenty of Lapwing with
      young and Pied Wagtails one was on the wall with a beak full of flies
      it would of been a cracking shot but a lorry came past and scared it off
      just as I was lined up but thats the way the cookie crumbles. I then went
      up to Fly Flatts in the hope of something special, 2 Oystercatchers were
      feeding, 3 Shelduck flew from the lake down toward the Dams and there
      was at least 6 Curlew about and lots of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks.

       My garden had Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Sparrowhawk in the tree,
       and Kestrel over the back field.