Firecrest Search

           Some pics from today at Cromwell on a very cold day, minus 5 when I

           set off in search of the Firecrest again but no joy today although DF 

           dropped lucky with a good spot of it, Redpoll and Siskin kept popping

           up again, sorry but I can't tell the difference yet between a Lesser, Common,

           or Mealy Redpoll so for now its just Redpoll along with Goldfinch and 

           plenty of Jays knocking about, I counted 9. Nice to see DF, DW, DJS, RH,

           SM, MS, DP, AW a few of whom I've not seen for a while. A Buzzard was

           soaring above and a Grey Wagtail was on the river.

 

Garden Birds

       Sorry I haven't been on the blog for a while as Ive been having a few anxiety problems

       but all ok now, so here's a start with some of my garden birds

 

Pink Footed Geese Migration

 Some pics I took of the 1000's of Pink Footed Geese

 that flew over Calderdale the other day, a fantastic

 sight even the neighbours were impressed, also lots

 of Redwing & Fieldfare were flying over, garden had

 50+ Goldfinch and 2 Wren and the regular visitors,

 2 Jay have started to be seen regularly in the back field,

 and a Raptor what looked like a Harrier being harassed by

 a Raven high up above Claremount, it was late so all I got

 was silhouettes but the Raven could be heard Kronking.

Redwing Bonanza

 Took a trip to Oxenhope watchpoint on Monday morning

 to see the migration flocks after an invite by HC and I really

 enjoyed it DB was also up there with his vast amount of

 knowledge, 2 Raven, 600+ Redwing with a few Fieldfare

mixed in with them, 20+ Meadow Pipits, 16 Goldfinch, a

Juvenile Peregrine Falcon chasing Jackdaws and pigeons,

it was bitter cold but thanks for the invite and company HC.

The afternoon produced 3 Stonechat on Hag Lane and the 

garden had LTT's , 20+ Goldfinch, 2 Bullfinch, 4 Chaffinch,

Wren, Robin, Mistle Thrush, Starlings, Blue, Great and Coal

Tits, 4 Greenfinch, Sparrowhawk in the evening, and a couple

of Blackbird.

This morning was a bonanza of the same birds in the garden,

a Jay flypast 3 times and 200+ Redwing flew over the back

field also known as Pepper Hill flying East towards Shibden 

Park. also 2 Collared Doves and a Wren and Dunnock.

In Search of the HOOPOE

  Took a trip to Collingham nr Wetherby on Wednesday

   to look for a reported Hoopoe a bird that Ive never seen,

   after tooing and froing whether to go or not I thought I'd

   better have a go as I might never get to see one again, so

   I set off hopeful and how glad was I that I made the effort

   the bird showed as soon as I got out of the car, what a beauty

   and such a compromising bird, had a half hour watching it,

   until the throngs of birders and snappers turned up even blocking

   the road so I thought its time for me to disappear, but what a 

   delightful bird and well worth the effort.

  

   

Black Redstart

 

    Had a report last week of a Black Redstart up at Soil Hill

    so had to go have a look for myself, 3 birders were

   already up there DjS, AT, GR was nice to see them,

   bird showed at a distance the first 5 minutes up there, 

   but then had to wait an hour for it to return, was only

  a young one but still nice to see even at distance.