Redcar Tarn

Sunday 18th October a.m.
 Heavy laden skies with light drizzle and a temperature of 9°C  greeted us at Redcar Tarn high above Keighley this morning.Good to see five Goosanders on the water along with the usual selection and a Grey Heron on the island.As we were getting a snap of the Grey Heron three Snipe flew close past us & then another three landed in the distance.We walked round to nearer where they landed they flew off so we missed out getting a snap of them.Lapwing were also in this field, we headed for the pond across the road seeing a Snipe here which we think was likely to be from the ones we saw earlier.
 The pond area where we saw the Snipe has been given planning permission by Bradford Council to be developed into a cemetery, with access roads a building and around 80 car parking spaces.We have seen many birds in this field over the last four years some such as Skylark,Oystercatcher, Moorhen & Lapwing have bred there. Others seen include Dunlin,Little Ringed Plover,Ringed Plover,Curlew & Sedge Warbler, so we will have to see how this progresses but one thing is for sure
the birds & other wildlife in this upland designated protected area will lose out.

Goosander

Grey Heron

Snipe

Lapwing

Pond - to be developed into a cemetery

Redcar Tarn

  

Park Dam

Saturday 17th October a.m.
 A dull overcast start to the day as I paid another trip to Park Dam where the temperature was 10°C.
The Canadas were plentiful again grazing in the nearby field with some on the water, some of these flew straight past me as they moved to the field.On approaching the lake I quickly saw the pair of Gadwall & the Wigeon now up to five these moved towards the middle of the lake as I got closer.The Little Grebes were still present fishing & being dive bombed by BH Gull as they caught a fish.Others included Mute Swan,Great Crested Grebe,Coot,Tufted Duck,Moorhen,Mallard,Cormorant & Common Gull.Good to see JB again checking on the Wigeon he had seen earlier in the week.N.P.

Canada

Pair of Gadwall

Wigeon

Little Grebe with a snack

Wigeon & Little Grebe

Canadas on the move

Park Dam 17/10/15

Park Dam

Sunday 11th October a.m.
Early morning mist again which slowly lifted although still gloomy during our visits to Harold Park & Park Dam with a temperature of 10°C.We just paid a brief visit to Harold Park where there was the usual selection of birds.
 We quickly moved the short distance to Park Dam where there was 90 Canadas grazing in the nearby field.The hedgerow held Blackbird,Blue & Great Tits,house Sparrow,Dunnock  & Wren, we moved towards the Lake where there was BH,Common & LBB Gulls,Coot,Cormorant,GC Grebe,Little Grebe, Mallard,Moorhen,Mute Swan & Tufted Duck.It was also good to catch up with the pair of Gadwall & Wigeon still here from last week.We decided to walk round the Lake to get a closer view of them & as we got nearer we could see some different Ducks with them.We couldn,t ID them but as we got nearer they lifted & as they flew we could see there were three Teal a first for us here. They landed after a circuit in the middle of the Lake but soon they were up again & off into the gloom in the distance & away not to be seen again.Anyway we were pleased to get our first record of them here which ended another morning out birding for us.

Great Crested Grebe

Little Grebe

Little Grebe & Coot

male Gadwall

female Gadwall

Pair of Gadwall

Wigeon

Record snap of three Teal

Was it something we said ?

Gadwall,Wigeon & GC Grebe

Mute Swans & others

Park Dam 11/10/2015

Dowley Gap

Saturday 10th October a.m.
After another misty start to the morning which gradually brightened up with a temperature of 10°C on our arrival at Dowley Gap.We had a slow start with birds difficult to find apart from the Mallards on the canal & unusually a couple of Moorhen. We saw the usual BH Gulls at the Water Works along with Magpies,Wren,Pied Wagtail & Dunnock. Further along as we took the path near the River through Hirst Wood a Goosander flew away from us.Also a short stretch ahead the highlight of the morning was a Dipper which we have missed seeing here for a long time.Also seen were a couple of Grey Wagtails & heading back to the car there were several Jays around.

Dipper

Grey Wagtail

Pied Wagtail

Robin

Jay

Mallard

Mallard & Moorhen

Dowley Gap 10/10/2015

Park Dam

Saturday 3rd October a.m.
 Still foggy at Park Dam although visibility was improving the temperature remained at 9°C.The hedgerow seemed full of birds with Goldfinch,Blue,Great & LT Tits, Blackbirds,Robin,Dunnock, House Sparrow & what at first glance I thought were a couple of Willow Warblers but a later call suggested they were more likely Chiffchaff.In the field behind there were well over a hundred Canadas grazing as I made my way to the Lake where it was good to meet fellow birder JB. Here he had already found a female Wigeon & a pair of Gadwall which he pointed out to me.There was also a good number of Coots along with BH Gulls,a single Common Gull,Tufted Ducks,Moorhen, Cormorant, Little Grebes but only one GC Grebe was spotted.There were two Mute Swans which rounded off a good morning birding.N.P.

female Wigeon

Goldfinch

Greenfinch

Little Grebe

Gadwall

pair of Gadwall

Gadwall & BH Gull at Park Dam 3/10/15