Slippery Ford to Keighley Moor Reservoir

Sunday April 29th a.m.
A bright sunny start with a temperature of 5°C which soon felt colder as the clouds built up and the wind blew across the moor.A Willow Warbler was singing as I got out of the car which I located in the nearby tree, there was also a Mistle Thrush in another tree and a Grey Wagtail flew down to the stream.As I started my walk a couple of Swallows appeared landing on the overhead wires.As I approached the game keepers lodge I saw a couple of male Wheatears, Curlews and Mipits were also present and just past the lodge I saw another pair of Wheatears. Here I bumped into a few of other birders who it was good to catch up with and I walked up to the reservoir with two of them.As we approached the reservoir in the distance it looked like a Common Sandpiper was at the edge of the water so I took a couple of distant pictures, it turned out to be a Redshank.We did see a Common Sandpiper on the banking which flew to the edge of the reservoir and two other birds flew past us.The Common Sandpiper walked round the edge of the reservoir towards us over the stones and came right past me at the bottom of the dam wall giving a great view and the opportunity for some pictures.
 With it feeling decidedly colder we soon headed back and we heard a Cuckoo as we approached the car park at Slippery Ford.
Nigel.

Common Sandpiper

Wheatear

Curlew

Swallow

Redshank

Common Sandpiper at Keighley Moor Reservoir 29/4/2018

Redcar Tarn

Saturday 28th April a.m.
A cloudy morning and it was feeling chilly at Redcar Tarn with a temperature of 6°C where it was a quiet morning.There were birds about with Lapwings and Oystercatchers in the surrounding fields,BH and LBB Gulls on the water.There were six Swallows feeding low over the water and there was one House Martin with them.A couple of Pied Wagtails were about but the highlight for me was a Mallard with eight young chicks.
Nigel.

LBB Gull

Pied Wagtail

Mallard chicks

Redcar Tarn

Yeadon Tarn

Sunday 22nd April a.m.
The morning started well as when taking the dog for her walk I spotted the first returning House Martin flying over the houses in Cullingworth.
A bright sunny start with a temperature of 16°C on my arrival, when I got out of the car I was greeted with the sound of a Chiffchaff which I soon spotted.The Tarn held 25 Mute Swans, a male Shoveler and only four Tufteds. As I walked round I soon heard a couple of Willow Warblers again they were spotted and a couple of pictures taken. A Song Thrush was lurking among the bushes and walking round I spotted a good selection of other common species.
 On my way home I decided to stop off at Harden Moor and despite the black clouds looming have a look for one of my favourite returning migrant birds.It wasn't long before I heard it's distinctive call
Cuckoo, I tracked the sound and got the bird in a distant tree, the branches preventing a picture.By now it had started spitting so satisfied with seeing the Cuckoo I quickly headed to the car and off home before the rain started.
Nigel.

male Shoveler

Tufted Duck and Shoveler

Chiffchaff

Willow Warbler

Song Thrush

Yeadon Tarn 22/4/2018

Cullingworth and Hewenden Reservoir

Saturday 21st April a.m.
 A brighter start with the sun out as I headed off towards Hewenden Reservoir with a temperature of 7°C.Plenty common species about this morning, some returning migrants with Chiffchaff,Swallow and Willow Warbler around the reservoir.A GSW was seen briefly in the wood as was a Goldcrest, a domesticated Peacock was a colourful sighting as was a male Pheasant.Others worth a mention are Kestrel,LT Tit,Grey Wagtail,Pied Wagtail,Linnet and a very obliging Wren.
Nigel.

Willow Warbler

Wren

Linnet

LT Tit

Peacock

Pheasant

Hewenden Reservoir 21/4/2018

Dowley Gap

Friday 20th April a.m.
 Another cloudy morning with fog on the surrounding hills I headed to the lower ground of Dowley Gap where the temperature was a cool 11°C.I headed along the canal towards the seeing a Jay on the way water treatment works where I saw a strangely marked Oystercatcher. Overhead there was a mixture of House Martins,Sand Martins and Swallows altogether totalling c50 birds.As I went through Hirst Wood I saw a pair of Coal Tits and at the edge of the River was a Grey Wagtail, a couple of Grey Herons flew past above the trees and the blue flash of a Kingfisher went past me upstream.
Nigel.

Jay

Oystercatcher

Coal Tit

Grey Wagtail

Dowley Gap 20/4/2018