Hallas Bridge to Hewenden Reservoir

Sunday 25th April a.m.

 A chilly morning with a start of 2°C as I went down Hallas Lane down to the Bridge seeing a Reed Bunting on a overhead wire which was joined by a couple of Swallows.  A Song Thrush was belting out a tune in the distance and Chaffinch and Nuthatch were also very vocal.  In Hallas beck it was good to see a Dipper as I turned and headed towards Hewenden Viaduct.  Hewenden Beck was looking picturesque with both Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler heard and seen on the route through. The reservoir had a Canada and a couple of Teal on the banking, closer inspection also revealed a Redshank with them, a first for me here.  A couple of Linnets were hiding in the Gorse and a couple of LT Tits also passed through, a Grey Heron was in the distance and Swallows and Sand Martins were feeding low over the reservoir.  A quick look down Station Road gave up more Swallows which gave me chance of a decent picture and a Curlew passed over too quick for a picture though.  I headed home and was pleased to bump in to DP and we stopped for a chat, as we did two Oystercatchers flew over.  Heading over the viaduct a look down in to the overflow for the reservoir produced two more Redshanks which DP had mentioned that he saw.

Swallow

Dipper

Song Thrush

Chiffchaff

Robin

Grey Heron

LT Tit

Teal & Redshank

Redshank in the overflow taken from the viaduct

Hewenden Beck

Hewenden Reservoir 25/4/2021

  

  

Harden Moor

 Saturday 24th April a.m.

A cloudy morning starting off at 4°C as I had a good start on Harden Moor with a Kestrel, this was soon followed by a first for me at this location in the form of a Barn Owl.  It was also good to hear a returning Cuckoo and soon after see it flying in the distance. Plenty Willow Warblers c20 were up singing with just the one Chiffchaff, Redpolls were in the same location as my last visit.  A Little Owl was in a tree and others seen were Curlew, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Skylark, Jay, Pheasant, Swallow and Wren. 

Little Owl

Kestrel

Redpoll

Willow Warbler

Meadow Pipit

Leeshaw Reservoir

Sunday 18th April a.m.

  A cloudy start but the sun did come out, the temperature was 5°C  as I started on Nab Water Lane which produced the goods in the form of three Wheatear.  There were other birds around including Lapwing, Curlew, Skylark and Mipits.

  I then went down to Leeshaw where there were Canadas, Greylags and Lapwings in the surrounding fields.  Good to see three Redshanks, a couple of Oystercatchers and a Hare came bounding past.

 I also got a surprise at home on the garden feeder with a visit from a Redpoll, maybe it followed me home from yesterday.

Wheatear

Oystercatcher

Hare

Redpoll on the garden feeder

Lapwing at Leeshaw 18/4/2021

Harden Moor

 Saturday 17th April a.m.

 A bright sunny morning which started off chilly at 3°C but soon warmed up as I walked round Harden Moor.  It was good to see Willow Warblers back in good numbers with ten counted and a couple of Chiffchaffs gave them some vocal competition.  There were plenty others singing with Robin, Dunnock, Wren, Blackbird, Skylark and Song Thrush all making it sound like Spring.  In the fields below nearer to Cullingworth there were c150 Gulls, Curlew, Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge, Coal Tit, Jay, Meadow Pipit and Bullfinch were also seen.  A Green Woodpecker was making plenty of noise some distance away which I finally spotted at the top of a tree about 200 yards away, which the camera did well to get a record picture of.  Finally a flock of ten Redpolls were moving around settling in a conifer after seeds in the Pine Cones.

  It looks like the nesting site for the Sand Martins is a thing of the past with the quarry being filled and regular large fires directly under their old nesting site, sad to see!

Redpoll

Red-legged Partridge

Song Thrush

Willow Warbler

Bullfinch

Chiffchaff

Coal tit

Curlew

Green Woodpecker 200 yards away

Redpoll on Harden Moor 17/4/2021

Reservoir Tour

 Friday 9th April a.m.

  A bright morning with a temperature of 7°C as I pulled up on the track at Leeshaw Reservoir where there was two Little Owls in their normal location.  Redshanks were moving around as were Oystercatchers, Curlew and Lapwings.

  My next stop was Leeming Reservoir where it was good to see three Sand Martins feeding over the water where there were four Tufteds.  A Chaffinch was in competition with a Chiffchaff to see who was the most vocal, others were Jay, Bullfinch, Canadas, Pied Wagtail and Oystercatcher.

  Finally I went to the BOG members only Reservoir a short drive up the road and through the locked gates following a Red-legged Partridge up the track to the parking spot.  Also here was a Pheasant, several Mipits and two Oystercatchers on the wall alongside the Reservoir.  I walked along the track through the Sheep and saw a Pied Wagtail, on the water were twenty or so large gulls and a couple of Tufteds.  By now another smaller bird was between the Oystercatchers which was difficult to ID from distance but as I got closer it was a Dunlin.  I passed them heading towards the hide the Oystercatchers flew off but the Dunlin dropped to the other side of the wall.  It soon came back on to the wall which meant I got a close view and some decent pictures.

Dunlin

Dunlin & Oystercatchers

Little Owl

Mipit

Redshank

Tufteds

Chaffinch

Chiffchaff

Curlew

Leeming Reservoir 9/4/2021