Bolton Abbey

Friday 11th April a.m.

I set off from home in the sunshine but arrived with mist at Barden Bridge and cold at just 3°C, however the sun soon broke through making for an enjoyable walk.  I headed towards the Strid seeing Dipper, Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher,  Grey Wagtail, Goosander & Mandarin Duck.  It was also good to get my first Redstart at this location, this was a male singing high in a tree.  Soon after as I went in to the woodland area I heard a few Pied Flycatchers singing and saw a couple of them and was lucky to get a picture of one high in a tree.  Others here were Chiffchaff, GSW, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Pheasant, Coal Tit and Chaffinch. 

Pied Flycatcher

Redstart

Common Sandpiper

Grey Wagtail

Mandarin

Nuthatch 

Oystercatcher 

Pheasant

Chaffinch

Coal Tit

Mandarin Ducks, River Wharf at Bolton Abbey 11/4/2025

Keighley Moor Reservoir

Thursday 10th April a.m

A sunny morning with a temperature of 6°C as I parked up at Slippery Ford and started to head up to the Reservoir.  Curlews were flying around and a Wheatear was in the field nearby and a short walk away two Ring Ouzels were seen as I spoke to a local birder. The walk up to the Reservoir produced Reed Bunting, Red Grouse & Mipits.  At the Reservoir it was good to see IH & FD on their local patch where a Wheatear was on the dam wall with Canadas, Greylags, Mallards around the water.  A Grey Heron flew over and I spotted a couple of LBB Gulls at the edge of the water. Walking back it was quiet but there were a couple of Willow Warblers in the trees at Slippery Ford.

Reed Bunting

Wheatear 

Meadow Pipit

Distant Ring Ouzel

Keighley Moor Reservoir 10/4/2025

Harden Moor

Wednesday 9th April a.m.

A stroll on Harden Moor with the sun out and a temperature of 6°C produced half a dozen Willow Warblers & three Chiffchaffs.  Others were Skylarks, Bullfinch & Blue Tit.

Willow Warbler 

 

Skylark

Chiffchaff 

Bullfinch

Willow Warbler on Harden Moor 9/4/2025

Hewenden Reservoir

 Tuesday 8th April p.m.

A foggy start to the day not clearing until mid morning so it was in the afternoon with the temperature at 9°C when I had a walk round Hewenden Reservoir.  Good to get my first Swallows & House Martins of this year, others were Buzzard, Canada, Tufted, LT Tit, Robin, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Herring & LBB Gull.  A Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly added a bit of colour.

Buzzard 

LT Tit

Chaffinch

Robin 

Buzzard & Gull

Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly 

Hewenden Reservoir 8/4/2025

Harold Park & Park Dam

 Sunday 6th April a.m.

The sun keeps shining although only 6°C when I managed to find some where to Park at Harold Park.  It looks like another Park Run was about to start when I approached the Lake, that will be why there were so many cars parked on the roadside.   This meant just a quick look seeing three Mute Swans, Canadas, Tufteds, Moorhen, Coot & Mallards.  The water level was still low but it looked like the work had finished with full access now.

  Much more peaceful over the road at Park Dam where there were two Gt Crested Grebes, Tufteds, LBB Gull, Moorhen, Coot, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Greenfinch & Wren.

Canada

GC Grebe

Mute Swan

Wren

Mallard

Greenfinch

Chaffinch

Harold Park 6/4/2025