Swillington Ings

Sunday 20th April a.m.

A cloudy chilly morning at 7°C as I walked round the Reedbeds at Swillington Ings with plenty birds to hear & See.  Bitterns were booming, Cetti's Warblers were very vocal and as usual elusive and also good to see returning Common Terns.  There were good numbers of Black-necked Grebes, Gt Crested Grebes and a couple of Little Grebes.  Some of the other birds seen were Gadwall, Shelduck, Shoveler, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Lapwing, Pochard, Canada with goslings, Swallow & Reed Bunting.  

Common Tern

Redshank

Reed Bunting

 

Little Grebe

Gt C. Grebe 

Black-necked Grebe 

Shoveler 

Shelduck 

Pochard

Cetti's Warbler 

Canada with goslings

Swillington Ings 20/4/2025

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