Dander

Out this pm to Hardcastle Crags and Crimsworth Dean for a stroll of c6 miles. More walking than birding. Lots of people out, especially at the Crags, with plenty of dog walkers struggling to keep up with their dogs.

It was very quiet on the bird front and little bird song heard in the Crags.
Male tawny owl heard at 13.20
Mistle thrush
Titmice
Jackdaws
Dipper (1)
Chaffinch

EGP all is forgiven.

Out and about Sunday pm

After a late start I headed to Elland Gravel Pits Sunday pm which was busy with people but not busy with birds. It's a bit much that they have installed a turnstile to admit the crowds though as part of the recent improvements. It was cold and frosty.
Species seen:-
goldeneye
gc grebe
little grebe
tufted duck
coot
moorhen
cormorant
goosander
common gull
bh gull
mallard
blue tit
great tit
long tailed tit
wren
greenfinch
goldfinch
blackbird
song thrush
carrion crow
jackdaw
magpie
Exciting stuff what!

Also, a quick scoot up to Jay House Lane.
Species seen:-
sparrowhawk
5 tree sparrows
c100 fieldfare
plus the usual titmice, corvids and gulls.

Beware the ice on the road around the ford when the temperatures are low unless you like car tobogganing.

Legerdemain

A handy man to have on your team.Good to see he is not to face any disciplinary action after accidentally handling the ball twice in the World Cup qualifier. Apparently they are thinking of changing the name of Henry Street in Dublin to Hand Ball Alley. Vive les tricheurs!

The pits at Cromwell Bottom

Visit this am.

The waterski lake is thawing slowly so not much about there.
Species seen:-
flocks of goldfinch
flocks of long tailed tits and other titmice
flocks of redpoll
5 siskin
5 goosander, 3m, 2f
1 pochard
coot
moorhen
cormorant
bh and common gulls
2 jay
wren
blackbird
mistle thrush
jackdaw
dunnock
nuthatch-on the feeders in the car park
kestrel

1 mink on the river

Horse opera and donkey serenade

Lots of us have a deep affinity with the natural world, and animals in particular, but you can take this too far.

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Leicester-man-accused-having-sex-horse-donkey/article-1682397-detail/article.html

Sounds like Mr Squires was having a bit of a mare.

Smew news

Sunday 10 Jan
I went over to Horbury Junction yesterday with Veronica and spent three hours walking up and down the bank of the River Calder to get a good look at a smew. Good numbers of birds on the river, unsurprisingly including bird usually seen on lakes, ponds etc.. The following were among the species were seen:-

smew

goldeneye

teal

widgeon

pochard

red breasted merganser

coot

moorhen

mute swan

grey heron

tufted duck

mallard

canada goose

sparrowhawk

meadow pipit

house sparrow

dunnock

redwing

fieldfare

blackbird

mistle thrush

blue, great, long tailed and coal tit

chaffinch, goldfinch and greenfinch

wren

pied and grey wagtail

agbrigg shxtehawk

wood pigeon

herring gull

black headed gull

magpie

carrion crow

jackdaw

The smew was pretty skittish and it flew up and down the river a few times but we got good views eventually. What a cracking bird.

Photos by Veronica. Keep practising.

Snow business

I haven't been able to post recently but I have been out and about a few times, despite the weather.
Highlights have bee two great northern divers at Scammonden reservoir and great views of a short eared owl there also and a scaup at Cromwell Bottom, Calderdale's nearest thing to Titchwell.