Chris-Leeds
Well-known member
Sounds like your having a good time of it anyway. Only ever driven through Holmfirth before so have absolutely no knowledge of it apart from Last of the summer wine.
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Holmfirth Birding (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter halftwo
- Start date
halftwo
Wird Batcher
Down in the beautiful little valley close to home this evening, above which a dozen Swifts are still scything the sky above forty House Martins hawking the hatch of flies over the trees, the undoubted highlight was a good view of a juvenile Dipper along the stream.
Greater peckers called, as did a Chiffchaff. A family of Wrens alarmed at my presence. Jays and Magpies foraged in the oaks and fields.
Summer's end not quite, but the signs are here.
Greater peckers called, as did a Chiffchaff. A family of Wrens alarmed at my presence. Jays and Magpies foraged in the oaks and fields.
Summer's end not quite, but the signs are here.
halftwo
Wird Batcher
The tits are flocking now and this morning the throng around the feeders was joined by a juvenile Greater pecker which hogged the smaller peanut dispenser.
Young Blackbirds hopped around on the lawn and later sunned themselves after the clouds had gone.
A few Swifts remain but are much reduced.
Out on patch the Red grouse are plentiful on the purple moor where rowens ripen at its edge.
This evening at dusk a Kestrel departed to leave the hunt to the Little owls which perched on telegraph poles along the lanes.
Back home a Little owl called obligingly from across the valley to add itself to my garden list.
Young Blackbirds hopped around on the lawn and later sunned themselves after the clouds had gone.
A few Swifts remain but are much reduced.
Out on patch the Red grouse are plentiful on the purple moor where rowens ripen at its edge.
This evening at dusk a Kestrel departed to leave the hunt to the Little owls which perched on telegraph poles along the lanes.
Back home a Little owl called obligingly from across the valley to add itself to my garden list.
Rob Smallwood
Well-known member
Not bird related but visited the Picturedome last night - what a great venue!!
halftwo
Wird Batcher
On patch up on t'moors today as the day warmed up nicely.
Kestrels hovered and Buzzards circled and butterflies took to the bracken scented air.
Red grouse scuttled away - wary now after the shooting has begun, rapid wing beats taking them across the purple clothed peatlands.
Sparrowhawks got up too, but the Meadow pipits, so abundant last week, have gone.
A single Siskin called from the pines, a Whitethroat alarmed from high bracken, Wrens churred.
Bleak beauty, lush in its summer's end, surrounded me and distant reservoirs shimmered and sparkled.
Kestrels hovered and Buzzards circled and butterflies took to the bracken scented air.
Red grouse scuttled away - wary now after the shooting has begun, rapid wing beats taking them across the purple clothed peatlands.
Sparrowhawks got up too, but the Meadow pipits, so abundant last week, have gone.
A single Siskin called from the pines, a Whitethroat alarmed from high bracken, Wrens churred.
Bleak beauty, lush in its summer's end, surrounded me and distant reservoirs shimmered and sparkled.
halftwo
Wird Batcher
This morning the Meadow pipits were plentiful on patch! And not only that but two Green woodpeckers flew off the moors back to the plantation, yaffling loudly, and the second one had good reason - it was being pursued - by a Kestrel !
Red grouse were all over the place - most sitting on the tops of walls!
A Spotted flycatcher in the plantation, however, made my morning.
Off up there again soon for more.
Red grouse were all over the place - most sitting on the tops of walls!
A Spotted flycatcher in the plantation, however, made my morning.
Off up there again soon for more.
halftwo
Wird Batcher
On patch, part two.
Down to the same valley & up on the moors again for two & a half hours. A Wheatear on a wall first up, and two Yellow wagtails overhead as a Curlew called.
Willow warblers and Chiffchaffs and two Spotted flycatchers were showing well. Kestrels dotted horizons.
Then, rising up from the heather a mature female Marsh Harrier gave us fantastic views as she went higher and higher, drifting North with the warm air.
Some time later I spotted her again low over distant slopes and into hazy yonder. Perhaps just passing through, but very welcome.
Later, along the plantation edge a Robin shared a wall with a brighter bird: a Redstart! An immature male flicking his tail in the sunshine.
Down to the same valley & up on the moors again for two & a half hours. A Wheatear on a wall first up, and two Yellow wagtails overhead as a Curlew called.
Willow warblers and Chiffchaffs and two Spotted flycatchers were showing well. Kestrels dotted horizons.
Then, rising up from the heather a mature female Marsh Harrier gave us fantastic views as she went higher and higher, drifting North with the warm air.
Some time later I spotted her again low over distant slopes and into hazy yonder. Perhaps just passing through, but very welcome.
Later, along the plantation edge a Robin shared a wall with a brighter bird: a Redstart! An immature male flicking his tail in the sunshine.
John Barber
Well-known member
Sounds idyllic up on t'moors today H.
Enjoyed my visit to your patch last week after seeing the Crossbills at Broomhead Reservoir. It's certainly different to the Cheshire Plains !
Enjoyed my visit to your patch last week after seeing the Crossbills at Broomhead Reservoir. It's certainly different to the Cheshire Plains !
John Barber
Well-known member
I think it's followed you up there. Still no sign of any here.
halftwo
Wird Batcher
Today the usual crowd of tits - 20+ Blue, half a dozen Great, a couple of Coal and 20+ Long-taileds were sent into a spin by the arrival of a Sparrowhawk in an adjacent apple tree.
For several minutes the tits and other birds - including at least two Chiffchaffs and assorted finches were held captive by fear of the raptor. From time to time it made a lunge within the tree in an attempt to grab a victim. The crescendo of alarm peaking at these moments.
Then, one by one, the potential prey slipped out of the apple and away. Quiet returned.
In the last two evenings, while standing in my garden, before dark, a Tawny owl has passed close by - once almost over my shoulder to land on a telegraph pole by the road - then last night it flew into a nearby tree where it hopped from branch to branch in sight, though rather in the gloom, before silently slipping away.
This seems a regular in the garden - we've noticed its presence several times now - while others can be heard further off.
Common darter & Holly blue were new insects today.
For several minutes the tits and other birds - including at least two Chiffchaffs and assorted finches were held captive by fear of the raptor. From time to time it made a lunge within the tree in an attempt to grab a victim. The crescendo of alarm peaking at these moments.
Then, one by one, the potential prey slipped out of the apple and away. Quiet returned.
In the last two evenings, while standing in my garden, before dark, a Tawny owl has passed close by - once almost over my shoulder to land on a telegraph pole by the road - then last night it flew into a nearby tree where it hopped from branch to branch in sight, though rather in the gloom, before silently slipping away.
This seems a regular in the garden - we've noticed its presence several times now - while others can be heard further off.
Common darter & Holly blue were new insects today.
halftwo
Wird Batcher
This morning the garden was a hive of activity with tits and finches galore. A Nuthatch and a Siskin came to the feeders while two Willow warblers picked insects from the lawn.
One telephone wire had an incongruous line comprising a Robin, a Dunnock and five Siskins.
This evening on my commute over the moors an adult female Peregrine was consorting with three Ravens - an edfying sight on the way to work.
One telephone wire had an incongruous line comprising a Robin, a Dunnock and five Siskins.
This evening on my commute over the moors an adult female Peregrine was consorting with three Ravens - an edfying sight on the way to work.
John Barber
Well-known member
On the way to Old Moor RSPB in Yorkshire on Wednesday morning a flight of Red Grouse did their very best to collide with two HGV's over those very same moors, luckily they survived. Whether they'll be as successful in avoiding the shooters in the coming days is another matter.
Managed to see the Night Heron at Old Moor, but only brief flight views from the Wader Scrape Hide. Still, according to some of the locals, that was an achievement in itself.
Managed to see the Night Heron at Old Moor, but only brief flight views from the Wader Scrape Hide. Still, according to some of the locals, that was an achievement in itself.
northernloon
swimming in a virtual sea
Yup John. Extreme patience or good luck are involved. Grrr...
captaincarot
Well-known member
the first time i saw it i was down by the wildlife pools chasing dragonflies and briefly spotted a small heron flying in, it must be one of the young bitterns thinks i, then when i got home it dawned on me what i'd seen:eek!:
