West Yorkshire

David Walsh · Status: Offline

RE: West Yorkshire

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

Early am to 1pm visit with Steve Burke and Simon Gough.

A cracking few hours with some 72 species seen both on the reserve and surrounds, and nice to meet Paul Coates from the Swillington Bird Group.

- no sign of the 'present all week' Glaucous Gull, I don't expect anything less now from this species which has learned quickly to detect my presence and totally disappear.
- Great Black-backed Gull 2 adult + 2 juv unknown age
- Grasshopper Warbler 1 showed well for scope views, no photo opps
- Sedge Warbler 3, more heard
- Reed Warbler 2, more heard
- Chiffchaff 2, more heard
- Willow Warbler 2, more heard
- Common Whitethroat 4
- Blackcap 4
- Meadow Pipit lots
- Skylark at least 3
- Pink-footed Goose 2
- Shelduck
- Gadwall
- Shoveler
- Teal
- Pochard
- Goldeneye 1m
- Tufted Duck
- Black-necked Grebe 8
- Little Grebe 4
- Great Crested Grebe
- Whimbrel 1 feeding near disused visitor centre
- Avocet 3
- Oystercatcher 4
- Lapwing
- Dunlin 2
- Redshank
- Common Sandpiper 2
- Little Egret 1
- Red Kite 1
- Common Buzzard 1
- Kestrel 3
- Hobby 1 through over 'the hillside' ... picked up speed and kept going through
- Stock Dove 2
- Jay 1
- Swift lots
- Sand Martin lots
- Swallow and House Martin more reduced numbers
- Long-tailed Tit 4
- House Sparrow 1
- Bullfinch 2
- Reed Bunting all over reserve
- Linnet 5

Always produces a good array of birds here, pity the target species didn't show, still debating a trip here again tomorrow!

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 1st of May 2016 09:24:31 PM

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 1st of May 2016 09:30:34 PM

Simon Gough · Status: Offline

The Richard's Pipit was a brilliant bird, my first so I couldn't resist the twitch. It showed really well, which hasn't been the case for everyone going to see it. I couldn't honestly say I appreciated the size of hindclaw or the coverts though, from my viewpoint. Rob was a lot closer to the bird than me when we found it so from my distance I built the ID from the size, structure and jizz of the bird.

We met a local birder who was saying that Richard's can be confused with Blyth's Pipit, and the local guys wanted to be sure when this one was found as they had a Blyth's last winter not far away. This bird seemed very upright and had a long tail, so I couldn't see the confusion particularly. But it is easy when you are twitching something that somebody else has already found and identified!

God knows how I'd manage on my own...but I would like to think if one flew by in autumn migration I'd have a vague idea, I think a lot must get ID'ed in flight when they call. Probably harder if you just have views, especially from distance. We spoke to another guy who had been 3 times before he heard it call, whereas we heard it well, so that was handy, plus it was pretty close. This was my 250th UK lifer, a nice milestone.

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

A trip over to Swillington Ings again with Simon Gough ... lunchtime until dark

Quick stop at Pontefract Lane overlooking the landfill site near Swillington village.

Literally 100's of Gulls including...
-lots of the main 5 species and 1 large Gull of interest that closely resembled the young Ainsdale Caspian Gull, very distant though and constantly being put up by the site vehicles so we were unable to further the identification.

Swillington Ings. (Nice to bump into Ian Lyth)

- Richard's Pipit 1
Only had brief views (but essentially good enough ones with calling) in Cornwall 2015, so getting this one today was most welcome.
The bird showed very well near the new sluice area between the perimeter of the the flashes and the Caroline bridge, it stood tall on the ground, did a few flights, it even hovered for us and started calling. A long hind claw was very evident as were the pointy edged dark centres to the median coverts.

Other birds of note...
- Meadow Pipit 1 (was with the Richard's Pipit at one point)
- no sign of Water Pipits for us
- Skylark 2
- Pied Wagtail 2
- Rook 1
- Golden Plover 100-150
- Lapwing approx the same
- Curlew 5
- Oystercatcher 2
- Kestrel 1
- Sparrowhawk 1
- Common Buzzard 1
- Goldeneye
- Shoveler
- Tufted Duck
- Wigeon
- Teal
- Great Black-backed Gull
- Common Gull
- Plus usuals

Stopped in at Anglers CP for the Gull roost on way home.
- Caspian Gull 4th winter (On reaching the main hide a birder pointed out this Gull)
A Lifer for me (in near adult plumage) if indeed it was a Caspian
- Kumlien's Gull had just left and apparently had flown to Wintersett Res across the way
- Pochard few Drakes around
- Lapwings
- Oystercatcher 1
- Plus usuals

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Monday 11th of January 2016 01:13:44 AM

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

The Gull at Normanton that we saw has been confirmed as a Herring Gull, cheers Ian.

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

A trip over to Swillington Ings today with Simon Gough
(A brief stop at Ingbirchworth fields en-route but no sign of the Greenland White-fronted Goose)

Swillington -
Looks as though it was badly affected by the floods as there's a tide line of rubbish surrounding the area, many paths still inaccessible and completely underwater, the rain soon started and didn't stop, we were drenched.
Of note...
- Bittern 1 dead one on main path near waters edge
- Grey Heron everywhere
- Great Crested Grebe 1
- Golden Plover 2 flocks of approx 100
- Lapwing lots
- Wigeon
- Teal
- Shoveler
- Gadwall
- Tufted Duck
- Great Black-backed Gull 1
- Meadow Pipit 1 over
- Pied Wagtail 4
- Reed Bunting 2
- Skylark few over
- Stonechat 2
- Common Buzzard 3 together
- Kestrel 1
- flock of birds seen feeding on floor near car park on Fleet Lane entrance consisting of roughly...
- Bullfinch 10+ (at least 5 males, more females)
- Reed Bunting 8
- Chaffinch
- Greenfinch
- Robin
- Great Tit

Normanton.
Adult Caspian Gull was reported in a field near Loscoe Lake and we think we located it after a walk through mud and pools down the footpath opposite the West Yorksire Police headquarters (American Wigeon location last year).
The Gull in question stood out with a massive bill and the sloping forehead in comparison to the Herring Gull next to it. Simon had the Bible with him and we checked one of my photos with the book, as yet we are not fully convinced.
1 Common Gull was with them, and the rest of the 20 or so birds were Black-headed Gulls.
Lots of other Gulls were located in another field but we couldn't get close to scan them and the rain was still pouring.

Silkstone Waterworks.
Firecrest was reported today so being in the area we drove down to take a look, we heard it alright but with fading light and drenching rain still, we just couldn't see it.
Lots of other small birds in the immediate area including...
- Treecreeper 1
- Long Tailed Tits approx 15-20
- Coal Tit 2
- Great Tit 1
- Robin 2
- Wren 1

A poor day weather wise, but we made the most of it and saw some good birds.

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 3rd of January 2016 06:14:21 PM

C Brown · Status: Offline

Black redstart showing very well at Green Withins Reservoir at about 12:45 this aft'. Also, a wheatear by the drain (these seem really thin on the ground to me) and a few meadow pipits.

Regards, Chris

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 5th of September 2015 06:54:12 PM

Mark Rigby · Status: Offline

Green Withins Reservoir (Just over the border into deepest West Yorkshire)

Black Redstart showed well at 1445 on walls near the overflow.
2 Wheatear
Common Sandpiper
Heron
2 Mallard

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

Swillington Ings.

Late afternoon visit with Simon Gough, driving through torrential rain on the M1. The heavy downpour continued whilst sat in the car park and it didn't look good, but there was a break in the clouds and we seized the chance to go and try for the Night Heron.

Apparently it hadn't been seen since around 1pm but we gave it a go and headed off to find the pipe bridge where it has been favouring the nearby trees. We took the woodland trail and despite no sign of the mentioned bridge, we found an opening with a muddy bank down to the river, but we didn't have to go down it and risk slipping as Simon said "Look, it's there!"

- 1 adult (Black-crowned) Night Heron - a Lifer for me.

Excellent view from the footpath, it was just resting in the middle of the river on a small island. It kept leaning forward and eventually stabbed at something but didn't see if it caught anything. We walked back 10 yards or so and found a gap in the branches, not an opening to get through, which enabled me to get a good side on view for some excellent record shots.
The bird was very jumpy and a couple of times something near the bank snapped a twig in the lower part of the trees and it almost jumped out of its skin. Eventually it did get un-nerved by something there and it flew off downriver.

Other birds of note...
- juvenile Goldfinches in a bush making a burbling sound
- 2 Linnet
- 1 female Bullfinch and more heard along the path
- 1 Jay

John Rayner · Status: Offline

Having spent over an hour fruitlessly scouring the fields around Stones Road, Todmorden, I discovered RBA had mis-informed me. Stones Lane was the correct place - at the junction of Parkin Lane.

Here were a nice trip of 7 Dotterel.

Cheers John.

-- Edited by John Rayner on Tuesday 28th of April 2015 11:14:11 PM

Simon Gough · Status: Offline

An epic post covering a very enjoyable day. Thanks as usual to Rob for the driving. Swillington Ings was great, we should acknowledge the very friendly local birders we met who shared lots of local knowledge; we'd have spent a fair while longer trying to cover the site without having had the pointers we received.

On the point of the second Iceland Gull, which Rob brilliantly spotted while we were looking around Woodlesford Lock, to me this bird was the doppelganger of a couple of 2nd Winter birds in the Birding Forum photo gallery; the Pete Berry shot from Heaton Park 18/03/15 and the Ian McKerchar shot from Richmond Bank 14/03/15. Ours had a grey mantle which showed in the same way as the photos when the bird was on the ground and stood out clearly when it was flying. It was otherwise almost completely white or very pale, presumably faded after the winter. So for me that is what it was. The lads got photos which should allow it to be checked out by the expert gullers. Definitely not a Glaucous Gull, which Rob and I are still desperate to see, but a cracking bird nonetheless. I thought it looked like the same one when we went back to Swillington Ings, but who knows.

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

Sunday 29th March 2015

Another quality day in the company of Simon Gough and Steve Burke produced another Wildfowl bonanza and Gull fest with a whole host of species providing a top quality supporting cast.
73 species seen on the day, including 1 Lifer for me, 6 heard only, and 2 that I missed, so day totals could vary slightly.

Firstly to Normanton.
American Wigeon (Drake) - a Lifer for me. We picked this bird up within minutes of parking up. It was literally on a small lake by a field, at the side of the road, near an industrial estate and a massive Police Station.
He had 2 female Wigeon keeping him company on the lake.
Other birds of note...
Tufted Duck
10+ Greylag Geese
2 Grey Partridge - flushed from side of path
Few Skylark
3 Meadow Pipit
Few Long Tailed Tits
1 Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Yellowhammer reported by another birder - we could hear it faintly in the distance

Swillington Ings.
If you've never been to this place then you need to. Well worth a visit, it's a wide open wetlands area with very little obscuring vegetation. Reedbeds, marsh, lakes, spits, islands, and with access paths enabling good views.
Mute Swan
Canada Goose
Greylag Goose
Pink-footed Goose - 1 single then small group over
Mallard
Wigeon
Pochard - plenty around
Tufted Duck
Goldeneye
Gadwall - lots feeding in fields and on water
Teal
Shoveler - most I've ever seen
Shelduck
Goosander - I missed 2 flying over whilst looking for Glaucous Gull
Great Crested Grebe - 4 or 5, 2 close up flyovers
Little Grebe - 2
Black-necked Grebe - 2 splendid adults in breeding plumage
Cormorant
Bittern - heard only, constant booming all afternoon
Grey Heron
Red Kite - 1 drifting over edge of reserve (we weren't far from Harewood House)
Sparrowhawk - 2
Buzzard - probably 5
Kestrel - 2
Water Rail - heard only
Green Woodpecker - 1 flew up off the ground infront of us and into the scrub at the riverside
Golden Plover - at least 700 total in 3 quick succession groups
Oystercatcher
Lapwing
Dunlin - 1
Redshank
Common Snipe
Black-headed Gull - everywhere
Common Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull - only 1 or 2 adults around (possibly more juv)
Juvenile Iceland Gull - well picked out Simon
Possible Yellow-legged Gull candidate (unconfirmed as yet, not counted in total)
Sand Martin - approx 25 through in total
Water Pipit - 1, I missed this one!
Pied Wagtail
Song Thrush - 1 on kerb at side of the lane down to reserve
Plenty of Robin
Jay - 2 feeding with Gadwall and Canada Geese
Goldfinch - I had 1 singing on traffic lights near reserve
Bullfinch - 3, 1 pair together calling, another female flew in
Linnet - 1
Chaffinch
Reed Bunting - lots of them
Starling - a few groups around totalling a few 100
Chiffchaff - 1 seen, 2 more heard
Cetti's Warbler - heard only on way back to hide
Lots of usuals around

Quick visit to Woodlesford
No sign of reported Garganey but I did locate a huge Iceland Gull in a field opposite the supposed Garganey location. It flew off and landed in another field nearby which we located again for better views. Seemed to be near adult but just not as clean looking.
Curlew - 5
Chiffchaff - 1 up close
Mistle Thrush - 2
Pheasant (white) - 1 in field near Iceland Gull
Tree Sparrow - heard only in tree near car park
Great Spotted Woodpecker - heard only, same location

Quick stop back at Swillington Ings
Steve picked up another Iceland Gull in the field on far side. Was it the a ame one as earlier...who knows??? I made it 1 a piece!
No sign of Glaucous Gull in any roosting groups after extensive searching.

Fantastic day mainly on a new reserve for me that's gone on the 'must go again' list.

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Tuesday 31st of March 2015 01:13:42 AM

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Tuesday 31st of March 2015 01:16:42 AM