13th Jan. Short low level walk around the three reservoirs today. Soringholes provided the best with Kestrel, Little Owl, Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare and Stonechat all within a hundered metre stretch.
Note that the access restrictions due to road repairs beyond Piethorn House, and the subsequent diversion, do not take you far out of your way - although you would be advised to wear sturdy footwear as it can be a bit soggy underfoot.

9th January.

A pair of Stonechat attempting to remain on territory over the relatively mild winter months to date.

Cheers,

Bill.

Quite warm and dry today, and the wildlife responded well to it. (Too many people though!)
Best of the day =

Grey Partridge 4 The first I've seen for several months. (Same area that I described to you Chris.)
Kestrel Over Rhodes Barns. Hanging almost directly overhead at one point.
Goldfinches 2 Although quite common in the area these were way up in the sparse blackthorn tress beyond Rhodes Barns and towards the slopes over Norman Hill Reservoir
House Sparrows 4 Springmill
Goldcreasts 2 Below Ogden Dam

Dippers 2 Not quite in the valley but they tend to range between Peppermint Bridge and Woodmill

On a late morning/early afternoon stroll round the lower and middle reaches of the valley, in pretty gloomy and damp conditions I saw:

1. a couple of goldcrests in Rough Bank Plantation
2. treecreeper here also (only my third in the valley I think)
3. couple of goosander on Ogden Res'
4. little owl near Springholes
5. great spotted woodpecker flying down the valley. This got my ticker racing for a time as as it flew towards me looked incredibly small, but as it got beyond me and flew further down the valley, seemed to visibly swell in flight to normal GSW size.
6. Heard my first singing mistle thrush of the year too, near Gate House

Nice to bump into Geoff Eldridge too.

C. Jepson-Brown


-- Edited by C Brown on Thursday 3rd of January 2013 02:00:16 PM

Very quiet on a walk back down the valley from th' Owd Tup to New Hey, with only four cormorants and a couple of goosander on Ogden Reservoir to report.

C. J-B

Great Crested Grebe 2 - both on Ogden
Canada Goose (98) the most that I have ever seen in a single flock in the valley. (Biggest count so far this autumn had been 72 until today)
Read Bunting (2) Cold Greave
Stonechat (2) Rhodes Barns
Fieldfares (4) flying over Ogden Edge
Kestrel Over Kitcliffe Farm


A dog-walker friend described what sounded like partridges that she had just seen but I have yet to see any this autumn - although I found some fairly fresh droppings yesterday in the usual haunts. I went to the area that she was talking about but I found nothing - although it then occured to me that I had seen female pheasnts there a few days ago.

Jay in Roughbank Plantation
Little Owl confirmed as sitill in residence.
Dipper around infall to Norman Hill Reservoir. (Another at Woodmill on the way to the valley.)
Kestrel (male) above Piethorn Brook (beyond Norman Hill Reservoir.)
Wrens (2) Track upto Roughbank in the last of the daylight.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 18th of November 2012 05:33:44 PM

On a walk up the valley this aft', taking in Raghole Clough, Doldrum, the Rapes Highway, Norman Hill Res' and returning via Ogden Lane, I saw the following:

1. Great crested grebe on Ogden Res'
2. Reed bunting by the Rapes Highway, above Doldrum
3. A couple of meadow pipits by the old Piethorne Farms
4. Great spotted woodpecker in Bluebell Wood
5. 6 goosander on Kitcliffe Res' (3 males and 3 females)
6. My first woodcock of this 'back end' by Kitcliffe Res'

There was also a rather fine looking roe deer stag, with a decent set of prongs in Knowsley Plantation.

Regards, Chris

Stonechat 2 (poss 3 - they were hard to keep track of amongst the walls and rusty braken) Rhodes Barns.
Fieldfare approx 25 - 30 Binns Ruins. My first in the Piethorn Valley this winter. (Mixed flock included 1 Mistle Thrush and a few starlings.)

Best ever close up of one of our Ravens preening on a fence post at Springholes today. Truly magnificant and it only took off when a second one flew over. Not much else about though. (Bluebell Wood is in a real mess thanks to some path building if you are heading up that way.)

Mid morning about 20 Redwing between Springholes and the top of Goodfleckers.

On a walk up Ogden this aft were:

a pair of raven up near Rooden, plenty of meadow pipits in the upper valley, nine tufted duck on Norman Hill Res', two Goosander on Kitcliffe Res' and a green woodpecker in the old ash tree on the northern side of Kitcliffe. I didn't see the little owls at Springholes, but they were still there in the summer.

Regards, Chris

First proper visit for a couple of years, but good to get back in the hills.

1 Raven cronking loudly and showing well on the pylon by the track above Ogden (something I certainly don't see down here in Norfolk!)
7 redhead Goosander on Kitcliffe and then presumably the same group on Ogden a bit later on
adult Green Woodpecker (was a major rarity when I used to bird this place in the 90s) at the end of the Piethorne Res embankment
Great Crested Grebe - 1 on Ogden
Cormorant - 3 on Ogden, 1 on Kitcliffe and 2 sat right on top of the pylon by the road
Canada Goose - 42 in sheep fields
Kestrel hovering over the quarry

Had a look around the quarry for Little Owl but couldn't find any, presume they are still here?

Neil

4 female goosander on Kitcliffe res at 09:30

Today I received a report from local birder, P. Sutton, regarding a colossal gathering of siskin near Coldgreave in the upper valley yesterday. Basically he said the number was 'several hundred' strong and feeding on the abundant thistle heads and the ground adjacent. He described how the ground was so thick with them that it appeared that the grass was moving and when they took flight, it was like one of those huge starling flocks on the Somerset Levels.
That must've been something to see.

Chris

5th September.

An independent juvenile Green Woodpecker this morning. I hope it fares a little better than a juvenile from 2010 and another (or the same?) bird from earlier this year, which both had to be rescued and temporarily taken into care. I'm sure it too wouldn't want to suffer their indignities of recuperation at the local hedgehog sanctuary and having to dine on minced meat whilst looking on at the poor table manners of a few hedgehogs!

Cheers,

Bill.

Whinchat just above Kitcliffe Farm about an hour ago.

Chris

Not a bad afternoon for Ogden really and the walk I did yielded; a single redstart by the path between Bluebell Wood and Piethorne Res', but best by a country mile was a rather splendid hobby carting off a swallow. The swallows by Spring Mill were going doolally and I guess I must've missed the moment of impact by seconds. The bird left the scene in a leisurely fashion, and I lost sight of it as it headed in the direction of Doldrum.
On an earlier visit to the 'new road' over Kingsway, a few snipe were the only creatures of significance.

Regards, Chris

-- Edited by C Brown on Saturday 25th of August 2012 03:02:44 PM

-- Edited by C Brown on Saturday 25th of August 2012 03:03:11 PM

7th August.

2 Whinchat this morning, plus a total of 6 Stonechat in 3 different locations. A Dipper was singing, perhaps more surprisingly so were 5 Willow Warblers early in the morning. Most song consisted of a truncated bit of the full version, although one was going at it full throttle. Also present a family party of Linnet, with at least 2 incessantly begging young. It was also nice today to see a House Sparrow and also hear others around the farm. This record coupled with a few other sightings this year and in 2011 suggests that a small population may hopefully have re-established itself in the valley after several years' absence?

Yesterday, after hearing of Steve Atkins sensational Common Scoter record at Watergrove I came up to check the valleys reservoirs to see if any had dropped in here. No signs on any on the 4 reservoirs I checked......although it's always possible there may have been hundreds lurking on the two other unchecked ones! Still the visit was very worthwhile as I was able to confirm breeding for a pair of Whitethroats which I have been following and that have been holding territory throughout a large part of the breeding season. The male was seen on several occasions collecting and carrying what looked like crane flies. The nest is at roughly 225 metres above sea level. Not sure if that in itself is unusual? Certainly a first for me here and it may even be a first for the valley? As mentioned, Whitethroat is not a regular species here and breeding was not proven for it during the last 4 years of our local breeding birds' atlas project for the 2 main tetrads that covers most of Piethorne, so all in all quite a pleasing record.

Whilst in waffling mode , a quick update on the SCaMP project here (see earlier posts on this thread dated 24/3/09 & 2/9/10). The slower growing tree species such as Oak are still largely growing inside or just peeking out of their protective sheaths. However, some of the more vigorous trees species have, around three years later, made substantial growth and some of the Rowans already have a small berry crop this year which will help the valleys bird population in the autumn and winter months.

Cheers,

Bill.

Cuckoo (male)

This was my first trip in the valley for 3 months so I do not know whether this bird has been seen or perhaps more likely heard up there before this year. (It was a good and positive sighting at a short distance.)

Whitethroat singing at the top end of Wickenhall this aft'

Chris

It sound like there are young dippers in the brook tunnel under the Dyeworks yard. I've seen the adults passing under there quite often but yesterday there were vocals to go with the sighting.
(I'm now off for a few months so will be unable to follow up on this or any other valley sightings.)

30th April.

Matt from United Utilities reported the sighting of a Cuckoo in the upper valley this morning.

Cheers,

Bill.

Also saw a Little Owl today, plus an unidentified raptor (only got a fleeting glimps and didn't have time to lock on with the binoculars before it disappeared from view).

Apart from the usual birds (tits etc) nothing else unusual was spotted.

Despite my misgivings about the fate of the Little Owl a couple of weeks ago we still have at least one in the usual haunts.

7 tufted ducks on Kitcliffe Reservoir (4m)
3 Goosanders on Piethorn Reservoir (2m)

I tied myself in the usual knots trying to sort out willow warblers and chiffchaffs but I am sure there was at least one of the latter in Knowsley Plantation amongst three or four willow warblers all giving it full voice this morning. (Still it passes the time and in theory builds the knowledge.)

Whilst not in the main valley, but still within the catchment, I took a lovely evening stroll up on to Axletree Edge and Foxstone Edge and saw/heard the following:

three fine red grouse,
golden plover calling from the direction of White Hill,
and as usual up here at this time of the year, two wheatears of the Greenland type, both males.
I also heard a curlew.

C. Brown

I have been out there most of today but no Ring Ouzels yet this year. I checked all the usual haunts for them and for our resident stonechats but couldn't find them either. Nor have I seen any wheatears yet this year.
Up on the moors above Piethorn Brook (upper stretch) I did find a ringed and somewhat bloody leg though. It did all the stuff you are supposed to do and it turned out to be a all that was left of a racing pigeon from Keigthly.

Common Sandpiper at Piethorn Rervoir
Reed Bunting 2 in Piethorn Plantation (North side of road)
Dipper(s) At each end of the valley.
Mistle Thrush on lower slopes of Ogden Edge
Raven(s) Rhodes Barn
Grey Wagtail (Outflow waterfall of Norman Hill Reservoir)
Curlew(s) Several at the upper end of the valley
Skylark(s) Mostly on northern slopes of the valley
Cormorant on Piethorn Reseroir
Meadow Pipit(s) pretty much everywhere.
Willow Warbler(s) At least four on the south side of the valley.
Jay 2 Piethorn plantation
Coot on Ogden Reservoir.
Green woodpecker - plantation behind the mill (Possibly two as one heard a few minutes earlier below Peppermint Bridge.)

A single Wheatear was photographed by my daughter at Cold Greave this morning. I couldn't find any this afternoon.

2 Oystercatchers
1 Green Woodpecker
4 Swallow
2 Sand martin
lots Willow Warblers
2 Bullfinches

A friend of mine has just told me that she found a dead 'baby owl' a few weeks ago on the track at Springholes. From the description I suspect it was a Little Owl.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 14th of April 2012 10:13:46 AM

Great crested grebe 1
Tufted Duck 2pr (One pair on Ogden Reservoir and another on Norman Hill Reservoir)
Coot 2pr (Both pairs on Ogden Reservoir)
Oystercatchers 2
Grey Partridge 1 pr above Binns Ruins
Jays 2 Goodfleckers
Skylarks 3 seen and several more heard throughout the valley.
Curlews 3 seen but the were probably more.
Green Woodpecker (Heard in Wickenhall area)
Meadow Pipits the usual large contingent were scattered throughout the valley.
Read Bunting 1 on fringe of Kitcliffe Reservoir
Raven 1 seen over Rhodes Barns
Dipper 1 on brook behind the dyweorks
Plus Great tits, blue tits, coal tits, chaffinches, greenfinches, dunnock, wren, magpies, carrion crows, wood pigeons, mallards, robins, blackbirds and probably a few that I've forgotten. Willow Warbler heard but not pinned down.

On a little stroll up Wickenhall this aft' were two willow warblers singing and a chiffchaff at Lanebottom. Also 5 stock doves here and my first local swallows with two at Spring Mill. There were a couple of coots and a great crested Grebe on Ogden Res' too.

C.B

Sat 7th Apr

Pair of Curlew ovhead while driving into Denshaw from the M62 around midday.

On a walk up to Doldrum and Ogden, I saw (or heard) the following:

1. A green woodpecker at Peppermint Bridge,
2. A chiffchaff at Lanebottom,
3. 3+ sand martins back at the Longden End colony, plus two wheatears here,
4. Several curlews,
5. A pair of little owls in Springholes Quarry,
6. A tawny owl in Knowsley Plantation and my first willow warbler of the year was singing here also. There was also another willow warbler by Kitcliffe Res
7. Several linnets over.
8. Plenty of skylarks and meadow pipits knocking about too

C.B

Hi mate,

Nice to meet you too! We didn't see anything else much of note either, apart from some nice views of a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the trees in the garden of those large adjoined houses the other side of Kitcliffe reservoir.

On a circular walk up the valley to Norman Hill Res', over the top to Whiteley Dean (not named on modern maps, but the valley that runs east from Longden End towards the watershed), past Doldrum and Springholes I saw the following:

1. Wheatear (male) in Springholes Quarry. Thanks must go to Rob and Alison Willis for pointing this bird out to me. Very nice to meet you both. I'm afraid the little owl didn't show after you'd gone either. I've not seen one here for ages now.
2. Tawny owl in Knowlsey plantation.
3. Pair of oystercatchers by Hanging Lees.
4. Several curlews about the valley.
5. A few pheasants being rather vocal.
6. Pair of Goldeneye on Norman Hill Ressy.
7. Lots of meadow pipits moving through the valley.
8. A few skylarks singing (very nice).
9. Two coot on Ogden Res.

Regards, C.B

Ogden res this afternoon from the Dam, a brief 10 minute visit.

8 Canada Geese
12 Mallard
2 Great Crested Grebe
1 Coot
2 Pied Wagtail
3 Curlew overhead

The pair of great crested grebes on Ogden Reservoir were displaying again this morning. (On my return trip in the afternoon I noted that an angler had positioned himself very close to the only favourable nesting site which is always going to be a problem at this location.)
A single oystercatcher was at the Kitcliffe end of Ogden Reservoir.
Meadow Pipit at Binns Ruins along with about a dozen fieldfares.
A fleeting glimpse of sparrowhawk(?) darting through the low trees and outbuildings behind Springmill was too fast and too brief for absolute confirmation.

A pair of Great Crested Grebes with a tentatvie courtship display on Ogden Reservoir. As the breeding habit is limited and likely to dry out as the water level goes down I am pesimistic about them staying. Hopefully they will now prove me wrong.
The pair of Goldeneye are still on Rooden Reservoir.
A jay at Springholes.

29th February.

Early this morning at a misty Piethorne - an influx of Curlews - the largest single flock of 17 landed on farmland between Rooden Reservoir and Denshaw. Other airborne flocks of 6 and 5 birds and various singletons were seen, which may or may not have been the same birds?

Also 1 Lapwing, 3 singing Song Thrush, 1 singing Reed Bunting. 2 Goldeneye (a pair) were on Rooden Reservoir. The first I have seen at Piethorne for ages. Goldeneye used to be expected, if intermittent visitors throughout the winter months on Foul Water Lodge but since that was stocked with fish, the nature of the water has presumably changed and now appears to be not to their liking?

No Oystercatchers yet.

Cheers,

Bill.

Apologies if this is going slightly off topic, but I suppose it is relevant to bird-watchers coming to the Ogden area. Yes, Geoff, it is the very same collie. Whilst it has yet to bite me it has come desperately close several times (recently it has been accompanied by a much friendlier corgi). More than once I have been forced to use my rucksack as a shield and have swung my binoculars like a mace at it. Strangely, a couple of weeks ago, after it's initial charge, it followed me like a faithful companion all the way to the gate at Rooden Res' and would've gone further with me if I hadn't shut the gate behind me and blocked its path.
There is a jack russell up here also, that is usually chained, but sometimes isn't, that gives me a hard time a bit before Edge Gate (where the collie lives), located at that ugly collection of caravans and containers, etc.
Cheers for the heads up re' the waders near Rough Bank, I'll have a closer look the next time I'm up that way.

Chris

Chris.
Piethorn 'Mad dogs.'

(1) If you are referring to the ones from the last house when appraoching Rooden Res from the south the collie bit my leg the last time I passed that way. The owner, although always cheerful with a greeting, does not seem too concerned so the rule of 'first blood' now applies. (I have not had any trouble with any other dogs on that side of the valley.)
(2) On the otherside of the valley if you are passing Rough Bank cottages the dogs will come over the wall at you now but then if you stand your ground they seem at a loss to know what to do next. More noise than an immediate threat to your welfare - its still disconcerting though. (Its worth it for accessing the meadows behind as they have turned up some interesting but unidentified waders this winter.)

Geoff

That is a lot of fieldfares Geoff! I have found down the years that they tend to gather up there in big numbers around late Feb'.
I hope the 'Mad Dogs of Ogden Edge' let you slip past unchallenged! They get me every time.

Chris

Chris you were right about the fieldfares. I was up there on Ogden Edge around midday and saw the largest flock of Fieldfares that I have ever seen in any one place. I gave up trying to count at 200+. Probably about 300 with the same again in starlings. I watched them for about 15mins but didn't spot anything else amongst them. I'm not sure what spooked them but when they did go they went in three groups = 1 of starlings and 2 of fieldfares all heading in seperate direcions.
Grey wagtail in Rooden catchwater drain.

On a cool and breezy walk over Ogden Edge and back down the valley were not much, but:

2+ stock doves between the hamlets,
bullfinch pair by the hamlets,
usual late winter gathering of 20+ fieldfare feeding on the hill-pasture on Ogden Edge (I suspect there were a lot more screened by the brow of a hill),
5 goosander on Rooden Res',
lots of skylarks about, with many appearing to be passing through, though two were in fine song by Rooden. Nice.

Regards, Chris

The Green Woodpecker was successfully released back into the wild this morning. To say it was happy to be home is an understatement! As soon as I opened the box, it was out and away. It flew straight back to where I have seen them in the past. no time for photos though

Other birds present

Raven
5 Skylark
2 Goosander
5 Mallard
Reed Bunting
2 Mistle Thrush
Fieldfare
Blue Tit
Goldfinch

Spring-like out there today and the birds were very vocal.
There were at least 6 skylarks in the general area between Town Hill and Turf Hill.
Mistle thrushes and song thrushes were seen and heard scattered about the valley.
Kestrel over Turf Hill.
Two Ravens around the Turf Hill area
A stonechat was seen in the Rhodes Barn area quiet close to the clough.
The Woodmill Dippers were right up behind the dywworks today and what is quite astonishing is that they appear to be commuting between feeding stretches through the brook tunnel under the yard which must be close to 50 metres long.

Not quite in the Piethorn valley but certainly within the Piethorn Brook watershed I spotted a Golden Plover just over the otherside of Ripponden Road. (About 200 metres inside the GM border)
I've had several recent sightings of waders up on the winter hills around the valley and was quite surprised by this so a few weeks ago I put something on Bits & Bobs, Odds & Sods and others thought they may be golden plover. Today I had an excellent sighting and can call it as such with confidenece.

Both Dippers were at Woodmill today - it is my first sighting of them for several weeks.

Returning home from a circular walk over Crompton Moor, via Ogden Edge, 11 stock doves were in the usual trees between the hamlets. These are my first for a while up Ogden.
Incidently Crompton Moor yielded a single siskin, two lesser redpoll, a male bullfinch and circa 12 reed buntings in a loose, roving flock.

C.J-B