Royal George Mill lodge: Little Grebe population now 3 (the only birds on the water!)
Steve Suttill said
Tue Nov 20 5:26 PM, 2012
Thanks Roger, but I'll give it a miss
Knew when I typed that last bit that I would regret it and, sure enough, Wrens were singing (and giving me a good ticking off) as I walked up to the station this morning. This was a short while after dawn though
Roger Baker 3 said
Tue Nov 20 7:37 AM, 2012
Steve, Wrens sing all the year round as well, very early morning and sometimes during the night, same as the Robins. Difference is the Wrens seem to slow up just before daylight. These observations are all made at sites that have street lighting ..... Another suprise is the height at which they sing, quite often from a tree-top and I know one that uses the top of a telegraph pole. Certainly not the little skulker we normally know. If you'd like to check out any of these these little pearls of wisdom yourself I'm perfectly willing to give you an early morning call, should we say around 3am ...... for a tour of Heron Lane in your pyjamas. Just give me the word.
Roger
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Tuesday 20th of November 2012 03:24:33 PM
Steve Suttill said
Tue Nov 20 6:34 AM, 2012
Cheers Jamie & Mike,
I've just looked back down this thread and found that I noted the same behaviour by Dippers at this site on 20th Nov last year
Dippers are the only birds I know, other than Robins, that actually sing (rather than just make noises) throughout the winter but, where male and female Robins hold their own territories, Dippers seem to be pairing up and, as Jamie notes, checking out nest sites the previous autumn! Perhaps this is to do with having linear territories - they can't find their own place without trespassing on someone else's patch.
Mike Chorley said
Tue Nov 20 5:11 AM, 2012
The Dippers along Lees Brook (Huddersfield Road to Lees Road) certainly sing in November, Steve.
JamieDunning said
Tue Nov 20 3:53 AM, 2012
There are two Dipper at DS Steve, both un-ringed that have been showing early pre-breeding behaviour. they seem to be checking a potential nest spot out already.
Steve Suttill said
Sun Nov 18 6:22 PM, 2012
This morning WeBS visits - barely above freezing
Waterside Mill (Tanners) lodge: no ducks, no geese, no gulls one Kingfisher plus Grouse heard calling from the moors.
Royal George Mill lodge:
2 Little Grebe (doubling the population in one week!) 3 Goosander (one adult male & two redheads - my first here this winter) 74 Black-headed Gulls 4 Moorhen 27 Mallard 20 Canada Geese
plus 3 Dippers on the river, singing, displaying and posturing in an aggressive manner - presumably 2 males and a female squabbling over the territory. Hang on chaps, it's only November! One was unringed, one just had a metal ring and the other was colour-ringed.
Mike Chorley said
Sat Nov 10 4:17 AM, 2012
Possibly, Steve
Some of the usual seven had already left when I did last month's Webs (or been predated) Either that or they've clubbed together and bought a submarine
Steve Suttill said
Fri Nov 9 8:55 PM, 2012
Morning walk from Mossley to Greenfield and back.
Royal George Lodge: 1 Little Grebe (back for the winter?) perhaps one of the putative Strines sub-species Tachybaptus ruficollis chorleyii 1 Common Gull in small flock of Black-heads 70 Mallard had arrived on the lodge on the return journey. Dipper (unringed) on the river.
Steve Suttill said
Sun Oct 14 5:17 PM, 2012
A very cold and foggy morning for WeBS counts.
Tanners (Waterside Mill) Lodge: 5 worm-drowners - no wildfowl
Royal George Lodge: 19 Mallard, 6 Canada Geese, 1 female Tufted Duck, 4 Moorhen, 1 Heron, 1 Black-headed Gull and 1 Kingfisher
Steve Suttill said
Fri Oct 5 8:32 PM, 2012
No E-list celebrity wildfowl today, unless you count one white Embden goose with 140 Canada Geese in Well-i-hole fields
Field between Royal George lodge and the canal aqueduct had 25 Pied Wagtails and 2 Meadow Pipits.
JSPALDING said
Fri Sep 21 10:57 PM, 2012
Whistling duck 'showing well' at the Manns today.
Steve Suttill said
Mon Sep 17 12:57 AM, 2012
WeBS counts this morning:
Tanner's (Waterside Mill) lodge: 5 anglers admiring their bird-scaring CDs strung across the pond - 2 Mallard
Royal George Lodge (inc Manns pond): never seen so few countable species: 30 Canada Geese, 25 Mallard, 7 Moorhen and 15 Black-headed Gulls... and no Fulvous Whistling Ducks 10 Pied and 1 Grey Wagtail
Thomas and Bill Jones said
Thu Sep 13 6:56 PM, 2012
Manns Pool (both sides of the road) 5pm 12/9. No sign of the celebrity (Fulvous whistling) duck any more, but some 'proper' birds made up for that - Great Spotted Woodpecker and Treecreeper being the highlights.
Steve Suttill said
Tue Sep 11 4:52 PM, 2012
Ian McKerchar wrote:
So you think there's a 0.01% chance it's a wild bird Steve
I like to think that nothing's ever certain, Ian
0.01% is one in ten thousand Maybe 0.001% then...
Steve Suttill said
Tue Sep 11 4:37 PM, 2012
Roger Baker 3 wrote:
Could well be if that is the same John who has the catering business.
He was asking me about the strange duck with the blue beak.
Also mentioned that they have had a Kingfisher turning up lately.
I've only seen them on the canal.
Roger
No, it's a different John, Roger. I reckon I see Kingfisher there on half of my WeBS counts - probably more regular in winter.
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Sep 11 1:34 AM, 2012
Steve Suttill wrote:
My view is that it's 99.99% certain to be an escapee and probably a hybrid too.
So you think there's a 0.01% chance it's a wild bird Steve
Roger Baker 3 said
Tue Sep 11 1:27 AM, 2012
Could well be if that is the same John who has the catering business.
He was asking me about the strange duck with the blue beak.
Also mentioned that they have had a Kingfisher turning up lately.
I've only seen them on the canal.
Roger
Steve Suttill said
Tue Sep 11 12:41 AM, 2012
Roger Baker 3 wrote:
I think it's pulling your leg.
The duck was at the end of the Manns nearest to the cottages, up on the bank, stretching and preening in the sunshine amongst all the resting Mallards & hybrids.
I searched that area thoroughly. I think my friend John who lives at The Manns must keep it in his spare room My leg is well and truly pulled It's not a ring on the duck's leg - it's an asbo tag!
Steve Suttill said
Mon Sep 10 4:35 PM, 2012
Sunday morning 7.45 - 8.45
Whistling Duck missing again but, as it turned up just after I'd left on Saturday, it may have been roosting in a nearby tree waiting for me to leave again? I don't think the breast and belly were very pale - probably the lighting on that particular photo I took. It's the wing-barring that looks wrong to me which is why I've been trying to have another look at the bird doing something other than resting and occasionally preening. My view is that it's 99.99% certain to be an escapee and probably a hybrid too.
Royal George Lodge: 1 Coot and 3 Tufted drakes coming out of eclipse. River at Well-i-Hole bridge: Grey Wagtail and (unringed) Dipper.
Roger Baker 3 said
Mon Sep 10 3:51 PM, 2012
I must have just missed you yesterday Steve ...... I called about 09-00 hrs (couldn't resist when driving past).
I think it's pulling your leg.
The duck was at the end of the Manns nearest to the cottages, up on the bank, stretching and preening in the sunshine amongst all the resting Mallards & hybrids.
It's still a bonnie bird tame as it is.
Roger.
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Monday 10th of September 2012 03:52:31 PM
James Walsh said
Mon Sep 10 1:10 AM, 2012
Comments from Birdguides on the Whistling Duck
"On structure, long legs etc, it is obviously a Whisting Duck and the blue legs would suggest Fulvous but it just doesn't look quite right. The breast/belly is very pale and I wonder if it could be a hybrid or perhaps even slightly leucistic as a result of inbreeding in captivity ? Certainly an interesting bird !"
Mike Chorley said
Sun Sep 9 3:49 AM, 2012
Iain Johnson wrote:
Mark Rigby wrote:
The Fulvous Whistling Duck was still present at 1700hrs. It is very wary but was able to creep up on it. I was able to read the writing on the purple plastic leg ring which was written in Portuguese.
I have just looked up the translation on the internet and was surprised, it says "If found, please return to Santiago, Chile"
Where they speak Spanish!
-- Edited by Iain Johnson on Saturday 8th of September 2012 07:35:23 PM
Apart from the Portugese duck keepers
Mark Rigby said
Sun Sep 9 1:39 AM, 2012
The Fulvous Whistling Duck was still present at 1700hrs. It is very wary but was able to creep up on it. I was able to read the writing on the purple plastic leg ring which was written in Portuguese.
I have just looked up the translation on the internet and was surprised, it says "If found, please return to Santiago, Chile"
James, in both the Spanish and French records their respective rarities committed could not decide whether the records related to wild or captive birds due to the abundance of this species in captivity throughout Europe. In these cases, genuine vagrancy could not be proven either way. I believe the species has occurred in a natural state in Morrocco though (not sure where exactly and it's a big place!) so could conceivably occur elsewhere but perhaps not coming to bread on a pond in Greenfield
James Walsh said
Sat Sep 8 10:01 PM, 2012
Juv Fulvous Whistling Duck @ The Manns Pond @ 0930, bird has purple plastic ring, lower right leg
According to a local resident this bird has been visiting the site for about a month, its feasible that this species is a potential vagrant to the UK (genuine vagrancy has apparently occurred in Spain & France), but I doubt very much that wild bird ringing programmes ring birds this way ! Worth a visit if you're in the area, its a very distinctive bird with a cool call & a quality diving action, also Kingfisher seen recently at this site
Royal George Lodge
Peregrine Kestrel 75 Canada Geese Great Spotted Woodpecker Nuthatch
Iain Johnson said
Sat Sep 8 7:34 PM, 2012
Mark Rigby wrote:
The Fulvous Whistling Duck was still present at 1700hrs. It is very wary but was able to creep up on it. I was able to read the writing on the purple plastic leg ring which was written in Portuguese.
I have just looked up the translation on the internet and was surprised, it says "If found, please return to Santiago, Chile"
Where they speak Spanish!
-- Edited by Iain Johnson on Saturday 8th of September 2012 07:35:23 PM
Steve Suttill said
Sat Sep 8 4:41 PM, 2012
No sign of the Whistling Duck this morning, though I did venture a few hundred yards up the canal and find that a pen with goats, chickens and geese also has a pair of Mandarin with its farmyard ducks...
Steve Suttill said
Fri Sep 7 7:52 PM, 2012
Pond at The Manns (11.30)
What appears to be a Fulvous Whistling Duck (I'm no expert on exotic "wild"fowl) resting on the bank with the local Mallards.
Before all you county listers dash over, it does have a ring on its right leg All the same, an interesting find on a rather quiet morning.
Roger Baker 3 said
Tue Jun 19 9:05 AM, 2012
Tues 19th June. 06.45 - 07.30 hrs.
Walk round Friezland.
Good views of a singing Blackcap. Pair of Chiffchaff ..... both with beakful of flys. Song Thrush carrying a worm. Swift (9) & House Martin (2) over the bowling green. Numerous singing Wrens.
Roger.
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Tuesday 19th of June 2012 09:07:35 AM
Steve Suttill said
Fri Jun 15 11:40 PM, 2012
Royal George Lodge - 12.00 noon
Common Sandpiper - a first for me at this site
Steve
Roger Baker 3 said
Fri May 11 3:48 PM, 2012
Fri 11th May. 07.15 hrs.
Cuckoo calling from back of Tanners Mill yard (up the hill towards Intake Lane).
Roger.
John Doherty said
Tue May 1 8:24 PM, 2012
Minimum 2 Dippers on the Tame near Tesco this morning - too quick for closer observation, also one likely Kingfisher, two around according to a dog walker.
Heading towards Dove Stone plenty of singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. At the res itself were very strong winds and showers so I refused to go around - feeders were empty bird and seed-wise, save for a few disappointed Blue Tits. I had a sift through the Goldfinches for Brambling but none, so they remain an outstanding lifer, as does, remarkably, Peregrine Falcon, though in better weather this would be the place. Also some Jackdaws. Loved seeing the lambs
Roger Baker 3 said
Mon Apr 16 4:21 PM, 2012
Mon 16th April. 06.45 hrs.
River Tame.
Dipper carrying food.
Roger.
steven burke said
Sun Apr 8 5:25 AM, 2012
from 2pm a walk along the river tame from the chew valley rd,then rejoining it at waterside onto dovestones produced....
3 dippers 2 bramblings m&f was a nice surprise near the mill. 1 woodcock flushed near the mill also. 1 sparrowhawk 1 grey heron 2 grey wagtails 2 jays 4 nuthatches 2 great spotted woodpeckers 1 treecreeper blue/great/coal & long tailed tits.
Steve Suttill said
Mon Mar 19 5:07 AM, 2012
At least 10 active nests in the heronry , but no Chiffchaffs yet .
Also no sign of Dippers
Steve
Steve Suttill said
Sun Mar 11 4:59 PM, 2012
This morning's WeBS count at Royal George/Well-i-hole:
14 Mallard 21 Black-headed Gulls 55 Canada Geese (mostly in pairs and arguing over territory) 5 Tufted Duck (4 males) 2 Coot 3 Moorhen 1 Cormorant (in breeding plumage)
Also visited Tanners (Waterside Mill) lodge, where anglers have strung CDs across the water to deter birds - successfully , as there were no countable species present. WeBS counts are a waste of time here these days.
Steve
Charles Farrell said
Sun Feb 26 4:42 AM, 2012
Royal George/Well-i-hole plus walk along the canal to Greenfields Tesco.
very little around on the two bodies of water, but plenty along the canal 30+ Mallard 50+ Canada Goose, plus probably 70+ in the surrounding fields c10 Coot 1 Moorhen on canal + 3 in surrounding fields Blue, Great and Long-Tailed Tits in the hedges. c20 Black-headed Gulls in one of the fields with some Jackdaws and that was it - of course no sign of a Dipper
Steve Suttill said
Sat Feb 25 5:40 PM, 2012
Some signs of Spring this morning.
At the heronry, some birds are clearly sitting on eggs whilst others are still at the early stages of nest building. Pair of Dippers (both colour-ringed local birds) displaying and collecting moss for their nest.
No Brambling, but 4 Lesser Redpoll in the trees by the old station house.
Steve
stuartherring said
Tue Feb 21 6:13 AM, 2012
aye one down
Steve Suttill said
Tue Feb 21 6:11 AM, 2012
Didn't realise I'd been ticked, Stuart
Are you doing a forum members' year list?
Steve
stuartherring said
Mon Feb 20 6:58 PM, 2012
slightly off the subject of birds i was saddened to see a dead badger on the bridge near the royal george at 8.30 amand also a lesser spotted suttil on his way to mossley
-- Edited by stuartherring on Monday 20th of February 2012 07:01:37 PM
Derek Ireland said
Sun Feb 19 9:02 PM, 2012
Did the Canal/Bridlepath circuit this morning,
2 x Fieldfare
4 x Moorhen
2 X Coot
1 x Wren
All on the canal then,
6 x grey Heron
40 + Canada geese
On the bridlepath then,
1 x Nuthatch
Back on the canal.
C Brown said
Mon Feb 13 1:52 AM, 2012
No sign of the water rail at about half-past two, but only had a brief look from the road. Wasn't sure of the access arrangements here. I was pleased to get little grebe for my year list however. Incidentally, I drove back home via the Isle o' Skye Road, Meltham, Slaithwaite and Marsden Moor and was thrilled to get a great view of a short-eared owl perched right by the road near the old Buckstones Inn.
C Brown said
Sun Feb 12 10:15 PM, 2012
Brill', cheers Steve.
Chris
Steve Suttill said
Sun Feb 12 6:40 PM, 2012
Yes, spot on. Royal George is the big one, across the road from the pond at The Manns.
This morning's WeBS count at Royal George/Well-i-hole:
90% frozen
10 Mallard 102 Black-headed Gulls No Canada Geese (there are usually a few injured birds hanging around) 2 Little Grebe 3 Coot 5 Moorhen
No appearance by the Water Rail, but there was a Dipper on the river and 2 Goosander flew over.
Steve
C Brown said
Sun Feb 12 6:19 PM, 2012
I'm not totally familiar with the Royal George Lodge, but in my mind is it one of the two lodges either side of the road (the road that goes up-brew to the crossroads) near Freizland church?
Cheers, Chris
Mark Rigby said
Sun Feb 12 6:08 AM, 2012
Royal George Lodge area.
Water Rail showing again.
Info thanks to Tony Mather
steven burke said
Sun Feb 12 3:22 AM, 2012
another short walk along the icy footpath next to the river tame from chew valley rd to the bridge past the t junction in river, 9.00-9.45am... 2 dippers, 1 singing til another showed up & a bit off display going on. 3 grey herons 1 great spotted woodpecker 2 bullfinches 1 sparrowhawk plus usual birds around.
2 goldcrests at greenfield station whilst waiting for my train home.
Knew when I typed that last bit that I would regret it and, sure enough, Wrens were singing (and giving me a good ticking off) as I walked up to the station this morning. This was a short while after dawn though
Difference is the Wrens seem to slow up just before daylight. These observations are all made at sites that have street lighting ..... Another suprise is the height at which they sing, quite often from a tree-top and I know one that uses the top of a telegraph pole. Certainly not the little skulker we normally know.
If you'd like to check out any of these these little pearls of wisdom yourself I'm perfectly willing to give you an early morning call, should we say around 3am ...... for a tour of Heron Lane in your pyjamas. Just give me the word.
Roger
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Tuesday 20th of November 2012 03:24:33 PM
I've just looked back down this thread and found that I noted the same behaviour by Dippers at this site on 20th Nov last year
Dippers are the only birds I know, other than Robins, that actually sing (rather than just make noises) throughout the winter but, where male and female Robins hold their own territories, Dippers seem to be pairing up and, as Jamie notes, checking out nest sites the previous autumn! Perhaps this is to do with having linear territories - they can't find their own place without trespassing on someone else's patch.
they seem to be checking a potential nest spot out already.
Waterside Mill (Tanners) lodge: no ducks, no geese, no gulls
Royal George Mill lodge:
2 Little Grebe (doubling the population in one week!)
3 Goosander (one adult male & two redheads - my first here this winter)
74 Black-headed Gulls
4 Moorhen
27 Mallard
20 Canada Geese
plus 3 Dippers on the river, singing, displaying and posturing in an aggressive manner - presumably 2 males and a female squabbling over the territory. Hang on chaps, it's only November! One was unringed, one just had a metal ring and the other was colour-ringed.
Some of the usual seven had already left when I did last month's Webs (or been predated
Royal George Lodge:
1 Little Grebe (back for the winter?) perhaps one of the putative Strines sub-species Tachybaptus ruficollis chorleyii
1 Common Gull in small flock of Black-heads
70 Mallard had arrived on the lodge on the return journey.
Dipper (unringed) on the river.
Tanners (Waterside Mill) Lodge: 5 worm-drowners - no wildfowl
Royal George Lodge: 19 Mallard, 6 Canada Geese, 1 female Tufted Duck, 4 Moorhen, 1 Heron, 1 Black-headed Gull and 1 Kingfisher
Field between Royal George lodge and the canal aqueduct had 25 Pied Wagtails and 2 Meadow Pipits.
Tanner's (Waterside Mill) lodge: 5 anglers admiring their bird-scaring CDs strung across the pond - 2 Mallard
Royal George Lodge (inc Manns pond): never seen so few countable species:
30 Canada Geese, 25 Mallard, 7 Moorhen and 15 Black-headed Gulls...
and no Fulvous Whistling Ducks
10 Pied and 1 Grey Wagtail
No sign of the celebrity (Fulvous whistling) duck any more, but some 'proper' birds made up for that - Great Spotted Woodpecker and Treecreeper being the highlights.
I like to think that nothing's ever certain, Ian
0.01% is one in ten thousand
No, it's a different John, Roger. I reckon I see Kingfisher there on half of my WeBS counts - probably more regular in winter.
So you think there's a 0.01% chance it's a wild bird Steve
He was asking me about the strange duck with the blue beak.
Also mentioned that they have had a Kingfisher turning up lately.
I've only seen them on the canal.
Roger
Whistling Duck missing again but, as it turned up just after I'd left on Saturday, it may have been roosting in a nearby tree waiting for me to leave again?
I don't think the breast and belly were very pale - probably the lighting on that particular photo I took. It's the wing-barring that looks wrong to me which is why I've been trying to have another look at the bird doing something other than resting and occasionally preening. My view is that it's 99.99% certain to be an escapee and probably a hybrid too.
Royal George Lodge: 1 Coot and 3 Tufted drakes coming out of eclipse.
River at Well-i-Hole bridge: Grey Wagtail and (unringed) Dipper.
I think it's pulling your leg.
The duck was at the end of the Manns nearest to the cottages, up on the bank, stretching and preening in the sunshine amongst all the resting Mallards & hybrids.
It's still a bonnie bird tame as it is.
Roger.
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Monday 10th of September 2012 03:52:31 PM
"On structure, long legs etc, it is obviously a Whisting Duck and the blue legs would suggest Fulvous but it just doesn't look quite right. The breast/belly is very pale and I wonder if it could be a hybrid or perhaps even slightly leucistic as a result of inbreeding in captivity ? Certainly an interesting bird !"
Apart from the Portugese duck keepers
I have just looked up the translation on the internet and was surprised, it says "If found, please return to Santiago, Chile"
Could be a genuine vagrant-not
http://www.birds4saleuk.co.uk/3330-fulvous-whistling-ducks-for-sale.htm
According to a local resident this bird has been visiting the site for about a month, its feasible that this species is a potential vagrant to the UK (genuine vagrancy has apparently occurred in Spain & France), but I doubt very much that wild bird ringing programmes ring birds this way ! Worth a visit if you're in the area, its a very distinctive bird with a cool call & a quality diving action, also Kingfisher seen recently at this site
Royal George Lodge
Peregrine
Kestrel
75 Canada Geese
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Nuthatch
What appears to be a Fulvous Whistling Duck (I'm no expert on exotic "wild"fowl) resting on the bank with the local Mallards.
Before all you county listers dash over, it does have a ring on its right leg
Walk round Friezland.
Good views of a singing Blackcap.
Pair of Chiffchaff ..... both with beakful of flys.
Song Thrush carrying a worm.
Swift (9) & House Martin (2) over the bowling green.
Numerous singing Wrens.
Roger.
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Tuesday 19th of June 2012 09:07:35 AM
Common Sandpiper - a first for me at this site
Steve
Cuckoo calling from back of Tanners Mill yard (up the hill towards Intake Lane).
Roger.
Heading towards Dove Stone plenty of singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs.
At the res itself were very strong winds and showers so I refused to go around - feeders were empty bird and seed-wise, save for a few disappointed Blue Tits. I had a sift through the Goldfinches for Brambling but none, so they remain an outstanding lifer, as does, remarkably, Peregrine Falcon, though in better weather this would be the place.
Also some Jackdaws.
Loved seeing the lambs
River Tame.
Dipper carrying food.
Roger.
3 dippers
2 bramblings m&f was a nice surprise near the mill.
1 woodcock flushed near the mill also.
1 sparrowhawk
1 grey heron
2 grey wagtails
2 jays
4 nuthatches
2 great spotted woodpeckers
1 treecreeper
blue/great/coal & long tailed tits.
Also no sign of Dippers
Steve
14 Mallard
21 Black-headed Gulls
55 Canada Geese (mostly in pairs and arguing over territory)
5 Tufted Duck (4 males)
2 Coot
3 Moorhen
1 Cormorant (in breeding plumage)
Also visited Tanners (Waterside Mill) lodge, where anglers have strung CDs across the water to deter birds - successfully
Steve
very little around on the two bodies of water, but plenty along the canal
30+ Mallard
50+ Canada Goose, plus probably 70+ in the surrounding fields
c10 Coot
1 Moorhen on canal + 3 in surrounding fields
Blue, Great and Long-Tailed Tits in the hedges.
c20 Black-headed Gulls in one of the fields with some Jackdaws
and that was it - of course no sign of a Dipper
At the heronry, some birds are clearly sitting on eggs whilst others are still at the early stages of nest building. Pair of Dippers (both colour-ringed local birds) displaying and collecting moss for their nest.
No Brambling, but 4 Lesser Redpoll in the trees by the old station house.
Steve
Are you doing a forum members' year list?
Steve
-- Edited by stuartherring on Monday 20th of February 2012 07:01:37 PM
Incidentally, I drove back home via the Isle o' Skye Road, Meltham, Slaithwaite and Marsden Moor and was thrilled to get a great view of a short-eared owl perched right by the road near the old Buckstones Inn.
Chris
This morning's WeBS count at Royal George/Well-i-hole:
90% frozen
10 Mallard
102 Black-headed Gulls
No Canada Geese (there are usually a few injured birds hanging around)
2 Little Grebe
3 Coot
5 Moorhen
No appearance by the Water Rail, but there was a Dipper on the river and 2 Goosander flew over.
Steve
Cheers, Chris
Water Rail showing again.
Info thanks to Tony Mather
2 dippers, 1 singing til another showed up & a bit off display going on.
3 grey herons
1 great spotted woodpecker
2 bullfinches
1 sparrowhawk
plus usual birds around.
2 goldcrests at greenfield station whilst waiting for my train home.