14/10/23 11.40 - 14.00 Cold, sunny, patchy cloud, light easterly

Lower Res:
Mallard 2 males
Coot 1 - still associating with the Mallard
Black-headed Gull 5

Upper Res:
Mallard 5- 4M 1 F
Little Grebe 4
Moorhen 9
Coot 3

Also:
Robin
Magpie
Blackbird
Dunnock
Wren
Blue Tit
Jay
Great Tit
Treecreeper 2 at 'feeding station'
Coal Tit
Redpoll 1 in flight over 'feeding station'
Bullfinch 2 in flight
Jackdaw 6 - horse pastures west side
Carrion Crow 22 ditto
Long-tailed Tit party of c 24

20/08/2023 - 12.10-14.30 Cloudy, breeze but humid

Lower Res:
Coot 1 hanging out with
Mallard 20 all in eclipse
Moorhen 1 juvenile

Upper Res:
Mallard 9
Tufted Duck 2 M & F
Moorhen 13 - 3 adults and what looked like 6 juveniles (very brown) and 4 sub-adults (much darker tones when with the juveniles so probably 2 broods)
Coot 4 - 3 adults, one with a well-developed chick(presumably the fuzzball seen on last month's visit)
Little Grebe 4 - 3 breeding plumage birds, 1 in juv/winter plumage
Black-headed Gull 5
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1

The pastures on the east side of the valley had been cut, so 18 Black-headed Gulls had gathered to work through the cut vegetation.
Resting in the horse pasture on the western side
Black-headed Gull 54
Common Gull 26

Lesser Black-backed Gulls - 3 noisily over the middle of the valley.

Also:
Jackdaw
Coal Tit contact calls on Holgate Street, 1 seen at unofficial feeding station higher up the valley
Magpie
Robin - lots of sub-song but only one seen - again around the unofficial 'feeding station'
Nuthatch 1 over, 2 seen on regular nest tree (juv pursuing adult for food)
Sparrowhawk over
Long-tailed Tit 4 at 'feeding station', several in bushes along the east side later.
Great Tit 3 at 'feeding station' then birds heard in the mature trees on the east side
Goldcrest 1 'feeding station'
Blackbird 1 'feeding station'
Jay 1 around 'feeding station'
Treecreeper
Willow Warbler 1 juv seen (very yellow) contact calls heard elsewhere
Great Spotted Woodpecker heard only
Bullfinch 1 heard only
Goldfinch several heard in tops of mature wood
Starling 15 together in the sheep fields on the east side
Swallow 4 around the farm
Lapwing 3 south and east over the east side of the valley, just before Roebuck Lane. First I've recorded here since June 2022.

09/07/2023 - 10.55-13.55 sunny with some cloud and a breeze.

Lower Res:
Mallard 14 - all in eclipse. 12 still showing vestiges of male plumage
Moorhen 3 - 1adult, 2 juveniles
Coot 2 adults
Black-headed Gull 1

Upper Res:
Mallard 7 -all eclipse, 1 male
Tufted Duck 3 males.
Coot 3 min - 1 adult, 1 adult with juvenile. Possible 3rd adult appeared on east bank later
Moorhen 4 - 2 adults, 1 with juvenile, 1 with very small chick (black fuzzball)
Little Grebe <12 - 3 adults seen, each with 2 large chicks, and there were up to 3 adults appearing on their own, including a two in territorial display, but the third trio of adult and chicks was only seen once, briefly, before disappearing under overhanging branches, so the adult could have been one of the territorial birds.
Black-headed Gull 1 -possibly the bird from the lower res as only 1 other gull (a fly-over Lesser Blackback was seen all visit)
Kingfisher 1 seem briefly twice as it flew between trees at the north end.
Grey Wagtail 1 seen flying north over the res and landed on the spit

Golden Steps:
Grey Wagtail 2 juveniles in inflow channel at the top -possibly including one seen in the nearby RSPB compound earlier

Also:
Magpie
Jackdaw inc up to 20 in trees on the west shore of the Upper Res - not the same trees where there have been groups in previous summers.
Nuthatch 1 calling in trees along Holgate Street
Wood Pigeon
Robin at least one already in sub-song, several more still in full song around the site
Blue Tit
Chiffchaff 4- 1 singing on the east side of the Upper Res while another was foraging on the west side, 2 singing at each other on the east side of the Lower Res.
Chaffinch 1 S
Coal Tit adult and juvenile heard and partially seen on Holgate St.
Great Tit inc 1 checking out possible hand-outs at the unofficial feeding station lol.
Blackcap brief snatches of song heard at a couple of sites.
Long-tailed Tit - 3/4 minimum
Swallow 6 around the lowest farm buildings on the east side
Song Thrush 1 S
Blackbird 3 inc 1 singing.
Wren 1 in alarm.

21/05/2023 11.15 - 14.30 Sunny with high cloud/dispersed vapour trails and a cool breeze.

Lower Res:
Mallard 1 - drake
Coot 6 - 2 adults, 4 fuzzball chicks

Upper Res:
Mallard 1 - drake - possibly from the lower res
Coot 8 - 2 adults 6 fuzzball chicks
Moorhen - 1
Little Grebe 4 - 2 pairs

Cow Bath/ Little Sea
Mallard 2 - a pair

Golden Steps:
Grey Wagtail - female collecting insects

Also:
Wood Pigeon
Jackdaw
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Robin 9 minimum mostly S
Blackbird 6 minimum 4 S
Wren 7 minimum 5 S
Chiffchaff 4 S (heard only)
Willow Warbler 2 S (heard only)
Song Thrush 1 S (heard only)
Blue Tit 5
Great Tit 4 inc 1f/juv wing-shiver food solicitation display
Sparrowhawk 1 - male
Nuthatch 1 N
Swallow 2 feeding/bathing Upper Res then around lowest farm buildings - being re-roofed so may not nest this year
House Martin 1
Bulfinch 1 male seen, it or another heard calling
Pheasant 1 male
Reed Bunting 2 heard only S in Junctus stands
Starling 3 - 2 adult 1 juv
Long-Tailed Tit - 6 family group

16/04/2023 12.30 - 15.00 Dull but dry.

Lower Res:
initially birdless but 3 drake Mallard were seen in flight towards the end of my circuit and a second check at 14.50 revealed
Mallard 2 drakes
Coot 1 heard

Upper Res:
Tufted Duck 1M 1f -a pair
Coot 2 - 1 N
Little Grebe 1 seen, second one heard, as first bird headed to a secluded spot on the banking
Moorhen 1
Grey Heron 1 - 2CY

Cow Bath/Little Sea
Canada Goose 2 - a pair
Mallard 1 M
and in the adjoining horse paddock
Little Egret 1

Golden Steps:
Grey Wagtail 2 - not a pair, as the Male was chasing off the other, female-type bird

Also:
Robin 7 minimum, all S
Blackbird 8 males, 6 singing
Great Tit 1 S (heard only)
Blue Tit 4
Song Thrush 1 heard only S
Jackdaw 10
Willow Warbler 1 poss. 2 S - a couple of bursts of song, in two locations, 1 directly north of the other, so possibly a bird passing through as no bird seen or heard when those locations reached. Possibly intimidated by all the
Chiffchaffs 6 minimum, all singing, in locations from Holgate Street to the top of the valley.
Carrion Crow 6
Wren 2 - 1 Holgate St S one on wall en route to Cow Bath, silent.
Magpie 6
Nuthatch 1 poss. 2 1 seen by usual nest site, another bird heard in the patch of mature woodland where a second pair were prospecting nest sites last month.
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 over
Bullfinch 1F
Blackcap 1F in hawthorns by viewpoint
Chaffinch 1 M
Swallow 1 over the Cow Bath/Little Sea
Greenfinch 2 (minimum)
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 over Huddersfield Rd as I was leaving the site.

18/02/2023 - 11.40 -14.20 Less busy than I expected

Lower Res:
Canada Goose 4 - 2 pairs
Goosander 4 - 3 M 1 f all four birds took off from the northern( inflow) end shortly after I arrived but one of the males circled back and returned to their original area.
Coot 2
Moorhen 1 heard only
Black-headed Gull 18 initially < 34 with
Common Gull 1

Upper Res:
Tufted Duck 2 a pair
Coot 2
Moorhen 2
Little Grebe 1
Teal 1 M - bit of a rarity here, despite suitable habitat, seen briefly at the northern end of the res. Disappeared during the distraction of someone doing his Wim Hoff Jr. act, so checked for again later from the other side . No luck but a bonus of
Little Egret 1 seen briefly but well, fishing along the back of one of the reed stands. Site and borough tick

"Cow Bath"
Mallard 1 drake 'on guard' above the reedy area.


Also:
Starling single 'singing' on Holgate Street, then 8 in flight over the Upper res, more heard around the site
Goldfinch 14 min 2 (at least) singing on Holgate St. 12 in larches in the area between the two reservoirs
Robin 5 min 2 seen in wood behind the new treatment plant, 5 heard singing at different locations around the site.
Jackdaw C 60 . Some birds around the site at various times, but a movement of c60 east to west along Huddersfield Rd around 2 p.m.
Wood Pigeon seen in ones and twos in various locations.
Blue Tit 4 1S
Long-tailed Tit 7 min 1 heard Holgate St, min 3 pairs seen around the site.
Bullfinch 2 heard calling at once
Magpie ones and twos around the site
Great Tit 11 min Several calling and at least 3, probably 5, around the unofficial feeding station. Several more seen around other parts of the site. Not seen so many in ages. They must have Sundays off
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 heard
Blackbird 2 males
Wren 1 - bathing in stream from under viewpoint.
Kestrel 1 Female over eastern sheep fields
Song Thrush 1 heard

11/12/22 11.00-13.15 Site was just beyond the northern edge of this morning's cloud cover, so initially cold but bright, then cooler as the cloud edged north. Quiet, if you ignored the clay pigeon massacre over to the east, except when I went to put out food at one of the unofficial feeding stations. Then the world, their wives and dogs crashed and fog-horned in from all directions! " I luv coming here to enjoy the peace and quite"

Lower Res: 99% iced over
Mallard 2 - M & F in the small area at the north end where the stream flows in. Couldn't find any more when viewing from the north end. Very low count for a first 'icing over'
Moorhen 4 - Family group? very close together on the stone edge of the outfall down to the Golden Steps
Black-headed Gull 30 minimum - group of c 40 were on the ice as I arrived but flushed before I got a clear view to count. Eventually up to 30 were back on the ice but still very easily disturbed by just seeing humans/dogs. Initial group held a minimum
Common Gull 2 adult winter but these were not among the birds who returned

Upper Res: 98% iced over
Little Grebe 1 winter plumage bird diving and ice-breaking in the small area of open water where the streams feed in from the north
Moorhen 1 heard, somewhere below the lookout. In a bad winter they sometimes climb the bushes next to the lookout to feed
Black-headed Gull 2 - 1 present when I arrived, a second appeared to come up from the Lower Res. 2 gulls kept leaving and re-appearing as I walked round from the outfall to the lookout.

Checked the stream in the north west horse pastures and the various in=flow channels including round to the "Cow Bath" (100% frozen) but no Snipe, Water Rail etc.

A group of 4 male Blackbirds and 2 Redwing were feeding in the leaf litter of the small clump of trees at the junction of Church St East and Huddersfield Rd. at 10.55. When I passed back at 13.20 they had been replaced by a Mistle Thrush.

Also
Feral Pigeon 6
Wood Pigeon 8 - scattered throughout the site
Black-headed Gull 6 scavenging at the junction of Culvert St/Holgate St. Probably form the initial Lower Res flock
Carrion Crow 8 sightings around the site
Jackdaw 6 over, mostly as singles
Bullfinch 1 heard at various points around the site
Blue Tit c8
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Jay 1 heard Holgate St
Magpie c9 - group of 6 together on NW side of Upper Res. 1 on Holgate St seemed to be tracking a Grey Squirrel with food. The squirrel was not happy!
Long-tailed Tit 10 minimum. A party of 10 were counted across the east side access road to the new treatment works. Groups of 2 and 3 were seen elsewhere
Blackbird 2 males seen
Siskin 12 feeding in alders and larch along the east-west bridal path between the reservoirs , in company with
Goldfinch 2 - possible the same party seen around the horse paddocks on the east side of the reservoirs, but also in the area
Meadow Pipit 1 minimum seen/heard. Only the 2 Goldfinch could be picked out in the small flock flitting about
Great Tit 2 seen at feeding point, others heard
Robin 6 - 2 at feeding point, 2 on Golden Steps, 1 Holgate St, 1 top pastures
Nuthatch 1 at feeding point
Coal Tit 1 at feeding point
Dunnock 2 1 at feeding point 1 top pastures in the hedge
Lesser Black-backed Gull 2 over top pastures
Kestrel 1 immature female - perched, 3/4 back on, with fluffed up feathers and no clear mask 'tear' had me hoping for something 'different' for the day.
Wren none seen, several heard, noticeably mostly after noon.

09/10/22 11.10 - 13.00

Lower Res:
Mallard 24 - predominantly M, some shadowing/guarding going on.
Moorhen 3 - 2 adult 1 immature
Black-headed Gull 17
Pied Wagtail flight call over

Upper Res:
Tufted Duck 1 M
Coot 2
Little Grebe 5 - 2 adults (breeding plumage) in different locations, 1 with 2 immatures, the other with a singleton.
Black-headed Gull 7 - only one bird trying and failing badly to rob the grebes of their catches this visit.

A few Lesser Black-backed Gulls over the eastern fields along Roebuck Lane

Also:
Wren 3 minimum - 1 seen
Robin 4 minimum - 2 seen
Blackbird 2 M
Jackdaw
Magpie
Woodpigeon
Carrion Crow
Nuthatch 3 - pair in usual area and another seen along Holgate Street
Great tit 2
Long-tailed Tit 5
Blue Tit 1
Bullfinch 1 heard only
Common Buzzard 2 moving south and east mobbed by Jackdaws, Carrion Crows and Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Hobby 1 immature bird through west to east over the top pastures.
Pheasant 3 - 2M 1F, flushed from channel beside the path to the "Cow bath/Little Sea"

14/08/2022 10.25 - 13.25 Top section of Golden Steps still dry. Robin bathing in the water flowing over the bottom section.

Lower Res:
Mallard 22
Moorhen 1
Black-headed Gull 1

and a flotilla of Labradors launched into everything by a woman with a ball-chucker and a large supply of balls (along with no consideration of anyone or anything else) to the consternation of wildfowl, other dogs and humans alike I've thought for a while that councils and others managing public access water bodies should make an effort to actually provide a specific facility for dog walkers, especially given the rising temperatures, but I'd have no quarrel with all of them banning this individual!

Top Res:
Mallard 2 (possibly more in cover)
Moorhen 5 - 3 Adult, 2 juvenile
Coot 3 -2 Adult, juvenile
Little Grebe c 8 - 3 adult, 5 juvenile
Canada Goose 3
Grey Heron 1
Black-headed Gull 18

Top Horse Pastures
Black-headed Gull 11 (no movement between reservoirs and pastures noted)
Lesser Black-backed Gull 4
Herring Gull 3
Common Gull 2
Magpie c6
Carrion Crow 6
Jackdaw 8 plus about 60 in fields along the east side of the reservoirs all suddenly flushed by something (possibly a woman with a ball-thrower)

Also;
Blue Tit, Robin, Wren, Wood Pigeon, heard along Holgate Street
Goldcrest 1 seen, 2 heard along there

Blackbird 1
Chaffinch 3
Great Tit 2
Long-tailed Tit c10 all at the unofficial feeding place along the upper west path

Swallows min 10 at the farm en route to the 'Cow Bath'

Blackcap, Blue Tit, Wren, Long-tailed Tits, Old Wooded area

and another that got away. While I was "pishing" the Long-Tailed Tit group on the west path, I heard a hard short unfamiliar call, repeated twice, and a small thrush/large warbler size bird flew up onto a bare branch. Got one good view in the bins(left profile and 3/4 side& back view in an upright posture) before it dropped. Long straight pale bill, with a slight nail; gingery crest, a bit scruffy; pale line between that and the rest of the upper parts plumage which was a reddish-brown, apart from a pale patch in the secondaries. Suggestion of a pale breast as it dipped to drop. Never saw the legs or underparts and for some reason the eye failed to register - but I don't think there was an eye-ring. When it flew up I was thinking/hoping Redstart, but the back and upper tail were the same colour (a trick of the bright sunlight?). I can't find a match in either Collins or the Harris/Tucker/Vinicombe Macmillan guide that deals with 'difficult' ID's. I was reminded of illustrations of Hippolais warblers (but it was too russet) and the features don't quite fit juvenile Redstart, 1st winter Whitethroat or first winter Blackcap. Would be interested to hear if it rings any bells for anyone; enquiries among friends drawn a blank so far.

19/06/22 11.25-13.55 Cloudy Generally very quiet, dog walkers and dog-swimmers almost outnumbering species seen and certainly more fishermen than birds around the Lower Reservoir

Lower Res:
Mallard 5 - 4M
Coot 2 -1Adult, 1 Juv
Moorhen 1 adult

Upper Res:
Mallard 2 eclipse adults
Black-headed Gull 1
Coot 1 Adult being very territorial with
Tufted Duck 2 M


Golden Steps:
Grey Wagtail 2 - 1 Adult M, 1 Juv

Also Mallard 2 eclipse adults
Black-headed Gull 1
Jackdaw - c40 some on Holgate Street, the rest in woodland to the west of the Upper Reservoir. Seemed to be gathering for some sort of communal activity in either the pines or rowans . The only thing I could clearly see was bill rubbing. Cleaning or getting some sort of secretion from the tree to use for cleaning their feathers, like raptors bringing fresh branches to a nest?
Robin - Several heard, 2 adults and 1 independent juvenile seen
Chiffchaff 2 S
Long-tailed Tit party heard but not seen Holgate Street pines
Song Thrush 2 S, one seems to have picked up odd snatches of Nightingale song from somewhere!
Blue Tit contact calls in several areas but no birds clearly seen
Great Tit ditto
Wren several calling, 1 S
Blackbird 2 S -different locations, 1 M seen collecting food in the feeder channel to the Cow Bath pond
Mistle Thrush 3 - Adult being pursued by 2 juveniles
Willow Warbler 1 S
Magpie C8 mostly in top Horse Pastures
Carrion Crow 6 - 2 interacting with the Holgate Street Jackdaws, the rest in the upper pastures.
Wood Pigeon 6 seen
Swallow 1<4 1 bird seen working the meadows to the east of the reservoirs, 2 or possibly 3 more arrived on one of many mini weather fronts passing over
Bullfinch 2
Swift c6 2 seen distantly over Roebuck Lane hawking one of the mini fronts, 4 seen later directly overhead just west of the Lower Reservoir
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2 seen with the Swifts over Roebuck Lane.
Starling 6, feeding in field by the Cow Bath, at least one flying off with food
Linnet 2 same location
Pied Wagtail 2 on walls same location
Garden Warbler 1 S

6.45-8.20 this morning for the BTO Breeding Waders of Wet Meadows survey 

Again, no waders....but

3 Common Whitethroat, 4 Willow Warbler, Kestrel, Red Legged Partridge, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, 3 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 10 Swallow, Grey Heron, 2 Pied Wagtail. 

20:15-21:35 yesterday evening:

10 Swallow, Willow Warbler, Kestrel, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, 4 Pied Wagtail 

17/04/22 10.15 - 12.45 Pleasant morning

Golden Steps:
Mallard 2 M&F feeding together

Lower Res:
Mallard 2 Males
Canada Goose 2 a pair
Coot 1
Moorhen 2
later 6 Mallard inc at least 1 Female flew up from the reservoir heading north. 2 dropped onto the Upper Reservoir while the others circled N (where one Male veered away) then E before dropping back down onto the Lower Res. One of the males appeared to be trying to force the female down. Courtship pursuit flight? A short time later a Female flew noisily from the Lower Res heading south.

Upper Res:
Canada Goose 2 a pair
Little Grebe 1

Cow Bath pond
Canada Goose 2 a pair
Grey Heron 1 landed briefly, then flew up the rushy inflow towards Top O' The Meadows, still pursed by a Carrion Crow
Grey Wagtail 1 male briefly

A fourth pair of Canada Geese around the small pond/rushy area in the middle of the horse paddocks N of the Upper Res

Also:
Song Thrush 3 - 1 singing Holgate Street/Culvert Street, 1 singing W side of Upper Res, 1 in mature copse E of Lower Res
Chiffchaff 3 min 1 singing Holgate Street/Culvert St, 2 singing at each other to W of Upper Res.
Great Tit 3 min seen or heard at different locations around the site
Wren 4 min seen or heard around the site (3 s)
Robin 6 seen 3 heard
Willow Warbler 6 heard at various points around the site, minimum of 3 birds
Blackcap 3 minimum heard singing
Chaffinch 2 seen 4 heard singing
Blackbird 1 heard singing
Jay 2 seen ( one mewing call, Holgate St)
Long-Tailed Tit 2 pairs seen, one pair near location of probable nest site
Blue Tit 2 seen, several heard contact or alarm calling around site
Kestrel 1 seen over Upper Res
Great Spotted Woodpecker Female seen W of Upper Res, then flew SE
Goldfinch 1 singing
Lapwing 1 display flight over sheep fields to east of Lower Res. (Chris H p.m.)
Lesser Black-backed Gull 2 flew south and landed at the S end of the sheep fields - possible cause of Lapwing's display, as there was no response to any of the frequent corvid activity
Skylark 1 singing above the sheep fields
Sparrowhawk 1 SW over sheep fields, mobbed by
Meadow Pipit 1

20/03/22 - 10.50 - 13.20 Sunny, "fair weather cloud" and a cold easterly breeze. Quiet apart from the constant gunfire from the range. Good to see that the area has been made safe for the public but not 'tidied'. Lots of trunks in situ and new brush/log piles. Looks slightly "scoured" but just about enough ground cover left for nesting birds.

Lower Res:
Mallard 4 - 1m initially, then when I called back later hearing Black-headed Gulls calling, 3 more had appeared (see Upper Res:)
Canada Goose 4 - 1 definite pair (display and cop in the middle of the res) other two birds together in SW corner being fed. The second pair looked similar in size, whereas the male in the mating pair was definitely larger.
Coot 2 probably a pair
Black-headed Gull 2 over the outfall end feeding from the surface from about 12.40 to 13.05

Upper Res:
Mallard 4 - 2 males together asleep by the spit (possibly the associating males on the Lower Res later) and 2 which flew through from either the willow carr or the back pool.
Tufted Duck 2 M & F probably a pair
Little Grebe 2 both in winter plumage but feeding in the same area
Coot 2
Grey Heron 1 - Breeding plumage adult preening on the spit. After about 15 mins (11.35) seen to fly south low over the res and outfall. 5 mins later a bird returned the same way, circled up from the centre of the res and headed west. After another few minutes it or another came back to land on the spit. 30 mins later a bird flew south, spiralled up around the Huddersfield Road area and headed SW - roughly the direction of Alexandra Park, Oldham. About 5 mins before I left a bird was flying in from the SW just above tree top height but lost to view as it got over the outfall of the Lower Res.

Also.
Magpie 8 mostly paired
Jackdaw C60 - groups of around 20 counted at Huddersfield Road/Culvert Street junction, top horse pasture and S E sheep fields. No sign of movement between these areas
Robin C10 - 4 birds seen the rest heard singing from various points around the site (3 together Holgate Street area)
Carrion Crow 10 mostly paired around the site.
Chaffinch 2 - 1 Singing Holgate Street, 1 calling in conifer stand around the new waterworks building
Wood Pigeon C40 - 30 in top horse pastures, the rest in pairs around the site
Blue Tit 6 seen (max 3 together) several calling around the site
Great Tit 4 seen (2 together) at least 4 calling at different locations
Song Thrush 1 heard in song to east of school sports area
Bullfinch 1 heard calling on east side of Lower Res, later moved south to east of school
Coal Tit 2
Nuthatch 1
Long- tailed Tit 4 - 2 calling between the reservoirs (inc predator alarm calls) 2 with nest material (feathers) on west side of Upper Res
Mistle Thrush 2 - alarm calling in same area as Long-tailed Tits
Kestrel 1/2 - bird over wooded area between reservoirs (silhouette) it or another flew west to east over the Upper Res mobbed, briefly, by a Carrion Crow
Blackbird 2 males
Jay 1
Wren 2 - 1 heard on bank of stream above Upper Res, 1 seen by car park below Lower Res.
Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 - initially bickering in woods North of Upper Res, then female seen in mature copse as male was drumming, calling and alarm calling(? very loud version of usual call) nearby.
Chiffchaff 2 in mature copse, singing at each other, 1 seen
Lesser Black-backed Gull 3 over 2 NE then 1
Goldfinch 1 heard
Redpoll 1 seen (first sighting here for a while)
Redwing 1 see
Moorhen 1 seen on the paved channel to the red pool.

18/01/22 11.00-13.20 Beautiful day (and much quieter than on Sundays......well fewer people, not necessarily "quieter")

Started well with a sub adult Grey Heron flying over Huddersfield Road to land on the roof of Waterhead Academy. The local gulls were not impressed!

Lower Res (95% iced over)
Black-headed Gull 28 (12 initially, more joining as I was counting)
Canada Goose 4 definitely 1 pair, the other 2 "loosely associating"
Mallard 10 9 males
Moorhen 1
Muscovy Duck 1

Upper Res (2/3rds covered with thin ice - strong enough to support the gulls....but definitely not Bez!)
Mallard 6 4 males
Canada Goose 2 a pair
Tufted Duck 1 male
Moorhen 1
Little Grebe 2 - 1 winter plumage (possibly 1st winter) the other darker and showing (retaining?) the chestnut nape of a breeding adult.
Common Gull c22 - mostly adults.
Black-headed Gull 84 Numbers were building as I arrived, with birds coming in to bathe, possibly including the birds from the lower reservoir. I'd done a basic head count and was just rechecking on the Common Gulls when a male Sparrowhawk flew over and flushed the lot. They all headed south, possibly onto the Lower Res, then about 15 mins later as I was watching the Little Grebes from the (now cleared!) viewpoint 42 Black-headed Gulls returned.

Also:
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Wood Pigeon
Jackdaw
Great Tit
Chaffinch
Coal Tit 2 - one on Holgate Street, 1 near the Upper Reservoir
Sparrowhawk 2 - the male which flushed the gulls and an earlier female, harassed by a Carrion Crow
Blue Tit
Robin
Long-tailed Tit
Mistle Thrush 2 in eastern fields below the farm on Green Lane, with
Redwing 10
Blackbird 1

07/11/21 11.45 - 14.00

Lower Res:
Coot 1
Mallard 29
Black-headed Gull 66
Common Gull 1

Upper Re:
Mallard 2 (a pair)
Moorhen 1
Little Grebe 6 1 summer plumage adult being followed by a post -humbug chick, another summer-plumage adult at the other end of the reservoir was driving away two winter-plumage/sub adult birds (possibly last month's pair of juveniles). Just as I was leaving another winter-plumage/sub adult bird was in view as well.
Black-headed Gull 5<15. Initially 5 birds on the reservoir, rising to 15 with most birds coming in low as if moving up from the Lower Reservoir. One of the initial 5 was attempting to steal fish from the Little Grebes and several more joined in, with at least one bird plunging its' head underwater as the Grebes dived. Might have a negative effect on future broods for the Grebes, Coots and Moorhens when they have small chicks on the water.
Common Gull 1 - came in with the gulls from the Lower Reservoir.

Golden Steps
Grey Wagtail 1

Upper horse paddocks were very quiet, possibly because of the strong winds.
Carrion Crow 3
Wood Pigeon 6
Common Gull 4
Starling flock beyond the fence on the skyline to the west, C 30 birds showing as the birds were disturbed, probably larger number

Also:
Robin 1 seen, several heard
Magpie c 1O -singles and pairs
Blue Tit 1 seen with other tits, several more heard
Great Tit 2 seen more heard
Long-tailed Tit 6 minimum, probably more.
Bullfinch 1 heard
Kestrel 1 male
Blackbird 1
Nuthatch 1
Wren 2 heard

Bonus bird was a single Fieldfare fly past on Huddersfield Road as I started to walk home.

22/09/21 12.35 - 15.00

Lower Res:
Mallard 25
Moorhen 1
Coot 1
Black-headed Gull 1
Grey Wagtail 2 1 adult being pursued by 1 juvenile around the reservoir

Upper Res;
Tufted Duck 1 eclipse male
Coot 2
Moorhen 1
Little Grebe 1 partial summer plumage adult
Black-headed Gull 9
Grey Wagtail 1 juvenile probably the bird from the Lower Reservoir.

also:
Wren several heard
Blue Tit several heard
Jackdaw several
Magpie 10 minimum, around the upper parts of the valley
Robin 2 seen - full and partial song heard from various point around the site (not quite into sub-song yet)
Jay 2 seen together in woods by Golden Steps, 1 heard around the Upper Reservoir later
Sparrowhawk 1 female across at tree top height east to west, "announced" by
Long-tailed Tit distinct alarm calls (min 3) and mobbed by
Swallows 6, which had been feeding over the centre of the valley a few minutes before. Probably part of the group of 8 seen towards Sholver and the 15 on wires at the unoccupied(?) farm, where at least a few were being fed by 2 birds. Three broods of the same pair with the older chicks still around or most just a passing group drawn by the dung heap?
Lesser Black-backed Gull 2 over (that's a 100% increase in fly-over birds from last month)
Carrion Crow 15, some of which joined with a couple of Black-headed gulls to mob the/a Sparrowhawk when it appeared higher over the valley heading NW -> S
Bullfinch 2 foraging pair
Goldfinch c15, 2 of which were perched on the dead twigs of a tree at the north end of the Upper Reservoir to the annoyance of a
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 f "chipping" at the Goldfinches and eventually pecking towards the second when it wouldn't fly off. Later heard in three other locations.
Canada Geese flock of 45 flew east - west into fields just to the south of Sholver but passed out of sight before being seen to settle
Starling C 60 congregating on the telegraph wires by the swallows' farm and raiding a rowan by the path to the "Cow Bath". Some of the juveniles spooked by passing swallows.
Willow Warbler 1 contact calls heard

Amused to watch the mixed breed flock of sheep in the eastern fields high tail it like naughty kids not wanting to come in for their tea to the furthest end of the pastures when they heard the whistles instructing "Ernie" to round up the group in the adjacent field. Having successfully penned those One Man (on sticks?) and His Dog moved on to the rest with the dog and larger flock circling the fields at some distance from the man. Not sure if the sheep where were they were supposed to be or diagonally as far away as possible when I moved on

25/07/2021 11.20 - 14.00

Lower Reservoir:
Coot 1
Moorhen 1
Grey Heron 1
Mallard 26
Black-headed Gull 1 over

Upper Reservoir:
Coot 1
Moorhen 1
Grey Heron 1 (probably same bird seen in inflow to lower res, but not seen to relocate
Mallard 4
Little Grebe 2
Black-headed Gull 27

Also:
Robin 1 singing, 1 subsong, several juveniles contact calling.
Wren 1 seen 2 hidden singers, several scolding
Jackdaw 4 initially then c60 over from the east, beyond Roebuck Lane
Blue Tit 2 seen contact calls from several points around the site
Great Tit Calls heard from several locations
Chiffchaff 1 singing still from birch wood to east of Lower Reservoir
Willow Warbler contact calls from probably 2 individuals around the site.
Long-tailed Tit contact calls from several individuals in dense undergrowth
Nuthatch 1 calling around usual breeding area
Magpie, c 8 dispersed and mobile around the site
Carrion Crow 6 dispersed inc 1 in sun-bathing stupor.
Swallow 1, initially, hawking over the top reservoir, then C30 on wires at the unnamed farm NE of the new pumping/filtration station. Predator call and mobbing response but couldn't see a trigger
Song Thrush 1 singing - woodland by Golden Steps
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 calling in the mature copse east of Lower Reservoir.

22/05/2020 11.50-13.30 A Saturday visit to avoid the 'bad weather all day' forecast for Sunday 23rd

Golden Steps
Grey Wagtail 2 - male and female - later in the circuit a male was seen at the top end of the overflow/feeder system

Lower Res:
Coot 1
Mallard 6 all males

Upper Res:
Coot 1
Little Grebe 1
Canada Goose 2+ A pair were on the small spit at the northern end, then as I was out of sight of the res another bird or birds were heard to fly low over, probably from the horse paddocks on the western side. A later check showed only 2 geese still on the reservoir

Cow Pond (apparently!)
Canada Goose 2 a pair definitely not the pair on the Top Res but probably the flyover birds.

Very quiet for waterfowl, with no Moorhens seen.

Also:
Blackcap 3 min Singing
Blackbird 5 all males
Great Tit 4 - 1 seen the others calling/Singing
Jackdaw
Carrion Crow
Robin 8 - 2 Singing, the rest looking for food around the site
Blue Tit 5 - 1 seen
Wood Pigeon
Song Thrush 1 Singing -the usual mimic
Chiffchaff 3 min Singing
Magpie
Willow Warbler 2 Singing 1 showing well in song
Swallow 6 hawking low over Top Res - all very definitely blue-rumped

-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 23rd of May 2021 08:54:24 PM

-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 23rd of May 2021 08:55:30 PM

14/03/2021 11.00 - 1300 Out and back before the rain set in.

Lower Reservoir
Canada Goose 4 - two obvious pairs.
Mallard 9 - all males
Coot 2 - probably a pair
Moorhen 1
Cormorant 1 (relocated from Upper Reservoir around 12.20 and still there when I left, much to the apprehension of the other waterfowl. The Geese were very wary and the Mallards tucked in along the bank)
Pied Wagtail 2 - pair flushed from inspection platform at outfall as I returned to check for the Cormorant.

Upper Reservoir
Tufted Duck 2 - male and female
Little Grebe 2 a pair - courtship feeding.
Cormorant 1 (seen here initially around 11.35 before it moved down to the lower reservoir. Seen in flight between the reservoirs around 12.20, so Lower Reservoir rechecked. Actively looking for food in both locations but I didn't see it catch anything at either of them. First sighting of one here, for me,

Grey Wagtail 1male again along the overflow channel from the Upper Reservoir to the Golden Steps. Probably the bird heard in flight as I arrived on site.

Also:
Robin several in song around the site
Coal Tit 2
Great Tit 1
Blue Tit 8 scattered around the site
Long-tailed Tit 12 around the site in 4 pairs and a quartet.
Nuthatch 1 heard, usual location
Goldfinch 2
Song Thrush 1 heard singing
Mistle Thrush 1 heard alarm calling
Carrion Crow 6
Magpie c10
Jackdaw 6
Greenfinch 1
Wood Pigeon 6
Starling 3
Wren 2 heard
Notable absence of Blackbirds, even in the small area of mature woodland.

On my walk home around 30 Jackdaw flew down over Littlemore from the direction of the reservoirs.




-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Monday 15th of March 2021 10:44:04 PM

12.30-13.30

As today was the drier day of the weekend , headed up for December's Webs. Surprisingly quite a few wet dogs and English persons out in the noonday drizzle.

Lower Res:
Mallard 24 8 of them females with one of those being closely guarded by a drake.
Moorhen 2
Black-headed Gull 44

Upper Reservoir
Little Grebe 1 (given its' location, possibly the cause of the loud splash back in October).

Nothing else on the upper reservoir and generally quiet immediately around the site, but this month's bonus bird was

Dipper 1 (at the top of the Golden Steps- possibly already on territory)

Also
Woodpigeon 10
Starling 15
Blue Tit 1 seen, several more heard
Long-tailed Tit sveral heard
Magpie 8 6 and 2 singles
Robin 2
Blackbird 2 males, skirmishing under a couple of rhododendrons - whichever one bird A was under was where bird B decided he wanted to be.
Goldfinch 1 flyover
Pied Wagtail 1 Culvert Street.
Black-headed Gull 6 on horse pastures with
Carrion Crow 2 but over on the higher fields on the edge of Roebuck Lane a mixed flock of Carrion Crows, Jackdaws and Starlings numbered around 200, from a quick guestimate when they were briefly airborne

11.55 - 13.55 Grey, dull, quiet but dry.

Bottom res:
Black-headed Gull 11 (but spooked by the 'dinosaurs' in the woods and depated in all directions. Some/all may have made their way to the top res
Mallard 34
Moorhen 4 inc 2 adults

Top Res:
Black-headed Gull 17 (possibly including the 11 from the bottom res.)
Moorhen 2 Adult
Little Grebe 2 winter plumage - one bird seemed to have darker tones as if it were still moulting out of summer plumage)
Coot 1 possibly 2 ( Something plunged noisily into the water on the other side of a screen of birches to me and there was a Coot alarm call but no sign of anything on the surface nearby to confirm the id.)

Also:
Blue Tit
Robin - some giving rather odd slurring contact calls (winter migrants?)
Wren heard
Chaffinch
Nuthatch
Long-tailed Tit
Jay heard (2 locations)
Magpie.
Woodpigeon
Bullfinch heard
Blackbird heard
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw - numbers of these last two species starting to build up in the top pastures along with
Herring Gull 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull 2
Common Gull 10

10.35 - 13.35 Wetter than forecast!

Bottom Res:
Mallard 39
Moorhen 3 2 adult 1 juvenile....in procession west to east across the middle of the reservoir
Grey Wagtail over

Top Res:
Mallard 1 eclipse
Tufted Duck 1 female/immature
Coot 1
Moorhen 2
Little Grebe 5(min) Adult 2 juvenile 3 Usual Whack-a-mole routine from the adults meant that it was difficult to tell if there were 3 of them or just two zipping about. One was feeding a couple of the well grown chicks (only the head stripes left) the third was mooching around on its' own until it spotted the(?) other adult having a quiet moment under the willows and suddenly reverted into excited begging mode. Had no luck lol
Grey Heron 1
Black-backed Gull 1

Also:
Willow Warbler 2 contact calling
Sparrowhawk 1 shot down the Top res bridleway and down the hill
Canada Goose 2 over the top end of the valley
Robin some song, mostle contact calls
Feral Pigeon
Wood Pigeon
Magpie
Coal Tit 1 heard
Wren several contact calling some snatches of song
Great Tit 1
Long-tailed Tit small party heard
Carrion Crows

11.25-13.25 (excluding the walk there and back) Cooler than my last visit and not as busy but visitors more mobile but still socially distancing.

Golden Steps:
Grey Wagtail 2 1 juvenile seen well and another bird, probably an adult, flew up calling into trees from the lower steps.

Bottom Res:
Mallard 15 13M 2F 1M still in pursuit of 1F

Top Res:
Mallard 6 5M 1F
Coot 1
Moorhen 1
Little Grebe 1

1 Swallow skimming over the top res, later at least 5 were swooping round a mature Sycamore on the east side path including those hair-partingly close passes they make...if I still had any hair lol
Also:
Song Thrush 2 probably 3 singing around the site
Blackcap song heard at 4 spots, 1 bird seen at least 2 other territories being held
Blue Tit several heard calling and a party of 4 together in the Swallow Sycamore
Jackdaw C9 seen
Robin only 1 bird seen but several in song
Willow Warbler at least 2 singing at once, probably 4 on territory and a pair giving loud contact calls while flitting through the undergrowth. Couldn't get clear enough views to confirm parent and young.
Chiffchaff minimum 2 again probably 4
Nuthatch 1 collecting food near this years' nest site. A regular visitor here tells me this is the second year the birds have used this particular site.
Greenfinch 1 Singing.....a rare occurrence here now
Chaffinch 1 singing
Bullfinch 1M
Linnet 4 flew over
Swift 1 over Bottom Res
Pheasant 1 heard in top pastures
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Wood Pigeon.

Also one length of discarded nylon line just at the point on the lower reservoir where families come with their kids and dogs to feed the ducks...... Fishermen - I was going to say Anglers but the alliteration is better (couldn't find a wooden spoon emoji lol)