A Great Northern Diver is at Ladywood Lakes, Mirfield. It's an adult and still pretty much in breeding plumage.

Whilst staying in West Yorkshire, we visited St.Ives Estate yesterday at Harden near Bingley.

Species of note included :

3 Raven over.
2 groups of 40+ Redwing over.
1 group of approx 25 Fieldfares over.
A pair of Goosander at Coppice Pond amongst usuals.
Cuckoo Nest Wood- single Redwing feeding on berries with a Blackbird, a Nuthatch, a small flock of mixed Tits (mainly Blue and Great Tits with what I'm sure was a Treecreeper in there)
I heard what I'm sure was a Redstart but couldn't locate it and I thought it would've been very late in the year if it was, but it certainly sounded like it.

One thing I was a bit annoyed at...a fantastic feeding station at the main hide, or at least it could've been had it not been for a man and woman with about 5 kids in there with toys and stuff allover, and a dog just constantly barking. They had to move some stuff so me and Michelle could sit down. Not a single bird on any of the feeders and we weren't surprised.

A stonking female Dotterel showing well just over the border near Holmfirth at Cartworth Moor from the junction of Cartworth Moor Road/Copthurst Road junction (SE133055).

-- Edited by Mark Rigby on Sunday 5th of May 2013 02:36:00 PM

Stockport Birdwatching Society Field Trip to Anglers Country Park & Old Moor RSPB 08.12.12

31 Members travelled over the Pennines in good weather and arrived at Anglers Country Park shortly after 9.00am. If ducks are your thing this was a trip not to be missed! 13 Species of duck in all including Long-Tailed Duck (Female), American Wigeon (Drake) and Scaup (female) all present. As we were watching the Long-Tailed Duck a Green Woodpecker flew over the lake. 3 Egyptian Geese were spotted in a nearby field and there was plenty of activity at the feeding station. Willow Tit, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Tree Sparrow all seen here.

Next stop was Old Moor RSPB, much quieter here birdwise, but full of people! A few Brambling could be seen from the Tree Sparrow Garden hide, but the only other birds of note were a Sparrowhawk seen on a number of occasions, a single Redshank and two or three Common Snipe 'bobbing' like Jack Snipe!

A good day in good weather (the only rain as per usual as we crossed the Pennines on the way home)

Tony Mossman

10th March.

Fairburn Ings - 7.10 to 8.45 am.

A large and vocal flock of c160 Wigeon were trying to feed on the wet grassland when they weren't being disturbed by a posse of frisky stampeding Highland Cattle!! A feeding flock of 19 Curlew were close by - it was interesting to see how easily and how many earthworms individual birds were able to pick off in a short space of time - rich pickings.

There is always something to watch here - today I watched a pair of Gadwall mating on the water. The female just about kept her head above water and maintained her dignity during the brief event! A Pair of Long-tailed Tits were nest building.

6 Redshank, 2 Snipe, 2 Shelduck, 2 Oystercatcher, at least 7 singing Reed Bunting and a Willow Tit was also singing. 1 Little Egret was showing off its yellow and red leg rings and 1 Green Woodpecker flew over. Also uncounted numbers of Lapwing, Shoveler, Pochard, Gadwall, Teal, Goldeneye, Goosander and Tufted Duck.

Didn't meet another person - either birder or dogwalker - in the whole time I was there!

Cheers,

Bill.

Sorry Ian, didn't see this thread!

There was a TV programme a few years back, seem to recall, that showed how opportunistic Rooks were, by working out how to get edible rubbish out of Service Stations bins. Food probably the major attraction. Pied Wagtails probably the (comparable) warmth & light generated.

Has anyone ever done a study of Rooks and motorway service stations? They do seem to go together in my experience - but why? Do Rooks thrive on diesel fumes? Do service stations plant the right sort of trees?

Any ideas?

Steve

popped in to pugneys myself on way back from doncaster. Not much on the main lake, but 100 pochard, 12 GC Grebe, kingfisher, lots of tufties, a few shoveller and the ring-necked duck showing well too on the smaller reed fringed nature reserve lake. A cracking bird artist was also at work in the hide with a few locals. Had a couple of siskin fly over on way back to car too. Nice stop off on route home to be fair!

We were over there again today, with the promise of the two excellent ducks, the Ferruginous having moved onto Pugneys boating lake since we last saw it, plus a walk to the river to see an excellent if awkward male Smew complete with RB Merganser, a good selection of ducks generally and a nice Kingfisher.

We then moved onto Old Moor where the Barn Owl showed well for us and with 20+ Red Grouse over Woodhead in the fading light on the way home a great NYD!

Visited Pugney's CP this a.m. with P&N Johnson, easy to get to and had good views of 2 lifers for me Ferruginous Duck and Ring Necked Duck, also large numbers of Pochard, fewer Tufted with Wigeon and Goldeneye also nice to meet Mike Baron once again, sorry I didn't recognise you at first.
Happy New Year to all,Cheers Ian

We were tempted to return to the wetland opposite Pugneys this morning, as our first visit prior to Christmas was rather a wet affair. The light was perfect and we soon found ourselves watching both the Ferruginous Duck and Ring Necked Duck Two stunners.