2003 Report

2004 Report

2006 Report

BLACK REDSTART Phoenicurus ochruros
Scarce and irregular passage migrant. Former breeder

A male and female were located in the Trough Lane fields, near Oxenhope, on 21st April, but both had moved on within the day (KM). The first record for three years.

COMMON REDSTART Phoenicurus phoenicurus.
Migrant breeder/passage visitor.

For a widespread and relatively common species, there were only 36 records, probably representing no more than around 30 different birds, and little evidence of breeding activity.

The first record, a male at Dob Park, was on the quite early date of 8th April, with most of the year’s remaining reports being from that month and May. There were many records of singing males, but the highest site total was only three, at Strid Wood, regarded as one of the main breeding locations. Most sightings came from Wharfedale and the Washburn Valley, but a notable exception was a bird in a Low Moor garden in April. Birds seen in September at Otley Wetland and Paul Clough were no doubt on migration, but there were no other examples.

The only definite evidence of breeding was seven young ringed from a nest at Folly Hall Wood, but a bird carrying food was seen at Bolton Abbey, and family parties were noted at John o’ Gaunt’s Reservoir, Roils Head and Ogden Clough.

WHINCHAT Saxicola rubetra.
Migrant breeder/passage visitor.

Records in 2005 were in line with the pattern of recent years, with 47 reports from 19 sites, though it should be noted both are well down on those of ten years ago.

The first bird was on Rombald’s Moor on 29th March, a relatively early date, which was emphasised by there being no further records until a month later, and only a few in the early part of May. Birds on territory were seen late in the month, and in the following two, but by August these were overlapping with those on return migration.

As usual for this species, the majority of sightings, and all those for autumn passage, came from the south, and the general area above Oxenhope in particular. Migrating birds were seen there from the end of August, with records on 13 days, and with the year’s largest gathering of eight birds on Nab Water Lane on the 29th of the month. By the middle of September, passage had reduced to a trickle, until the last bird was seen at Roils Head on 30th.

Three juveniles were seen with parents at Whetstone Gate in August, and in the same month three young birds were noted in Sconce Lane, but these could have been on migration, rather than locally raised. There was no other specific breeding information, but what was probably a family group was on Barden Fell in July.

COMMON STONECHAT Saxicola torquata
Increasingly common breeder and passage/winter visitor.

This species has increased markedly in Yorkshire as a whole, and this is reflected in its fortunes within the Group area. In 2005, birds were recorded throughout the year, and from about 35 locations, nearly three times the number of 1997. In all, it is probable upwards of 130 adult birds were seen. Between two and five birds were recorded on a number of occasions, and there were locally high counts of nine at Cold Edge on 11th October, and ten at Soil Hill on 17th, clearly a period when birds were dispersing.

Given that pairs are seen throughout the year, it is not always easy to establish just how many birds are breeding, but the presence of juveniles confirmed success at many locations. This occurred at Trough Lane, Cold Edge Dams, Askwith Moor, Norwood Lane, Embsay Crag, Harden Moor, Barden Moor, Ovenden Moor, Sconce Lane (near Baildon) and Shipley Glen. In total, there were 14 pairs at these sites, and at least 40 young were raised, sometimes in two broods. Other pairs clearly on territory were seen around Burley Moor.

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NORTHERN WHEATEAR. Oenanthe oenanthe
Migrant breeder/passage visitor.

Whilst a few pairs usually breed, Wheatears are essentially passage migrants through this area, and, it transpires, in considerable numbers.

Readers of “Lapwing” will have seen a recent article, in which reference was made to the “Bradford 800”. This was, in fact, the estimated number of birds seen on migration in 2004 within an area of about three kilometres square in the south, and recorded, in the main, by three dedicated members (DCB, RHP, BV). Given that this number must represent the highest annual aggregation for such a small area anywhere in Yorkshire, if not the country, their efforts should perhaps be belatedly recognised.

Now to this year. Whilst the same efforts were made by the same people, the totals for 2005 are lower, though they still represent a hefty count. By far the biggest numbers are seen in spring, when there is unlikely to be much double-counting, as birds tend to pass through very quickly. As usual, the biggest counts were made at the traditional staging post of Trough Lane, near Oxenhope, with most of the remaining numbers also being seen in the same general area. Monthly totals for spring migration were:

There were many double-figure counts at Trough Lane, with particular highs in May of 21 on 2nd, 22 on 4th, and 27 on 6th. In this same period, there was a Group record total of 44 birds for any one location, at Thornton Moor Reservoir (DCB). The same day, 2nd May, also produced the amazing total of 90 birds counted within the recording area as a whole. Prior to all this excitement, the first birds had sneaked in quietly on 19th March, when singles were seen at Soil Hill, Thornton Moor and Luddenden Dean, and three birds at Roils Head.

Autumn passage was, in comparison, fairly quiet, but around 150 birds were still recorded, mostly from the same areas, from early August for about three months. Daily maxima of 12 birds were seen at Trough Lane on 25th and 27th August, but lingering birds make the possibility of double-counting greater.

To round off the year, there was a remarkable passage at Soil Hill of birds showing the characteristics of the race O.o.leucorhoa (Greenland Wheatear). Between 27th September and 2nd November, 10 different birds provided very close telescope views, (KM) and were specifically identified, using the criteria contained in the paper which subsequently appeared in “Lapwing” and is available through the website (M. Cunningham). There were several other reports of large Wheatears, and which were probably this sub-species, but they were not supported by a detailed description. The final bird, seen on 2nd November, is the joint-latest record in the area.

Two fledged young were located in July on Askwith Moor, and a juvenile on Rombald’s Moor in September might have been locally raised. The only other record came from Soil Hill, where behaviour was suggestive of a breeding attempt.

RING OUZEL Turdus torquatus.
Increasingly uncommon migrant breeder and regular passage migrant.

Whilst the total of 24 records submitted is an improvement on 2004, there are several points to bear in mind. All but eight of the reports relate to autumn migration (in a year when there was a large influx of birds into the country), there were only four moorland records, and there was no evidence of breeding. Thus, the species’ decline in the area regrettably continues.

The first arrivals were individuals seen on different parts of Burley Moor on 11th April, followed by other sightings there later in the month, and at Thornton Moor Reservoir, Soil Hill and Luddenden Dean. There were no further reports until 12th July, when a bird was found on Barden Moor, and another two months elapsed before return migration brought a welcome increase in sightings.

A probable total of 18 birds was recorded from Thornton Moor, Paul Clough, Kex Gill Quarry, Roils Head, Cold Edge, Soil Hill (which had four birds on 21st October), the totally unexpected location of Burley/Menston Sewage Works, and Barden Fell, from where the last report originated on 9th November, a notably late date. This was in keeping with the national influx mentioned earlier, and most of the autumn records came during the two week period from 21st October.

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BLACKBIRD Turdus merula
Very common resident breeder/winter visitor.

This is another example of a common bird being poorly recorded, with the meagre totals being boosted by observations at the well-watched visible-migration points. Even here, numbers seen under this heading were down on 2004, and the best of the few double-figure counts were fifteen and 21 at Thornton Moor Reservoir in October, nineteen in Otley Wharfe Meadows Park in March, and twenty at Knotford Nook in February and Denholme Clough in October. Perhaps the most notable count, however, was fourteen birds feeding in a Low Moor garden on 11th October, a clear sign of a recent influx. Several of the birds seen at Doe Park Reservoir in October were said to show characteristics of the Continental race.

Early singing birds were heard in Queensbury and Baildon at the beginning of February, but breeding records were sparse, and consisted only of reports of young birds at St. Ives, and four juveniles ringed at Howgill Wood.

FIELDFARE Turdus pilaris
Winter visitor and passage migrant.

In the early months, numbers were slightly up on the comparable first winter period in 2004. The bigger three-figure flocks were 300 at Cullingworth in January, 600 passing Barden Scale in March, and 400 on Rombald’s Moor in that month, and 900 at Leeshaw on 11th January, the year’s biggest count exclusive of the migration totals. Elsewhere there were 24 reports of flocks of between 100 and 300 birds. The last record for the period was a bird at Barden Scale on 22nd April.

Arrivals for the second winter period were led by four birds in the centre of Bradford on 19th September, closely followed by two at Cold Edge Dams six days later. There was then a gap of nearly three weeks before the push during October and November, which produced around 9000 birds in all, a figure which was significantly down on the previous year. As ever, Thornton Moor Reservoir had the largest day counts, notably 2700 on 26th October and 1315 the following day, with 500 on 29th, followed by 582 on 5th November and 533 on 20th. There were also 814 birds over Caldene Fields on 24th October and 484 through Paul Clough two days later.

Birds were relatively scarce in December, and a count of 400 birds at Glovershaw on 10th was the best of only five flocks of 100 or more.

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SONG THRUSH Turdus philomelos
Resident breeder/winter visitor.

A fair spread of records included many singing birds, but without evidence of subsequent breeding at many of the sites. Song was first heard from six birds in St. Ives on 5th February, increasing to eight by the end of April. Breeding took place there, and also at Lindley Wood Reservoir, Marley Sewage Works, Knotford Nook and Howgill Wood, where four young were ringed. A Bingley garden was visited by a family party, including four juveniles, in July, and there were other garden records from Baildon and Undercliffe.

There were very few reports for either winter period, and numbers on autumn migration were fairly typical, with a total of about 50 birds seen at Thornton Moor and Denholme Clough, and the only double-figure count, 16, at this location on 8th October

REDWING Turdus iliacus
Winter visitor and passage migrant.

Numbers in the first winter period were considerably boosted in January and early February by a roost of at least 4500 birds at Kildwick, and a similar number seen in Silsden on 25th January, and which were probably referable to this roost. Three-figure counts were otherwise hard to come by, and in January these comprised 250 at Elland Gravel Pits and 384 at Thornton Moor Reservoir on New Year’s Day (with 115 there two days later), and 110 at St. Ives on 18th. In February there was a flock of 100 at Luddenden Dean on 19th, and the same number at Knotford Nook on 3rd March. Birds were heard in song at St. Ives in January, and there was a scarce garden record of a bird in Burley-in-Wharfedale on 26th. Seventy birds in the Sconce Lane area of Baildon on 21st March, were, surprisingly, the last of this period.

The first returning bird at Denholme Clough on 2nd October heralded a migration period that was noticeably down on the previous year, although observers still managed to rack up a total of around 9800 during October and November. At Timble Ings a maximum of 500 birds were seen going to roost on 15th October, but only two sites had counts of three-figures or more during visible-migration watches. At Thornton Moor, the biggest of these were 1400 and 1615 on 26th and 28th October, with other counts of 866, 700 and 510 in the same month, followed by 600 on 1st November. Caldene Fields had an excellent total of 1173 on 18th October.

November and December were otherwise very quiet, with most records coming from St. Ives, where 159 birds were present on Boxing Day.

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MISTLE THRUSH Turdus viscivorus
Resident breeder and passage migrant.

A reasonably well-recorded species, particularly in the south of the Group area, with small parties regularly seen in the post-breeding months, and particularly when birds were dispersing. During this period, groups of between 10 and 20 birds were seen on 12 occasions, and there were three higher counts of 27 past Denholme Clough on 2nd October, 45 in Luddenden Dean on 26th August, and 55 near Barden Scale on 8th December.

In addition to movements noted at the regular migration spots, birds clearly on the move were also seen at Soil Hill, and less usual locations such as Oakworth and Thornton. Around 340 birds were seen during the whole of the autumn migration period. There were few winter records, and, apart from 17 birds over Cold Edge Dams in February, were confined to twos and threes. Unusual behaviour was noted from a bird seen in the centre of Bradford on 8th April, which was feeding on bread, and unconcerned by the presence of the observer two metres away.

Singing males were first heard in mid-January, and successful breeding followed at or near Barden, Doe Park and Undercliffe (Bradford).

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