Snow
Bunting |
Yellowhammer |
Reed
Bunting |
SNOW
BUNTING
Plectrophenax nivalis
Infrequent passage/winter visitor: moorland and adjacent areas. Recorded
in every year except 1990 and 1992.
The first was a bird at Thornton Moor Reservoir on 1st October (DCB). November produced more records, with one on Soil Hill on 8th and 9th (KM) and another there on 13th (MD). On the same date eight passed Thornton Moor (DCB), and a week later, four were at Leeshaw Reservoir (RHP). Finally, another single was on Soil Hill on 7th December (KM).
YELLOWHAMMER
Emberiza citrinella
Uncommon resident breeder: moorland edges, farmland and scrub.
Once again, there were two main general areas where birds were regularly noted. Sconce Lane on Baildon Moor hosted birds all year, with birds coming to the feed provided. The maximum count was a respectable 14 birds in February. The other main site is the Lindley Green area where there were up to five singing males between April and July.
The only other records concerned two birds at Billing Hill on 4th March, and three moving through Luddenden Dean on 10th October.
REED
BUNTING
Emberiza schoeniclus
Resident breeder/passage visitor: a wide range of wetland habitats, scrub
and wasteland.
In the early months of the year, generally small numbers were reported from various places, such as Otley Wetland, Chelker Reservoir, Stockbridge and Marley Sewage Works. Cold Edge Dams was the exception, and had respectable counts in this period of 10 on 6th March and 18 on 8th.
There was a presence at many sites during the summer, with breeding proven at Leeshaw Reservoir, Otley Wetland, Cold Edge Dams, Bingley Bog and Burley Moor.
Generally, only single figures were noted during the autumn and second winter periods, from many widespread locations, but the group of 31 birds at Glovershaw on 19th November was only just short of the Group’s record total.