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.
In what was a fairly typical year for the species, a bird was seen at Soil Hill on 13th January (NK). The other records all involved migrants observed at Thornton Moor Reservoir, and comprising four birds on 25th September, five on 10th October and one on 13th (DCB).
YELLOWHAMMER
Emberiza citrinella
Uncommon resident breeder: moorland edges, farmland and scrub.
This species continues to maintain its tenuous existence in the recording area, due largely to the feed provided in the Sconce Lane area of Baildon, from where most records originate. In 2005, birds were seen here monthly until June, when none were recorded, nor were there records for September, October or December, and only one for November. In the same general area, birds were seen near Weecher Reservoir in January, and at Glovershaw in May and June.
May appears to have been the peak month at Sconce Lane, as up to five birds were seen daily throughout, and up to four earlier in the year. The year’s highest total of seven was noted near Weecher on 15th January, with three there a fortnight later.
The birds’ toehold in the Leathley and Lindley Green areas seems even more precarious, as the only records were two at the first location on 23rd March, and one at the second two months later. There have been occasional previous sightings at Elland Gravel Pits, so it was good that up to three birds were present on 24th, 26th and 28th December. Also pleasing is a record from a new location, Tong, where there was a singing male on 17th June.
Notwithstanding the presence of males clearly on territory, there is no indication of breeding.
REED
BUNTING
Emberiza schoeniclus
Resident breeder/passage visitor: a wide range of wetland habitats, scrub
and wasteland.
In the first winter period, most records came from the south of the area, and involved ones and twos, though exceptions to this, on both counts, were seven at Otley Wetland in February, and six at Knotford Nook at the end of March. However, fifteen birds were seen migrating at Cold Edge Dams on 25th March, and the year’s highest count of 24 was made on 23rd January, when birds were watched leaving their roost at Stockbridge. Birds visited two gardens during this period, with a particularly good count of up to six at one in Bingley.
A good proportion of records came in the period between 1st April and 31st July. These involved a widespread and varied range of habitats, and continued to include the Baildon garden where birds had been noted earlier in the year. Usually the records were of no more than three birds, but six birds were at Elland Gravel Pits in May, and four pairs at Cold Edge Dams in the same month.
Post-breeding movements appeared to get underway by the end of August, and continued for about two months, although the numbers seen were low when compared with other passerine species. The total movement involved about 95 birds, with aggregates from the principal watch-points being nine at Paul Clough, 31 at Thornton Moor Reservoir, 28 at Denholme Clough (where there was a high day count of fifteen on 2nd October), and 24 at Cold Edge Dams.
The second winter period had relatively few records, and mainly comprised between two and six birds at Otley Wetland, Marley Sewage Works and Thornton Moor. The exception was eight birds above Shipley Glen on 28th December.
Singing males were noted at Burley Moor, Elland Gravel Pits, Otley Wetland, Baildon and Soil Hill, but the only evidence of breeding came from Bingley North Bog and Stockbridge Nature Reserve.