Mute
Swan |
Whooper
Swan |
MUTE
SWAN Cygnus
olor
Common resident breeder.
The majority of the records, and all the double-figure counts, came from the Otley area, where there is clearly a stable, if locally mobile, population.
Numbers were almost exactly in line with other recent years, and the year’s highest count was 29 birds at Knotford Nook on 30th October, though correlation with other records from the same general area at the time suggests they were referable to birds seen at Otley Wetland on many occasions, and which had a maximum of 22 in the latter months of the year. Other records, mainly of twos and threes, came from various locations in Airedale, but with seven birds at Yeadon Tarn in March, and a scarce Worth Valley record of a bird at Leeshaw Reservoir in February.
As might be expected, most of the breeding information also emanated from around Otley, and it was considered probable three pairs had attempted to breed at the Wetland Nature Reserve, where at least 11 young were seen, and five cygnets were also reported from Knotford Nook. Elsewhere, four young were raised at Stockbridge, three at Farnhill, seven at Cononley, and four young birds were seen at a private lake.
WHOOPER
SWAN Cygnus
cygnus
Uncommon but regular passage visitor.
With only eight records, 2006 was even quieter than the previous year, which had just twelve, and there were only two double-figure counts.
In contrast to 2005, there were few spring records, and all were in March, a typical month for returning birds. Ten birds were at Silsden Reservoir on the 9th, followed by 28, comfortably the year’s biggest count, at Ogden Reservoir on the 20th, and two on Lindley Wood Reservoir three days later.
The first arrivals were seen on 24th October, with two birds on Silsden Reservoir, and the same number at Warley Moor Reservoir. In November, four flew west at Ponden on the 10th, and two were on Fewston Reservoir on the 22nd. The final record was of four birds flying past Soil Hill on 17th December.
PINK-FOOTED
GOOSE Anser
brachyrhynchus
Seen regularly over-flying on passage, and occasionally as a winter visitor.
Within the Group area Pink-footed Geese are essentially passage birds, so the fluctuations in numbers from one year to another are as much dependent on observer coverage as on actual differences in the number of birds overflying the area. That said, the totals seen in 2006 were significantly down on 2004, and considerably so on last year’s mammoth total, but still represented a good tally when compared with some other recent years.
Typically, birds seen in the first two months of the year are relocating their wintering grounds from the south-east to the north-west of the country, and those which appear in the last quarter are new arrivals. There seems to be a tendency for some birds to relocate rather earlier, however, and some of the birds seen in December may have been doing this. The first quarter produced about 1900 birds, comprising the following significant movements
Jan 12th Barden Scale 230 in three flocks
Jan 18th Knotford Nook 80
Jan 19th Oxenhope 170 in two flocks
Jan 22nd Wilsden 450 in three flocks
Jan 22nd Marley Hall Farm 500
Jan 22nd Skipton Sewage Works 80
Feb 11th Leathley 80
Feb 11th Haworth 150
Feb 14th Shipley 150
Unusually, the final three months of the year produced more birds than the first, boosted considerably by excellent counts in October at Caldene Fields, comprising 800 on 9th, (the year’s highest), 109
on 16th, 320 on 23rd, and 300 on 29th. The first arrivals were on the 3rd at Denholme Clough, when 43 birds flew east, and at Thornton Moor Reservoir, where two skeins totalling 70 birds were noted. This period also produced sightings at Warley Moor Reservoir, with 50 on the 4th and 35 on the 7th. There were no other significant counts until December, when 57 birds flew west at Cullingworth on the 8th, and 175 were over Shipley Glen on the 21st. In all, this second passage period had an aggregate of about 2030 birds. A flock of 100 grey geese over Newsholme at the end of October and totals of 85 over Caldene Fields in the same month couldn’t be specifically identified, but could have been this species.
Outside the main passage period, up to two birds were seen, usually in the company of Greylag Geese, at Lower Barden Reservoir, Pool, Leeshaw, Embsay Reservoir, Kex Gill Quarry, Cononley Ings, and, rather surprisingly, the canal towpath at Silsden. Four birds were at Thruscross Reservoir in January. It is probable the Aire and Worth Valley birds, at least, were wandering summering individuals.
GREYLAG
GOOSE Anser
anser
Common resident breeder, and passage visitor.
It is clear from the records received that the status of this species in the area is largely unchanged, both in terms of numbers and breeding, and, with a few exceptions, most records continue to come from north of the Aire Valley.
In the first six months there were three counts running into three figures, and all were made in January. At Lindley Wood Reservoir, 197 birds arrived on the 2nd, and just over two weeks later 103 birds were seen near Pool. Finally, an impressive flock of about 300 headed south-west over Skipton Sewage Works on the 22nd. In February the best totals were 70 birds at Leeshaw and 72 in fields near Timble Ings, and most other double-figure counts were down on these. The next sizeable flock wasn’t seen until 8th July when 120 birds were on Thruscross Reservoir, and this turned out to be the year’s final three-figure gathering. Between then and the year-end there were many double-figure sightings, but of these only counts of 75 at John o’ Gaunt’s Reservoir on 13th October, and 94 at Leeshaw Reservoir on the 29th stood out. It perhaps puts into perspective Greylag Goose’s present status in the area, that the observer remarked such a number at this location a few years ago would have been a major event.
Breeding was recorded at or near ten locations, several of them the same as last year, and, where numbers are known, with the same apparent degree of success. The sites for which specific details were provided are:
Kex Gill Quarry Three pairs and ten young
Otley Wetland Two pairs and six young
Warley Moor Reservoir Two pairs and seven young
Dowley Gap Six young
Weecher Reservoir 11 young
In addition, unspecified numbers of young were seen at Langbar, Lower Barden Reservoir, Lindley Wood Reservoir and Dunkirk Pond, but at the last two, many juveniles were said to be present. A few pairs also bred on the Burley/Hawksworth Moor complex.
CANADA
GOOSE Branta
canadensis
Common resident breeder.
As ever, this species was well-recorded, with numbers generally in line with other recent years, though the 39 locations represented 11 more than in 2005, and breeding was particularly well-recorded.
Records came from most suitable wetland and moorland areas across the area, but the highest aggregations generally emanated from Otley Wetland, which had monthly three-figure maxima of:
February 117, March 132, April 135, July 217.
Flocks of 100 or more were also reported from Manningham Park (which had this number in January and February), Lindley Wood Reservoir, where the year’s maximum count of 215 adult birds was made on 5th January, Lower Laithe Reservoir, with 120 birds in February, and Warley Moor Reservoir, where juveniles boosted the number to 200 in June and 167 in July.
Counts of between 50 and 99 birds were made on 23 occasions, mainly from the above locations, plus Killinghall Park, Yeadon Tarn, Gallows Hill (Otley), and the reservoirs at Ponden, Swinsty, Leeshaw, Upper Barden and Silsden.
Successful breeding was noted at two more locations than in 2005, being reported from Otley Wetland, St. Ives, Kex Gill Quarry, the reservoirs at Lower Laithe, Warley Moor, Thornton Moor, John o’ Gaunt’s and Hewenden, and from the Rombald’s Moor and Denton Moor complexes. Whilst definite numbers were not uniformly available, a figure of at least 200 juveniles would be conservative. One observer commented that the number of nesting birds at Otley Wetland seemed comparatively low, and considered deliberate disturbance had contributed to this. However, many young birds were seen here by the middle of July.
BARNACLE
GOOSE Branta
leucopsis
Probable escapee and uncommon passage/winter visitor.
Individuals were
seen at Otley Wetland in mid-February, and at Warley Moor Reservoir
on 25th June. Whilst probably not of genuine wild origin, they are
given the benefit of the doubt, but a bird at Manningham Park throughout
the year is clearly an escape.
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