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The number of records in the past two years has been well down on what was regularly produced in the 1990’s, and there has been, in particular, a marked reduction in the sightings at Otley Wetland, formerly a stronghold and the site of regular breeding.

Only 14 records were involved in 2006, of which no more than five originated from Otley, and there was no suggestion of breeding there or elsewhere. The year’s first arrival was seen here on 2nd March, and four were present on the 20th, but most of the spring records were in April, when up to four were at Cononley Ings early in the month, and a movement during the last week produced a bird at Stockbridge on the 23rd, and a total of three in the Otley and Knotford areas three days later. The two reports for the following month were of singles over Marley Hall Farm on the 7th, and Otley Wetland on the 8th.

A reportedly large movement in late August resulted in six birds being seen at Thornton Moor Reservoir on the 18th, and a very good count (and the year’s highest) of 18 birds, including 14 juveniles, there three days later. Further relocation was noted at Doe Park Reservoir a month later, when three birds flew south on the 20th, and two birds at Swinsty Reservoir on 10th November, and one at Otley Wetland on the 14th completed the year’s reports.

MANDARIN DUCK Aix galericulata
Uncommon, but increasingly frequent visitor and sporadic breeder, escapee.

The pattern of sightings this year was the exact opposite to 2005, when a record number of birds were seen in the general area of Strid Wood in the early months, but very few in the second winter period.

In the first five months of 2006, Strid Wood (and occasionally the odd site further upriver) produced only single-figure counts of between one and five birds, this maximum being recorded on 1st May, but breeding success was better than the previous year. Three well-grown young were seen in Strid Wood in mid-June, and up to nine juveniles were seen near Barden Bridge on the last few days of the month and in July.

There was only one September record, of three birds, but by late October numbers at this stronghold built up to 13, and were between 16 and 28 on eight dates in November, and with a maximum of 31 birds on the 21st. Numbers had generally dropped below 20 by the beginning of December, but there were still 16 present on the 21st, and 19 on the 1st of the month, which included displaying drakes. The only report away from this general area was of a male on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal near Hirst Wood throughout December, which could have been an escaped or released bird.

EURASIAN WIGEON Anas penelope
Regular passage migrant and winter visitor.

A good year, with 90 records covering 19 locations, and including 44 double-figure counts.

Most records for the first winter period came from the Otley area, where there were several counts of between 20 and 26 birds, from Knotford Nook, Otley Wetland and a private location, and the highest aggregate for the early part of the year: 52 birds at Lindley Wood Reservoir on 16th February. Elsewhere, 22 birds were seen at Cononley Ings in March.

Sightings petered out by mid-April, but there was a notable summer record of a bird at Otley Wetland on 8th June. Presumed migrants brought the first records of autumn, and these came almost entirely from the south of the area, with double-figure counts in September at the reservoirs at Lower Laithe, Warley Moor and Thornton Moor (which produced the period’s highest number of 22), and Denholme Clough. The main numbers were seen from the end of October, with 50 birds in October and December at Knotford Nook, and up to 54 at the private lake. However, Cononley Ings, included in the Group’s recording area for the first time, produced several counts of up to 38 birds in this period, and a record total of 150 on 3rd December (MSm).

Birds were also seen this year at several sites where they are relatively unusual, namely Tong Park Reservoir, on the Wharfe at Strid Wood, and St. Ives, although the bird seen there was considered an escape.

GADWALL Anas strepera
Increasingly regular passage migrant and winter visitor.

The pattern of the 2006 records replicates almost exactly those of the previous year, and, indeed, other recent ones, although numbers were generally down.

Whilst the Manningham Park bird was again present, its presence turns out to be permanent, so it is clearly an escape, limiting the only genuine birds to the Otley area once more. Two pairs were at Knotford Nook on 4th January, and one at a private lake later in the month, where four (possibly the Knotford birds) were seen on 15th February. Otley Wetland had two on the 28th of the month, and almost certainly the same birds on the first few days in March, though two birds at Knotford Nook around this period could have been different. The final birds of the first winter period were singles, possibly the same, at Otley Wetland on 25th March and 2nd April.

With one exception, all the birds in the latter part of the year were seen at Knotford. Two birds on 2nd and 9th September were clearly on passage, three turned up on 27th November, and two birds were then seen on four dates between the beginning and end of December. A pair seen on the private lake on Boxing Day could well have been the Knotford ones.

Given the proximity of all three locations, it is quite possible only a handful of mobile birds was involved.

COMMON TEAL Anas crecca
Resident, passage and winter visitor; occasionally breeds locally.

Once again, birds were present in 11 months of the year, being absent only in May, but with only three summer records : from Thornton Moor Reservoir and Soil Hill in July, and Yeadon Tarn in June, the last two being unusual sites for the species. Two other less usual locations amongst the total of 22 recorded were Addingham Caravan Park and Timble Ings, where birds were seen in February and September respectively.

As expected, the best totals were produced in early spring, late autumn and the winter months, with all the significant counts coming from the Aire Valley. In the early months, Sandbeds Flash had 100 birds on 5th January, and 75 on 7th April, and the 60 birds seen in Marley Sewage Works within this period clearly related to the same flock. Between 37 and 73 birds were at Cononley Ings in March and April, the highest total being counted on 20th March.

In autumn and the second winter period, the Sandbeds flock peaked at 75 on 6th December, and 102 birds were at Cononley on 31st October and 2nd November, reducing to 36 by early December. Only three other locations produced 20 birds or more : this number was seen at a private lake in March and John o’ Gaunt’s Reservoir in October, and a total of 21 birds were on or flew past Thornton Moor Reservoir on 18th August. The near absence of birds in the summer months is reflected in the total absence of breeding records.

The signs are that future numbers will be dependent on the seasonal, but sporadic, floods in the Aire Valley, as the Sandbeds site appears to have been drained, and access to the sewage works at Marley and Esholt is now restricted (with the habitat at the latter location being depleted, in any event).

MALLARD Anas platyrhynchos
Common resident breeder; passage/winter visitor.

Since 2004, when few reports were received and only 16 locations featured, there has been a remarkable turnaround. The welcome improvement last year has been eclipsed in 2006 by 220 records from no less than 46 locations. Indeed, the 80 double-figure counts are as many as all the reports for 2004!

Reports came from every month, but with a noticeable downturn in the records for the summer months, and all the big counts were made in both winter periods and autumn. Surprisingly, only one large total came from a reservoir site (perhaps a result of higher water levels following modification of several of them). The monthly maxima for the localities concerned are:

Strid Wood January 20th 139
February 8th 215
October 24th 247
November 21st 177
Lindley Wood Reservoir January 5th 106
Bolton Bridge/Bolton Abbey February 16th 125
September 28th 139
October 30th 132
Cononley Ings October 29th 158
December 3rd 100
Leeds and Liverpool Canal November 8th 120
“ “ “ (Bingley area) December 1st 100
“ “ “ (Keighley area) December 4th 118
Ogden Reservoir November 16th 110

In addition, 120 birds were seen on small ponds near Thornton Moor Reservoir in August, but these were thought to be releases.

In keeping with the general trend, breeding was also reported on an unprecedented scale from Stockbridge, Strid Wood, Chelker Reservoir, Cononley, Otley Wetland, Bolton Abbey, Gallows Hill, Cottingley Manor, Yeadon Tarn, Harecroft, Marley Sewage Works, Ilkley Tarn, Thornton Moor Reservoir, Lindley Wood Reservoir, Timble Ings, Denton, Menston, Pool Paper Mills, Knotford Nook and Baildon, where a brood of ducklings being shepherded by the parent brought traffic to a halt. At least 130 juveniles were mentioned in reports, plus other unspecified numbers.

Away from this plethora of numbers, there was an unusual garden record from Low Moor, where two birds spent all of 11th January on the ornamental pond.

NORTHERN PINTAIL Anas acuta
Regular passage and occasional winter visitor, usually in small numbers.

A similar year to 2005 produced seven records of about eight birds, which is becoming the average.

The only reports in the early months concerned a single at Chelker Reservoir on 15th January (JLT), and two birds at Cononley Ings on 20th March (MSm). This area was to prove to be the most productive during the rest of the year as up to two birds, presumably the same, were seen on three days from 31st October, and two others nearby at Farnhill Ings on 18th December (MSm, PCK, SR). Away from here, a female was found at Otley Wetland on 11th September (PRo).

GARGANEY Anas queruedula
Scarce passage visitor

A male which spent a short time at Otley Wetland on 8th May was seen by only two observers (BV, AGG).

NORTHERN SHOVELER Anas clypeata
Passage/winter visitor in small numbers, has bred.

All but three of this year’s records came from the first five months.

A bird found at Tong Park Reservoir on 13th January was the local observer’s first there in over 20 years of monitoring the site, but it clearly found the location to its liking, as it remained until 8th February. Around the same time a male was seen at Knotford Nook on 15th February, and a month later there were two pairs at Otley Wetland. The early months were completed by reports of a bird over Barden Scale on 5th April, pairs at Knotford on 24th April and Stockbridge Nature Reserve on 6th May, plus another bird at Otley just over a week later.

In autumn, two of the records were of singles at Knotford on 23rd September and 2nd October, and three birds over Caldene Fields on 18th October was a good local record.

COMMON POCHARD Aythya ferina
Passage/winter visitor, occasionally summers.

For some reason, Pochard no longer winters in the Group area in the numbers it did. There have been peaks and troughs in recent years, but there is now, apparently, no real expectation of getting much more than 40 birds in total in the Otley area, and only a handful elsewhere. So it proved in 2006.

For one of the few years in the past twenty, Knotford Nook failed to get into double figures, and the only significant monthly maxima came from Otley Wetland:

January 17, February 34, March 38, November 13, December 11.

The other sites from which birds were recorded were Yeadon Tarn, and the reservoirs at Ponden, Silsden, Lindley Wood and Ogden, where four birds on 8th January represented an unusual record. Of these, only Yeadon Tarn managed more than ten birds, when 12 were seen in February.

A male seen intermittently at Knotford Nook and Otley Wetland in April and June could well have been the one which has summered in the area in other recent years.

TUFTED DUCK Aythya fuligula
Passage/winter visitor and increasing resident, with some breeding.

This species showed a welcome return to form in 2006. There were 174 reports from 23 locations, more birds generally, evidence of the return of the Chelker Reservoir post-breeding flock, and considerably better breeding success.

Whilst the biggest numbers were, as is now customary, seen in the Otley area, good counts were recorded at a number of other sites, and birds were seen at several which have not featured regularly in the past, if at all : Myrtle Park (Bingley), High Lanshaw Dam, Cononley Ings, Scargill Reservoir, East Riddlesden Hall, Cottingley Manor and Dowley Gap. At the last two sites, birds were seen in the summer months. Around Otley, the monthly maxima at the regular strongholds were:

	Jan	Feb	March	April	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec
Otley Wetland	44	55	59	22	40	20	61	52
Knotford Nook	62	18	20	11	26	21	25	35

Some of the first winter period birds remained at the Wetland into May, when there was a maximum count of 20.

In all, there were nearly 100 double-figure counts from across the area, and some sites recorded more than 20 birds on several occasions, in contrast with last year, when there were very few counts of this order, and not many double-figure ones. The more notable winter tallies were in January, when there were 39 birds in Manningham Park, and 30 on Redcar Tarn, and in February, when 40 birds were seen at Silsden Reservoir.

It was pleasing to see post-breeding birds back on Chelker Reservoir, after recent absences, and there was a good total of 60 in July. Non-breeding birds were also seen in July and August at Silsden Reservoir, Thornton Moor Reservoir, Knotford Nook, and Weecher Reservoir, as well as the two sites in the Otley area.

Successful breeding was noted at John o’ Gaunt’s Reservoir, near Myrtle Park, Redcar Tarn and Otley Wetland, with two pairs at the last two sites. In total, at least 29 young were seen, but the fledging success wasn’t specifically noted.

GREATER SCAUP Aythya marila
Increasingly regular passage/winter visitor.

Another poor year for the species was not helped by three potential records being unsupported by the necessary description.

A female seen at Otley Wetland on 2nd and 5th January was clearly the bird which had been present there at the end of December, 2005 (RHP, D&BP, ES), and was probably the one which visited Knotford Nook briefly on the 4th (KM), so the only new record was a sub-adult seen at Knotford Nook on 2nd September (SJ).
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COMMON SCOTER Melanitta nigra
Scarce, but regular, passage visitor.

A reasonable showing, with a total of 12 birds seen on seven dates, and at four sites.

Otley Wetland had a female on 28th and 29th June, (AGG, KM), and there was a pair at Thornton Moor Reservoir on 3rd July (BV, RHP, KM), and a drake at Warley Moor Reservoir three weeks later (HBC).

The three autumn reports concerned six birds at Thornton Moor on 5th September (RHP), one there on 9th October (RHP, SR, BV), and a male on Thruscross Reservoir, at the Group’s other extremity, the day before (D&BP).

COMMON GOLDENEYE Bucephala clangula
Common passage/winter visitor, occasionally summers.

As is now the norm, a considerable proportion of the records came from the Otley area, and this is where the highest gatherings were regularly seen. Reports did, however, come from 17 locations in all, and the last and first observations were away from Wharfedale, these being at Thornton Moor Reservoir on 11th May, and Cononley Ings on 29th October, where four birds were seen on a notably late first arrival date. The highest monthly counts were:

	Jan	Feb	March	April	Nov	Dec
Knotford Nook	25	10	23	12	4	12
Otley Wetland	31	46	27	14	21	26

These aggregates are generally higher than in 2005, and the count of 46 birds at Otley Wetland on 24th February represents a Group record (AGG). It will be noticed, however, that this period coincided with a drop in the numbers at Knotford so the suspicion must be that some of their birds had commuted to the Wetland. The same can probably be said of a count of at least 40 birds at a nearby private site in March, and totals of 16 and 21 at Lindley Wood Reservoir in the same month, the only other location to produce double-figures.

RUDDY DUCK Oxyura jamaicensis
Uncommon passage/winter visitor, with sporadic breeding.

The reasons for the decline of this species are well-documented, so that there are only three records is not unexpected. All came from Otley Wetland, where a pair was present on 7th May (MD), and singles on 8th June (KM), and 5th September (AGG).