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Another very well reported species. After the first at Otley Gravel Pits on the 23rd January numbers quickly built up here to 50 by 9th March. After a brief lull numbers rose again here to give the annual peak of 70 on 6th May. Early March seemed to be the most productive period for double figure counts elsewhere with 31 at Lower Barden Reservoir, 20 at Thruscross Reservoir, 18 at Chelker Reservoir and 17 at Kex Gill Quarry.

Breeding was noted at Weecher and Fewston Reservoirs, Denton, Barden and Cullingworth.
Return passage was poor with maxim of 16 at Otley Gravel Pits on 17th June and 15 at Kex Gill on 13th July.

LITTLE RINGED PLOVER Charidrius dubius
Migrant breeder/passage visitor.

At one our recording sites one bird had returned by 18th March with two pairs subsequently rearing young there, all were ringed. A third pair bred at a site nearby.

Passage birds were seen at Lindley Wood Reservoir on 13th April, Swinsty Reservoir, Marley on 18th April, Redcar Tarn on 11th May, Leeshaw Reservoir on 15th May and Otley Gravel Pits in June.

GREAT RINGED PLOVER Charidrius hiaticula
Migrant breeder/passage visitor.

Three birds had returned to Kex Gill Quarry by 7th March with a pair staying to breed and raise one juvenile.

One ringed plover was at Leeshaw Reservoir on 29th April and 15th May, with two there on 12th May. Three birds frequented this site on 10th August.

The only other record concerned two birds at Fewston Reservoir on 28th June.EUROPEAN

GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis apricaria
Resident breeder/passage and winter visitor.

In the first winter period Sandwith Moor held up to 250 in March and a peak of 540 on 10th April. In addition to this up to 500 were at Hoodstorth on 6th April, 310 on Hawksworth Moor on 13th April and 500 at Barden on 14th April.

Displaying birds were noted on various moors such as Bingley, Pockstones and Hawksworth as well as Round Hill, but the only proof of breeding came from Fly Flatts Reservoir.

From late-October onwards up to 304 flocked at Thornton Moor Reservoir. At Sandwith Moor there were 200 on 17th November, 400 on 7th December and 100 on 17th December. Elsewhere in late November 200 birds were seen at Chelker Reservoir and up to 65 at Soil Hill, Raggalds.

GREY PLOVER Pluvialis squatarola
Regular but scarce passage migrant.

The year started well with a single recorded at Otley Gravel Pits on the 1st January (MD). One flew south over Cold Edge Dams on 20th September. Another was noted at Leeming Reservoir on the 11th November (MS).

NORTHERN LAPWING Vanellus vanellus
Resident breeder/passage and winter visitor.

There were some good counts this year, particularly in the latter months.

In January 500 were recorded at both Burley-in-Wharfedale and at Chelker Reservoir, whilst Leeshaw Reservoir pulled in 70 birds during March and 200 in July.

200 at Redcar Tarn in September was a good record and likewise up to 500 at Flappit Springs in December.

Thornton Moor Reservoir regularly held birds in the second winter period, with a peak of 535 in November whilst Chelker Reservoir attracted up to 750 birds also in November. The years’ highest count was of 1000 birds at Otley Gravel Pits on the 4th December.
Breeding evidence came from various sites including Denton Hall, Reva Hill, Otley Gravel Pits, Knotford Nook and Thornton Moor Reservoir.

KNOT Calidris canutus
Infrequent passage migrant.

One was at Cold Edge Dams on 22nd August (HBC).

SANDERLING Calidris alba
Infrequent passage migrant.

Two were on the shoreline at Thornton Moor reservoir on 21st September (BS).

DUNLIN Calidris alpina
Fairly common passage migrant/scarce and sporadic breeder.

Not over-common in the area. The first for the year was one at Otley Gravel Pits on 9th March followed by three over Kex Gill on 30th with singles in April at Fewston Reservoir, Otley Gravel Pits and on Haworth Moor.

In May three were at Otley Gravel Pits on the 1st with one at Leeshaw Reservoir on the 12th and seven there the following day. The only June records came from Thornton Moor Reservoir on the 16th and Leeshaw on the 21st.

One was again at Leeshaw on 19th to 23rd July and five were at Thornton Moor on 24th August. There were no September records but one was at March Ghyll Reservoir on 12th October and up to two were at Thornton Moor Reservoir in late October, one being seen as late as 4th November.

JACK SNIPE Lymnocryptes minimus
Uncommon but annual passage/winter visitor.

The year started well with a series of observation located at Elland Gravel Pits, starting with three on 18th January, five on 26th and three still present on 19th March. One bird was recorded at Marley Sewage Works on the 18th March with another on Kex Gill Moor on 13th April.

At the latter end of the year singles were noted at Otley Gravel Pits on 24th October and on Soil Hill on 25th and 26th November. Back to top of page

COMMON SNIPE Gallinago gallinago
Resident breeder; passage/winter visitor.

Large winter congregations seem to be a thing of the past with the only double figure counts coming from Sandwith Moor with twelve in February and ten at Otley Gravel Pits in March.

Drumming birds were noted at many sites with ten on Sandwith Moor in June, eight at Reva Reservoir in April and six at Bradup in May.

The only breeding confirmation came from Bingley Moor but this is undoubtedly an under-representation.

WOODCOCK Scolopus rusticola
Resident breeder, passage/winter visitor.

It was disappointing there were not many records of this species although it is known to be fairly common in the area. Some of the records are of birds flushed at all times of the year but most of the records are of “roding” birds in the late spring and summer. The best count was of twelve birds at Buck Wood, Esholt on 24th May.

Breeding was confirmed at Dob Park and Panorama Woods.

BLACK-TAILED GODWIT Limosa limosa
Regular, but scarce passage migrant.

Only one record this year of a single bird at Otley Gravel Pits on the 15th June (MD).

BAR-TAILED GODWIT Limosa lapponica
Regular, but scarce passage visitor.

Single birds were seen on three occasions, at Leeshaw Reservoir on the 18th April (BV) , ten days later another was at Cold Edge Dams (HBC) and one flew over Dick Hudsons on 3rd May (SR).

WHIMBREL Numenius phaeopus
Regular, but uncommon passage migrant.

This year there were six records concerning seven birds. In the spring single birds were noted overflying Sword Point plantation on 11th April, Beaverdyke Reservoir on 20th April and Leeshaw Reservoir on 16th May.

Autumn passage consisted of two birds at Timble Ings on 15th July, a single there on 1st August and one at Thornton Moor Reservoir on 5th August.

EURASIAN CURLEW Numenius arquata
Common resident breeder and passage/winter visitor.

The lowlands of the Wharfe Valley seem to be the winter stronghold for this species in the recording area. Counts here included 250 in the Denton Hall area and 400 at Otley Gravel Pits in January. This area also attracted approx 200 in November and December.
Many sites held birds in smaller flocks and others will have had breeding birds. The only actual proof of breeding came from Denton Hall and Chelker, Weecher and Thornton Moor Reservoirs.

COMMON REDSHANK Tringa totanus
Migrant breeder/passage and occasional winter visitor.

This species was reported from many sites across the recording area with breeding evidence coming from Otley Gravel Pits and Bingley Moor, which like many common species is an under-representation.

March and April saw a mini-influx of birds at various sites with six birds each at Otley Gravel Pits, Beaverdyke Reservoir and Kex Gill Quarry. Fewston Reservoir managed eight birds whilst Thornton Moor Reservoir hosted the year’s highest count of 10.

COMMON GREENSHANK Tringa nebularia
Regular passage migrant.

There was an average selection of records reflecting a lack of suitable wader habitat. The only spring record concerned one bird on the river Wharfe near Bolton Abbey on 16th April.

The first returning migrant was at Kex Gill on 10th July followed by singles at Thornton Moor and Doe Park Reservoirs exactly a month later. One was at Leeshaw Reservoir the following day with a single on 12th August at Otley Gravel Pits. Up to three birds frequented Beaverdyke Reservoirs from 20th August to 6th September with further singles at Knotford Nook on 26th August and the last of the year at Thornton Moor Reservoir on 27th September.

GREEN SANDPIPER Tringa ochropus
Regular passage migrant and occasional winter visitor.

A very poor year with three singles each for Lindley Wood and Thornton Moor Reservoirs with two singles noted at Beaverdyke Reservoir.

Dates for this species in the spring were 12th and 20th April, while autumn records consisted of singles on 2nd, 9th (two records) and 24th August plus 15th and 20th September.

COMMON SANDPIPER Actitis hypoleucos
Migrant breeder/passage migrant.

The first was at Kex Gill on 14th April and the last at Lindley Wood Reservoir on 24th August. Between these unexceptional dates records came from all the usual sites such as Strid Woods, Kex Gill and Otley Gravel Pits in addition to many different reservoirs and other bodies of water. No exceptional counts and breeding was only confirmed at Strid Woods, Kex Gill (3 pairs) and Fewston Reservoir (3-4 pairs).

RUDDY TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres
Scarce, regular, passage migrant.

A single bird was located at the moorland site of Whetstone Gate on 25th May.