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The first birds to return to the area were found at Knotford Nook and Otley Wetland on 7th February, two weeks later than last year’s first record. As usual, numbers built up at the latter site, reaching the year’s largest count of 51 on 18th March.
Breeding was reported from Hawksworth and Bingley Moors, Otley Wetland, Willow Hall Farm, Barden, Leeshaw Reservoir and on Baildon Moor. A pair mated at Stockbridge but did not raise any young on site.
An individual seen throughout October at Barden was last noted on 30th

LITTLE RINGED PLOVER Charidrius dubius
Migrant breeder/passage visitor.

A pair was the first to return on 13th April, almost a month later than last year, and then went on to breed alongside a second pair. Four juveniles were ringed from these two nests. At a second site, three young were raised.
Spring passage was noted in April and May at Otley Wetland, Addingham, Thornton Moor Reservoir, Stockbridge, and Swinsty Reservoir.
The only probable return passage bird was a single, flying south- east at Thornton Moor on 11th June.

GREAT RINGED PLOVER Charidrius hiaticula
Migrant breeder/passage visitor.

One was back at Kex Gill Quarry on 17th March, but no breeding occurred there this year. Singles were seen here and at Thornton Moor Reservoir until 29th May, and the latter site had the only multiple sightings, when five flew through on 3rd and 16th May.
All return passage observations were at Thornton Moor, the first being a single on 10th July. Two adults were present on 31st July, possibly lingered until 9th August, and were joined by a juvenile on 4th August. A further five passed through during a migration watch on 31st July, and the final sighting was a pair heading north- west on 8th October.

EURASIAN DOTTEREL Charidrius morinellus
Scarce passage migrant.

After a gap of five years, it was a good find for the observer when four were on Rombald’s Moor on 3rd May (GT et al). Another was found on 15th on the same moorland (AT).

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

The first winter period echoed last year, with Sandwith Moor and Barden recording high numbers. The highest count was at Sandwith, when c600 were seen on 14th February. Once again, in April a flock gathered near Barden consisting of c500. A count of 560 along Norwood Lane on 8th April would presumably have been the Sandwith flock, as would a flock of 350 seen at Hoodstorth on 18th February. At Glovershaw on 12th April, 120 were found.

Breeding was recorded on the moors at Burley, Beamsley, Fly Flat and Hawksworth, with probable breeding at Thornton Moor, Ogden, and Hoodstorth.

Two-hundred and fifty birds were found in a ploughed field along Tenyards Lane, Thornton on 4th December, but the highest count for the second winter period was of 400 passing through at Thornton Moor on 14th November.

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

In the first winter period, over 800 were scattered throughout the recording area across seven sites on 17th January. The largest single flock for this period was 750 at Cullingworth on 12th February, and, at Burley, 630 were found on 5th February.

By the end of March, territorial behaviour was being noticed, and reported breeding occurred at twelve locations, of which Otley Wetland had over 15 pairs. By mid- June, post-breeding flocks were observed at Thornton Moor, with more gathering at Leeshaw and Chelker in July.

The second winter period produced the largest counts of the year when, in December, 1025 and 1230 were seen at Thornton Moor on 5th and 19th respectively. In the same month, 500 were seen in fields along Tenyards Lane, and another group of 500 was at Redcar Tarn. Elsewhere, 700 were seen at Silsden in October and at Chelker in November.
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LITTLE STINT Calidris minuta
Scarce passage visitor.

A single was found at Kex Gill Quarry on 2nd May (AGG).

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

Once again, the first record of the year was at Otley Wetland when four were seen on 13th March. Two weeks later, six were at Thornton Moor and there were further sightings at these two locations during April and May. The latter month produced several records. Up to three birds were seen displaying over Thornton Moor, Warley Moor Reservoir had one on 16th and two on 30th, and Leeshaw Reservoir had four present on 23rd, reducing to two by 27th. Thornton Moor Reservoir still held three at the height of summer on 20th June.

The earliest returning migrant was one seen flying north over Thornton Moor on 18th July, the first of several autumn sightings here. The month’s maximum of six was seen on 27th July, and others were observed until early August. After a gap of some weeks, two were noted on 24th September, and numbers built up again during October and November, with a peak count of 15 on 7th October, and the year’s final record, two birds, on 21st November.
Elsewhere, Cold Edge Dams produced three birds on 8th August, and the same number on 9th October.

RUFF Philomachus pugnax
Scarce passage visitor.

Otley Wetland hosted three on 17th and 18th April, reducing to two on 20th and one the following day (SJ et al).

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

The year’s only verified sightings came from the autumn/second winter period, and from the same location, Soil Hill, Queensbury. The first involved two birds on 17th October, and after that date there were nine other records right up until the end of December (KM et al). These could refer to a single wintering bird, or, as the location is a proven and well-watched migration site, to different individuals passing through.

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

A high count of 40 at Kildwick Ings on 28th January was most welcome, as such numbers are becoming a thing of the past. Thornton Moor Reservoir also had a good count of 33 on 28th October, on which date Otley Wetland recorded its highest total for the year of 18 birds. The only other sites to get double-figure counts were Silsden, with 16 on 25th September, and Warley Moor Reservoir, where 15 birds were noted on 15th February.

“Drumming” and displaying was recorded at only seven locations, but this no doubt reflects under-recording of such activity. No evidence of breeding success was forthcoming.

WOODCOCK Scolopus rusticola
Resident breeder, passage/winter visitor.

Roding Woodcock were recorded at only Timble Ings, St.Ives and Strid Woods, which is very poor, considering that this species has been recorded in almost all woodland areas in the past.

Timble was also the site of the highest count of five birds, seen leaving the plantation on 9th January, heading out onto the moorland. In spring and summer others were seen at Esholt, Burley, Baildon Bank and Beecroft Moor Plantation.
Autumn migrants were seen at Thornton Moor Reservoir and Soil Hill, Queensbury, whilst Harden and Timble both had one sighting in November.

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

An impressive flock of 31 birds was seen by the select few of a work party at Otley Wetland Nature Reserve on 17th April (D&BP et al), and represents the largest ever gathering in the Group’s area. On 27th June, four were found at Cold Edge Dams (BS), and the final record was of three birds seen flying from Warley Moor to Thornton Moor Reservoir, where they spent half an hour on 5th August (RHP, BV).

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

The only sighting of the year involved four at Otley Wetland on 1st May, one of which was an adult male in full breeding plumage (MD et al).

WHIMBREL Numenius phaeopus
Regular, but uncommon passage migrant.

Almost triple last year’s records were received. The first of the spring was a single over Thornton Moor Reservoir on 21st April. On 2nd May, another was at the same site and one was at Otley Wetland. May continued to produce many sightings, with one seen from Barden watchpoint on 5th, further singles over Otley on 6th and 9th, and four on 12th. The previous day, one was in a field near Thruscross, and the final sighting in this period was of five birds at Burley on 26th.

Return passage was noted from 23rd July, when one passed over Burley, and singles were seen heading west from Thornton Moor the following day and on the 27th. Two arrived at Warley Moor Reservoir on the 29th, before quickly departing, and another flew past Thornton Moor Reservoir the same day. This location then had the Group’s record total when, on 3rd August, a party of 26 was seen bathing as the mist cleared (BV). Thornton Moor maintained its monopoly of sightings, with the year’s final bird a week later.

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

Breeding was again poorly recorded, with only five locations noted, although at two of these, Rombald’s and Burley Moors, it was suggested good numbers had bred. Other breeding sites were the Doe Park area, Soil Hill and Beamsley.

Winter counts reached maxima of 300 at Burley on 21st February, and Denton on 11th November. On 4th February, 150 were counted near Ben Rhydding, and 100 were there in December, and this number were near Otley in the same month.

SPOTTED REDSHANK Tringa erythropus
Scarce passage migrant.

One flew through during a visible migration watch at Thornton Moor on 10th August (DCB).

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

The first to arrive on breeding territory was at Otley Wetland on 21st February, and had to wait until 7th March before it had company. Another week passed before sightings from other locations were noted. Breeding occurred on the moorlands of Ilkley, Rombald’s and Burley, at Otley Wetland and at Thornton Moor Reservoir.

A high count of 11 was reported from Otley Wetland on 19th March, and the last sighting was here, when two were present on 26th October.

COMMON GREENSHANK Tringa nebularia
Regular passage migrant.

The only spring record received was of one at Thornton Moor Reservoir on 26th April.

On 6th July, the first returning migrant was seen over Oxenhope. At nearby Thornton Moor Reservoir, a minimum of 24 birds was seen between 21st July and 14th August, but as birds came and went, the exact number is difficult to determine. On 10th August, the year’s highest flock of seven was present here, and another two passed through west.

Elsewhere, one was at Kex Gill Quarry on 8th August, another spent three days at Leeshaw Reservoir from the ninth of the month, two were seen on the 14th at Silsden floods, and the final sighting was at Otley Wetland on 25th September.

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

Another poor year, with only one spring sighting, on 23rd March at Thornton Moor Reservoir (DCB). The first returning migrant was found at John o’ Gaunt’s Reservoir on 19th July (KM), and a single passed through at Thornton Moor on 8th August (DCB). This site held another the following day (BV) and the final sighting of this unremarkable passage period for the species was another lone bird at Silsden floods on 28th August(SJ).

COMMON SANDPIPER Actitis hypoleucos
Migrant breeder/passage migrant.

There was a small but widespread arrival on 17th April, when four were at Otley Wetland, two at Thornton Moor, and one at Lindley Wood. After that, others were seen on an almost daily basis at many reservoirs and rivers.

Breeding was recorded at Cold Edge Dams, the reservoirs at Leeshaw, Swinsty and Thornton Moor, and on the River Wharfe at Barden and Bolton Abbey.

The last sighting of the year was at Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits on 12th September.

RUDDY TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres
Scarce, regular, passage migrant.

Three arrived at Thornton Moor in the late afternoon of 8th August.(DCB, SJ, BV).