Regular but local along most of the rivers and large streams in the area. The River Wharfe is very favourable for this species, particularly the stretches around Barden and Bolton Abbey and around Denton and Ben Rhydding. Up to eight birds were seen at Bolton Abbey.

Birds were also noted along the River Aire at Esholt, also at Elland Gravel Pits and along the River Worth. Breeding records came from the Wharfe at Barden Bridge, Strid Woods, Gallows Hill, Goit Stock and Menston.

Breeding was suspected along the Washburn near Lindley Trout Farm but this site suffers from canoeing activities further up this valley although records of single birds still came from the area around Thruscross Reservoir.

Many records were provided for the stretch of the River Wharfe from Bolton Bridge to Barden Bridge. This area also held various groups of young being fed by adults. Further down the same river, around Ilkley, Ben Rhydding and Otley, various sightings were made and breeding was strongly suspected.

Breeding also occurred at Elland Gravel Pits and Goit Stock, Wilsden.

In the Aire Valley, there were two sightings at Myrtle Park (Bingley).

The area’s main aggregation of birds this year was again in Wharfedale, and at least eighteen different adults were seen between Knotford Nook in the south-east and Howgill in the north-west. However, it would seem the comparatively small location of Luddenden Dean, well to the south of the Group area, has the largest concentration of birds, as at least four and possibly five pairs were resident. Surprisingly, there were no reports from the Washburn Valley, but birds were again seen on the Aire, at Esholt and Myrtle Park, Bingley.

Singing males were noted as early as 19th January and as late as 21st December, and this was, to an extent, reflected in the reasonable amount of breeding data. Nest-building had commenced by March, when it was seen at the Cavendish Pavilion bridge near Bolton Abbey, but the only juveniles in the general area were at Barden Bridge, whilst two pairs had nests nearby. Three young were ringed from a nest at Menston, and juveniles were present at Goit Stock and Doe Park Reservoir. Two pairs from the Luddenden Dean population raised a total of three young, whilst a bird seen carrying food at Hirstwood Weir was indicative of probable breeding there also.