| Reed Buntings were reported from around the area with up to eight seen feeding on grasses on Hope Hill, Baildon. This one visited the bird table at Stockbridge Reserve, Riddlesden. |
| photo by Sean Grey © see Sean's website |
December was a mainly mild, dry month with a short cold spell with frosty nights and some snow and easterly winds in the days that followed Christmas.
Goosanders were using St. Ives Coppice Pond in good numbers, with thirteen on the 1st building to 29 on the 22nd at 3pm. Wintering duck numbers were still well down. At the usual spots in Wharfedale, small numbers of Tufted, Wigeon and Goldeneye were reported. A pair of Gadwall visited Knotford (11th) and by the 24th that number had risen to five. A female Scaup was present at Otley Wetlands throughout the month. In the south of the area Leeshaw saw ten Teal (2nd), but at Sandbeds, Marley had reached 90 by the 31st. Madarin Ducks had not assembled in the numbers of recent years with only three at the Strid (26th).
Numbers of wintering Geese were also disappointing with a high of five Pink-footed Geese at Leeshaw (27th). At Knotford Nook a 1st winter Mediterranean Gull (3rd) was present. Two Water Rails were present at Stockbridge throughout the month and also, possibly, at Otley Wetlands where they were heard on the 11th. A Green Sandpiper flew over Stockbridge on the 9th and two Snipe were there on the 18th. There were 400 Lapwings at Toad Holes Beck, Low Moor and 250 at Bowling Back Lane, Bradford (21st).
A few Waxwings were seen in the area with two at Ilkley (3rd), four at Crossflatts station (10th), two in Bradford City Centre (13th) and three near Shipley Baths (17th). 45 Siskin were recorded at Stockbridge (4th), thirty Redpoll (18th) and one or two Brambling (24th). A Greenfinch roost of 200 birds was discovered below the reservoir at Weecher (10th). There was also a report of a Dipper singing on the River Aire at Myrtle Park (24th and 26th). In Shipley Glen a flock of twelve Goldcrests (26th), eight Reed Buntings (28th) and a single male Stonechat (26th). Stonechats were also reported at Glovershaw and Sandwith Moor and near the Stonehouse Inn.
Summer visitors were still recorded with a male Blackcap at Haworth (10th) and a female in a Crossflatts garden (24th) and two Chiffchaffs at Marley (10th) and one on the 24th.