BTO June 2006

June was a predominantly dry and warm, with a hot spell at the beginning and end, and a cooler, cloudy period in between.

The month didn’t produce many notable sightings, but there was certainly lots of breeding activity throughout the area. Young Chiffchaffs and juvenile Great Spotted Woodpeckers were seen in the Dob Park area; a post-breeding flock of over 100 young Starlings were at Trough Lane and a young Little Owl was by Dick Hudson’s. On the Wharfe, at Strid Wood, young Goosander and Mandarin Ducks and juvenile Tawny Owls were noted. At Stockbridge, juvenile Great Spotted Woodpeckers were also seen and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was very active, giving indications of breeding nearby. Another Lesser Spotted was reported from Bull Copy Wood near Hirstwood on the 25th.

Redstarts were reported at nest sites in Strid Wood, Beverdyke and Dob Park and with juveniles in the John o’Gaunts area. At Stockbridge members continued to report the presence of Sedge Warbler, Garden Warbler and Whitethroat and Strid Wood was the best site to locate Wood Warbler, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers. A Lesser Whitethroat was heard in full song at Raw Nook on the 3rd.

Passage waders of interest included two Dunlin (3rd) at Otley Wetland and an adult Little Stint (9th) at the Member’s Only Reservoir Reserve. Oystercatchers were regularly seen in pairs at Weecher, Glovershaw, Leeshaw, Barden Reservoir, Hewenden and Doe Park.

Male Yellowhammers were seen and heard at Sconce and Glovershaw, these being the only places within our area where they can be reliably located, and up to nine male Reed Buntings were heard on the moorland in this area. A post-breeding flock of 20 Lapwing had gathered at Glovershaw on the 24th where juvenile Lapwings were still present. On this day, a male Snipe was giving excellent views as it displayed over the moorland fringe.

A small number of Stonechat were reported with males at Trough Lane and Leeshaw and a pair with two young birds were seen in the fields behind Golcar Farm, Glovershaw. A male Whinchat was also seen near Whetstone Gate (18th).

Nightjars were back on their usual territory with two males and a female being identified.

Little Owls were prominent throughout this period with sightings reported from Weecher (two adults), Oxenhope (two adults), Trough Lane and Birkshead Mill, Wilsden.

Twites could often be seen at Leeshaw Reservoir, with three being present on the 6th, and it was here that a Cuckoo was still calling (11th).

At the end of the month, flocks of Gulls were increasing in number in the fields around Cullingworth and a juvenile female Common Scoter was present at Otley Wetland. The most bizarre of reports was of a Storm Petrel over Fewston Reservoir on the 22nd, this came via the Bird Guides website.

Butterflies reported included Painted Lady, Wall Brown, Green-veined White, Green Hairstreak, Speckled Wood, Orange Tip, Coma and from Baildon Bank lots of Purple Hairstreak. A member from Baildon reported a Hummingbird Hawk-moth feeding on Red Valerian on the 28th and 29th June.