First of the year was at Strid Woods on 1st May with another at Lindley Trout Farm two days later. There was a pleasing spread of records throughout the breeding season from sites such as St Ives, Dob Bridge and Kex Beck with breeding being confirmed at Beamsley, Denton, Paul Clough and Barden.

In the late summer and early autumn birds were seen at Royd Wood (four birds), Low Dam (three birds), Kex Gill Quarry and Beaverdyke Reservoir.

The last of the year was at Otley Gravel Pits on 15th September.

First noted in the Bolton Abbey area on 6th May, with the last of the year at Fewston Reservoir on 17th September. Two pairs nested at Denton and two pairs were predated at Beamsley. Breeding was also suspected at Dob Park Bridge, Lindley Wood Reservoir and the Bolton Abbey estate, whilst one was noted singing at Thruscross Reservoir in early June.

Other than singles at St Ives, Luddenden Dean and Redshaw Hall, it was thought that the rest of the sightings referred to return passage birds, with various singles recorded at Paul Clough, Baildon, Denholme Clough, John o’Gaunt’s Reservoir, Thornton Moor Reservoir and Kex Gill. One of the birds at the latter site was caught and ringed on 15th August.

Never a common bird in the area, the reporting of birds from only eleven locations this year indicates a downward trend, after an upsurge in records and numbers in 2002, and, to a lesser extent, in the two subsequent years.

The first arrival was on the fairly typical date of 7th May, and most of the local summer residents seem to have been noted in this month and in June and July, with St. Ives and Strid Wood having the majority of the records. Birds seen after that were probably mostly on passage, and most reports came from Paul Clough, where the year’s maximum count of six birds was made on 8th August.

Breeding took place at St. Ives, where adults with young were seen in July, and Howgill Wood, where, after predation of the first nest, a female was sitting on eggs in another a month later. Juveniles accompanying parents were also noted at Paul Clough, during the return migration period, and, intriguingly, there was a remarkably late record of a bird collecting food at Bolton Abbey on 6th September, this being the year’s final sighting.

After a lean year in 2005, this species came back to form this year, with many records and locations, good numbers, and encouraging breeding information.

The first arrival was seen at Beamsley on 27th April, the earliest since 1993, and the second earliest on record. Within ten days, there was a singing male at St, Ives, increasing to six on 28th May (the most seen there by the regular observer in 25 years of covering the site), and leading to subsequent breeding.

About 70 reports came from 28 locations, fairly well dispersed across the recording area, including a rare garden record from Otley. Pairs were noted at a number of these, and breeding was established at St. Ives, Glovershaw, Leathley, and Lindley Wood, though the birds on the Denton Estate were said to have failed.

The only obvious evidence of visible migration came from Paul Clough (where 16 birds were seen during the autumn movement, including the year’s biggest count of nine on 25th August), Draughton Heights and Leeshaw. Paul Clough also had the distinction of hosting the latest bird on record in the Group area, on 25th September (CK, SR, BV)

The general tone of several reports indicated more birds than for several years, and birds being seen in previously unrecorded locations. It will be interesting to see if this trend continues.

Whilst the numbers of records and locations, 55 and 19, were both down on last year, there was ample compensation in there being more breeding records than for several years.

The first arrival was noted at Timble Ings on 3rd May, and within three weeks there were reports of paired birds and possible breeding activity. This lead to successful breeding being proved at Bolton Abbey, Lower Laithe Reservoir, Barden Scale, Timble Ings, The Ellars and Gooseye. The last two were notable for the establishment of nests in ivy on a gable-end, and in a hanging basket in a cottage garden. Family parties were also seen at Gallows Hill (Otley), Paul Clough and Ellars Wood, and pairs were present at St. Ives, Addingham and near Timble.

As usual, visible migration reports came mainly from Paul Clough, where up to 24 birds were seen in August, and a minimum of three birds were seen at Denholme Clough, and one at Thornton Moor Reservoir. These last locations had the year’s final birds on 9th September.

A reasonable number of breeding records, with at least four successful pairs reported in the Barden area, and others at Stockbridge, Low Wood and Folly Hall Wood. A scattering of autumn migration records included one from an Oxenhope garden.

Breeding information was patchy, with direct evidence only at Lippersley, though juveniles were seen at John o’ Gaunt’s Reservoir in early August. Later reports were of presumed migrants, including a good count of three at Windgate Nick.