Another species precariously close to extinction in the recording area. There appears to be two strongholds, although only small numbers are noted. In the Sconce Lane area of Baildon Moor up to four birds were noted throughout the year with a peak of eight birds in March and breeding being confirmed in June. The other “main” site is the Leathley/Farnley area where up to five singing males were noted in May and June.

Elsewhere a single bird was noted at Ellarcarr Pike on the southern edge of Timble Ings plantation on the 6th November. Three were spotted at Elland Gravel Pits on 7th May after a previous sighting of just one on 27th April.

Once again, there were two main general areas where birds were regularly noted. Sconce Lane on Baildon Moor hosted birds all year, with birds coming to the feed provided. The maximum count was a respectable 14 birds in February. The other main site is the Lindley Green area where there were up to five singing males between April and July.

The only other records concerned two birds at Billing Hill on 4th March, and three moving through Luddenden Dean on 10th October.

This species continues to maintain its tenuous existence in the recording area, due largely to the feed provided in the Sconce Lane area of Baildon, from where most records originate. In 2005, birds were seen here monthly until June, when none were recorded, nor were there records for September, October or December, and only one for November. In the same general area, birds were seen near Weecher Reservoir in January, and at Glovershaw in May and June.

May appears to have been the peak month at Sconce Lane, as up to five birds were seen daily throughout, and up to four earlier in the year. The year’s highest total of seven was noted near Weecher on 15th January, with three there a fortnight later.

The birds’ toehold in the Leathley and Lindley Green areas seems even more precarious, as the only records were two at the first location on 23rd March, and one at the second two months later. There have been occasional previous sightings at Elland Gravel Pits, so it was good that up to three birds were present on 24th, 26th and 28th December. Also pleasing is a record from a new location, Tong, where there was a singing male on 17th June.

Notwithstanding the presence of males clearly on territory, there is no indication of breeding.

Last year’s Report described this bird’s presence in the area as tenuous, and there is nothing in the 2006 records to change this view. Indeed, numbers were down on the previous year, and birds were totally absent in January, March, November, and December, though there were several counts of up to three birds, including singing males, in June and July.

The highest count of four came from Sconce Lane on 14th February, but birds visited this well-established garden site on many days during the month. This was the source of the majority of the sightings, having birds almost daily in June, and most of the remaining reports came from nearby areas on the fringe of Baildon Moor : principally Shipley Glen and Glovershaw. The birds’ presence in Lindley seems rather more precarious, as borne out by only two records, of single birds in April and May, but two singing males near Leeds Bradford Airport in the latter month and one at nearby East Carlton in July might represent a more viable population.

Records of relocating birds are uncommon, so reports of individuals from Kex Gill on 12th September, and Denholme Clough on 21st October were particularly welcome. Once again, the presence of singing males didn’t lead to evidence of successful breeding.

Apart from a presumed migrant seen at Thornton Moor on 15th October, all the records came from Baildon Moor, where the species continues to maintain at least a toehold in the Group area. On a positive note, birds were seen in every month, and were observed regularly during summer in the Glovershaw area, with up to two pairs and singing males noted on several occasions, and a female seen carrying food on 27th August. Whilst successful breeding was not definitely proved, the clear signs are it took place for the first time in six years.

The garden at Sconce, mentioned in many previous Reports, continued to host birds, though two were the most seen, but up to four were seen in the general area in April, and ones and twos on a few other dates.