Large winter congregations seem to be a thing of the past with the only double figure counts coming from Sandwith Moor with twelve in February and ten at Otley Gravel Pits in March.

Drumming birds were noted at many sites with ten on Sandwith Moor in June, eight at Reva Reservoir in April and six at Bradup in May.

The only breeding confirmation came from Bingley Moor but this is undoubtedly an under-representation.

A high count of 40 at Kildwick Ings on 28th January was most welcome, as such numbers are becoming a thing of the past. Thornton Moor Reservoir also had a good count of 33 on 28th October, on which date Otley Wetland recorded its highest total for the year of 18 birds. The only other sites to get double-figure counts were Silsden, with 16 on 25th September, and Warley Moor Reservoir, where 15 birds were noted on 15th February.

“Drumming” and displaying was recorded at only seven locations, but this no doubt reflects under-recording of such activity. No evidence of breeding success was forthcoming.

As last year’s Report pointed out, high counts of this species are becoming a thing of the past, and nearly all the records for double figures came on visible-migration watches. Numbers of birds were generally low in both winter periods, with highs of ten birds at Otley Wetland in February, and 11 there in December. The only other appreciable count outside the autumn migration season was of twelve displaying birds at Whetstone Gate on 10th June. There were, however, good numbers of reports of smaller numbers from across the area.

Display was also noted at Barden Scale in March, May and June, (and birds were still about early in July), and displaying and calling were much in evidence in the Cold Edge and Warley Moor areas in the same period. The only other drumming birds were three at Reva Hill in June. Notwithstanding the extent of this activity, there were no breeding reports, and this, and even displaying at other locations, was probably under-recorded.

As will be appreciated from other sections of the Report, visible-migration nowadays produces a considerable percentage of the Group’s records. Observations related to the three months from the end of July, with most records coming from Thornton Moor Reservoir and Cold Edge Dams, and a few from Denholme Clough and Soil Hill. Around 300 birds were seen in all, and there were notable day totals of between 12 and 28 birds on five dates at Thornton Moor, and between 11 and 25 on four occasions at Cold Edge Dams.

As other recent Reports have pointed out, numbers are now well down on those of several years ago, and last year’s figures were considerably boosted by the autumn visible migration counts. That situation has been reversed this year, as the numbers of birds seen in the first winter period considerably exceeded those seen on migration, and individual day totals were also generally better.

Between the beginning of the year and the end of January, 115 birds were noted, with double-figure counts of ten at Skipton Sewage Works, 12 at Warley Moor Reservoir and Otley Wetland (the latter increasing to 20), and on 26th March, a particularly notable count of 31 birds in one field at Prune Park (Bradford). In contrast, migration numbers were well down on 2005, and the total tally from 11 locations was only 68 birds, of which 28 were recorded at Thornton Moor Reservoir, which had the highest seasonal day count of a relatively modest ten birds. The second winter period fared even worse: only six birds were seen in the whole of November, and none at all in December.

The first drumming display flights were noted at Barden Scale on 31st March, and there were then other reports of this activity up to early July here, and at Kex Gill, Glovershaw, Timble Ings, Leeshaw, Scargill Reservoir, Hawksworth Moor, Whetstone Gate and Warley Moor. All this would suggest breeding took place at some of these locations at least, but there was no tangible evidence of it.

Despite the encouraging numbers early in the year, the conclusion must be that numbers are generally well down on those of ten years ago.

The records received confirm that, despite something of an improvement in 2007, Snipe is much less common and numerous than several years ago. The first bird wasn’t recorded until mid-February, and the 110 birds seen between then and the start of the autumn migration period compared with around 120 observed during that period.

An exceptional count of 27 at Bingley North Bog on 5th March was much the highest in the first eight months, and records of ten at Marley and Ponden Reservoir were the only others to creep into double figures. The year’s best daily site count was 32 birds passing Thornton Moor on 23rd September, a day when 18 were also seen at Warley Moor, and this location also had 11 birds a week later. The second winter period produced only eight records, the highest aggregate being six birds. Display flights were noted at nine localities, with pairs clearly established around Glovershaw. However, whilst breeding was said to have occurred on Round Hill and Burley Moor, no specific details were forthcoming.

Garden records are, unsurprisingly, scarce for this species, and the one received for a Bingley garden materialised only because the bird had apparently flown into a window, and was (equally unsurprisingly) dead.