Low Moor and Oakenshaw Wildlife

Today has been an excellent day! I went down to TH Beck to look for any possible new spring migrants but apart from a couple of female Blackcaps that had recently arrived there was little else on the migrant front. I then went to the large pond where a faint high pitched call caught my attention…Tree Creeper!

I walked into the Goat Willow scrub and waited. Then a Tree Creeper appeared climbing up one of the Willows. It saw me and flew deeper into the willows.

I crept forward trying to get a better view. The bird was however, calling and again it came into view. Then suddenly it dawned on me why it calling? I bet there is a pair of Tree Creeper. So I waited and waited then I was right I saw two birds together in early courtship. Brilliant. It was time to leave and with fingers crossed I strongly believe they will breed in the area which if they do will be the first known breeding record in our area for the species.

There was Swallow (my first of the year) seen on a telephone wire in Oakenshaw this morning. So fingers crossed more will start arriving in the next few days and then they will start to check out old and new nest sites and set up territories, in the hope of attracting a mate.

The Coal tit is a regular bird in our area feeding in gardens as well as been regular at all our three sites. I have even seen juveniles been fed at Raw Nook Nr suggesting that the species probable breed there but I have no actual evidence. Also Coal Tits nest naturally in holes in trees and stumps, under roots or rocks and in holes in the ground making observation difficult.

However, today at raw Nook NR I came across a calling Coal tit. Then suddenly another Coal tit came up from the base of an old Silver birch tree. The pair met and calling bird (possibly the male) fed the other bird.

I moved away and the pair went to a nearby tree. OK….not definitive proof of breeding but I will keep a distant watch on the site and hopefully fingers crossed may get some further supportive evidence of breeding.

Also this morning a stunning male Common Redstart (passage bird) was at Caldene fields and 2 new Willow warbler were in full song at Raw Nook Nr.

This morning there is a feeding party of at least 14+ Lesser Redpoll feeding at the tops of tall Silver Birches near to the pond area giving excellent views as well as 2 Chiffchaffs and a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Spring migration is slowly getting underway despite the winds coming from the less favourable northerly quarter instead of a southerly airflow.

However, today I thought I would see what migrants were at Low Moor Bank ( old Low Moor tip opposite Dealburn Road, Low Moor) . When I arrived I could hear a distant Chiffchaff singing at the very top of the sight which was a good sign. I then found a further 3 singing males at various point around the site. Sadly I did not find or hear any Willow Warblers hopefully they are still on route. There were also two individual male Blackcaps in full song trying to attract passing females.

In total I found 18 different species ( including above ) and all records/numbers have been uploaded onto my Low Moor Banks database.

Received an email from Mark a birder from Wibsey who told me some exciting news. On the 2/4/ he was in Raw Nook NR when he saw a Tree Creeper in the wet woodland area before it gradually moved off towards the pond area. This is a good sighting as the TCs I have seen have all been in autumn and have probably been birds from Odsal woods where the species is resident.

Then on the 3/4/ at around 6pm he was again in Raw Nook NR when he disturbed a Redshank from the dried up pond which flew off and landed in Caldene fields then sadly out of sight.

This is the second known record of this (rare to south Bradford) passage wader to this pond and interestingly my last sighting in 1990 was also in March.

So whilst I knew I wouldn’t be able to see the passage Redshank I thought I would work Raw Nook NR this morning to look for the Tree Creeper.

Unfortunately I had no joy. But there was a newly arrived Willow Warbler in full song as well as a single male Blackcap again in full song.

Four Chiff-chaffs were trying to claim territories and a bit of a surprise was a pair of Lesser Redpoll. However, I think these may have been passage birds as twice they flew from the Silver Birches only to return again to feed,

Found this female Blackbird who was so intent with finishing off her nest she never noticed how close I was to her.

First arrival of a male Blackcap in song at Caldene fields this afternoon.