Low Moor and Oakenshaw Wildlife

It’s been a busy few days at the watch point at Caldene fields. Favourable weather conditions allowed winter thrushes to take advantage and arrive in the UK on mass. The influx started here on the 13/10 with 515 Fieldfare and 193 Redwings observed moving through our area and beyond.

The following day Redwings were noted coming in from the S and moving N many well east of the watch point.

Yesterday’s totals https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/779/20201015

Passage carried on again today with birds moving N. Redwings were the most evident with the majority of birds moving again to the east of the watch point, 2,997 in total with just 215 Fieldfare noted.

Caught in these movement are Song Thrushes and Blackbirds but in much smaller numbers. A small number of Skylarks and Chaffinch have also been involved in this influx again moving N.

Lastly there was an excellent movement of incoming Pink footed geese high in the sky moving S/E around 10.15 seven skeins were observed and a total of 1660 was noted.

Whilst it might be a busy time I still have time to admire the wonderful autumn colours at the watch point….and not only for any possible migrant birds! ha

Most of my time at the moment is taken up with visible migration. Especially as moth numbers have reduced as autumn progresses. In fact the last moths were caught on 29/9 and included a Barred Sallow and 2 Lunar Underwings both are regular autumn moths.

As I reported earlier Goldfinches seem to have an an excellent breeding season. To illustrate this point this September I have recorded an excellent count of 2,115 birds passing the watch point. In 2019 1,082 were recorded, 2018 = 717, 2017 = 1,135.

On the 27th of September there was an early influx of Redwings moving through our area with 407 S/W + 37 N/W. A Crossbill flew S on the 1/10 and today 2 Swallows moved S and I had a nice surprise with a Shelduck that flew high to the N/W

Yesterday I had I received some interesting news from someone who regularly visit Low Moor Banks. They told me that they had a conversation with someone at the site who stated he had seen a Barn Owl sitting on a fence post in the Low Moor Banks area. Now this site with it’s open grasslands must hold a good population of mice/voles which would provide a feeding area. Also about 5 years ago I saw a Barn owl early evening at Tong. So it could be feasible that a pair maybe somewhere in the south Bradford area.

If anyone has any sightings of Barn owl in south Bradford please could you please let me know. Thank you

Goldfinches must have had an excellent breeding year as I am recording some excellent counts of the species as they pass through our area. To date I have recorded 1,647 birds whereas last year 949 were recorded up to the 20/9.

A Common Whitethroat passed through Caldene fields 13/9 and two early Brambling moved S with a Song Thrush on the 19/9.

A female Common Darter and 5 Speckled Wood butterflies were at Raw Nook NR 19/9

Iv’e noticed for a number of years now that our area is a bit of a magnet for Goldfinches. There are many open fields with seeds for the species to take advantage of like the Thistle species.

In Britain, the Goldfinch is a partial migrant, with some birds, mainly males, staying here in winter but others migrate in September and October and some pass through our area to winter in Belgium, France and Spain.

This year, so far has been good for goldfinch. From the 1/9 to 9/9 I have recorded a total of 542 moving to the S/W and N/W. In addition good number of Goldfinches have been observed feeding in and around Caldene fields with the highest count of 70+ on the 8/9/20.

This morning at the watch point there was an excellent movement of House Martin both to the S and N/W.

The final count was 292 south and 85 northwest. There was no real Goldfinch activity but a flock of around 30 were observed in local trees.

A moulting Common Buzzard drifted south over Toad Holes Beck.