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I hope I was right…

I was out early this morning due to the southerly aspect to the wind. When I was walking through Raw Nook Nr I glimpsed a fairly pale brown passerine dive for cover showing a warm reddish tail in low growing bramble.  I froze and stood back and waited and waited…but there was no further sightings of the bird and from my location I found it hard to understand how I did not see it again.

Now my first thought were of a female Common Redstart an uncommon passage bird here. But as I left the area my brain started to flash back to 9/8/1991 when at the ‘ same low bramble area ‘ at Raw Nook Nr a brownish passerine dived for cover showing a warm reddish brown tail but that time the bird reappeared…a wonderful Nightingale in full view and only a few yards away…

 

 

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Winter returns on the 29th of April…

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This was the weather this morning over Caldene Fields.  With overnight snow and a weather warning for West Yorkshire in place for sleet and snow and a wind chill of -5% you have got to be really concerned how this weather is affecting our wildlife. I witnessed this morning a Swallow flying in the snow showers searching for food which is probably not there.  Then there is the nesting birds who leave chicks exposed to the cold weather as they leave to search for food.  I am trying to be optimistic in that nature redresses it’s own issues and the weather this weekend is due to get milder but my heart go out to our struggling wildlife..

 

 

 

 

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Relief and Concerns…

For those who have stood at the pond at Raw Nook Nr and faced west you may or then again may not have noticed a Moorhen sitting on eggs.  Nothing unusual in that…but she choose to nest about 3 metres from the edge!!. and I was really concerned that she would not be successful due to disturbance.

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BUT WHO AM I…she knew best as yesterday I saw 4 chicks leave the nest and straight into cover..

My concerns are with the heavy frosts we are having at the moment affecting both nesting birds and the shortage of food for the summer migrants that have arrived.

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A frosty start to the day at Raw Nook Nr

No new migrants were recorded today but a male Goldcrest was in full song at Toad holes Beck which is unusual for that site as well as 3 Jays which is a good sign.

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He’s made it back…

Had my first Swallow sighting of the year this morning and fingers crossed it is the male of the pair that bred last year within the horses shed at Caldene Fields.

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Returning Swallow resting on nearby wire.

I then had a walk around the Dealburn Road woodland walk (formerly Low Moor Tip) and found a further single Swallow, several Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warblers and 4 Jays

 

 

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Is the Linnet on the increase…

There has been 3 Linnets feeding at Caldene Fields for most of the winter.  Nothing really unusual in that, is there? Well in the 80’s it was common to have breeding and feeding flocks of 70+ at the fields.  But those days have long gone.  However, 3 all winter and today I had a count of 9 both males and female, maybe the tide is changing…

Linnets at Caldene Fields

Also of note today was 2 additional Blackcaps one at Caldene Fields and the other at Toad Holes Beck.

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Bad and Good news…

Yes starting with the bad news.  I found a dead Shrew this morning by the pond at Toad Holes Beck.  I photographed it so I could positively ID it.  Research and measurements revealed the Shew to be a Common shrew.  Now the good news, I can now confirm that this common but hard to see mammal is living in our recording area.  This brings the mammal species list for our area to 13.

Further good news came with the arrival of single Blackcaps at Raw Nook Nr and Toad Holes Beck and a single Willow Warbler at the latter site.

A pair of Grey Wagtails at Caldene Fields were at the stream and a good count of at least 6 Dunnocks were noted at Toad Holes Beck.

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Song Thrushes on the increase…

The Song thrush appears to be doing well on our local patch after being in decline for many years.  It appears there are 3 males trying to claim a territory at Caldene Fields, Raw nook Nr and Toad Holes Beck.

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Song Thrush in full song at Caldene Fields

Also in full song this morning at Raw Nook Nr were at least 4 Robins and a pair near to the bridge, which shows a healthy population.

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One of the six Robins at Raw Nook Nr

 

 

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Summer and winter migrant…

Yesterday I was out checking for any summer migrants that may have arrived with the southerly wind.  I wasn’t disappointed as I found 5 singing Chiffchaff, 2 in Raw Nook Nr and 3 in Toad Holes Beck.  So I then decided to do an hours vismig from the watch point at Caldene Fields hoping perhaps for some Sand Martins or an early Swallow…but no I had forgotten that whilst the southerly wind would assist in coming migrants it would also assist winter migrants returning north. And watch a surprise when 10 returning Whooper Swans flew over head to the NIMG_0759_1_2_1

Anyway getting back to the theme of spring it was a joy to see the Marsh Marigolds at Caldene Fields approaching full bloom.IMG_0736_1_1

On a sad note I found a dead Shrew at Toad Holes Beck which I need to identify.

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