Generaly a good breeding season in my part of the Calder Valley

2 pairs of Littler Grebes have successfully reared young on my local sewage works.One pair has reared 3 young and a second pair have reared 2 chicks.This goes along with 11 pairs of Reed Warblers and 2 pair of Sedge Warblers which have all managed to get young birds to the fledgling stage.Whem you inlude 2 pairs of Grey and 3 pairs of Pied Wagtails this isnt at all bad for such a small site.Tufted Ducks also reared 3 ducklings(now spending all their time on the River Calder).

5 pairs of Whitethroats also managed to breed on the same site though to date only 3 pairs have beenseen feeding young on the wing.

I was surprised to still see 8 Sand Martins entering nesting burrows with food yesterday as Sand Martin numbers have declined recently as they move away from their nesting colonies.

Phylloscopus Warblers appear not to have done so well in my area as Iv yet to come across hardly any immature birds localy No doubt the poor English Spring and Summer has had its effect on a lot of our ground breeding birds.

There is still a single Green Sandpiper on the River Calder just below Mill Bank Thornhill but generally the area in my part of the Calder Valley is still rather quiet.