Its worth a visit


Sand martins not yet up to full strength but signs encouraging.

16/04/2021 11:13

a good walk over the local patch this morning showed most migrants still slow to arrive in significant numbers but none the less encouraging.

Sand Martins have now established another new breeding colony on the banks of the Calder although total numbers are so far much decreased on previous years.

Around 43 pairs of birds are distributed between 2 colonies with high river levels doing much to alter the softer  lined areas of the riverbank.each yesr over the last 5 years the bank sides of my area of the Calder has changed with new banks appearing and old ones disapearing.

Despite the obvious  difficulties this creates it also has benefits and its nise to see Kingfishers present at 2 new sites both more secure(Mink in the last 2 years have reaked havoc with both this species and Sand Martins making breedin almost impossible.

Its good to see Green Sandpiper on the Calder below Earlsheaton this morning along with 12 Common Teal 8 Goosander(2 males and 8 females) 1 pair Tufted Ducks and 1 pair of Gadwall

There are 2 singing Blackcaps and 2 singing Willow warblers as well as the single Chiff Chaff impersonating a Willow Warbler into its own song in the Willow plantation below Mill bank Thornhill.

A single male Sparrow Hawk is quartering the willow plantations most mornings and this morning there was 4 singing Song Thrushes between Healy Road Ossett and Earlsheaton.There are 2 pair of Mistle Thrushes feeding young between Healy Road Ossett and Earlsheaton.

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