Its worth a visit


Visitors notice

20/12/2009 19:31

The introduction of the new licencing system must be counted as been a great success.This was very noticeable on my most recent trip to the Gambia from thec 15th to 22nd of March

Anyone walking from Kololi down towards Kotu severl months ago would undoubtably have been surrounded and presssurised by any number of giudes fo their buisness.On my most recent walk in this area I came across only one guide who was very pleasant and informative and after a very brief exchange I was continuing my walk to Kotu.

At Kotu itself only 4 or 5 guides were in the office and these people too conducted themselves in ac ver polite and more orderly manner.It has to be said that ther is now a much more noticeable military prescence in the area and this is no doubt contributing to thesituation.We saw at least 1 unlicensed giude being removed from the site very positively indeed.

So lets hope this more orderly approach will continue asd it will undoubtedly bring about more buisness for the local licensed guides and will createa much more relaxed environment for the birder and casual tourist.

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News

15/06/2018 15:09

Good increase in breeding Swallows on the Windsor Estate

5 year ago it was nice to find a pair of Swallows choosing to nest in a connecting passsage at my next door neighbours house.Considering their is a well established farm at the top of our road traditionaly housing around 3 pairs of swallows it seems unusual that Swallows are choosing a fairly old...

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15/06/2018 14:33

Local Little Owl chicks on the verge

A local brood of Little Owl chicks are now on the verge of leaving their nesting box.The Chicks are more and more standing on the outside of the box calling anxousely for their parents to return with food then after feeding returning inside the box. The Ossett Barn Owls will be pleased to see their...

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03/06/2018 20:16

A Breeding first as Shellduck decides to have family in the Dewsbury part of the valley.

A pair of Shellducks have hatched 8 chicks in the Earlsheaton part of the Calder Valley.Even though the chicks are still very small they are able to dive under the water either individualy or as a group together(see photo gallery).The female bird is very protective and never leaves the chicks to...

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16/05/2018 20:48

Most of local Summer visitors in now but some omissions and numbers are down.

Now that it can be assumed that all the Summer visiting birds are back at their breeding sites one can asses how numbers and species can compare to previouse years. Certainly there are some species which have just not turned up.Amongst these in my part of the Calder valley are the Cuckoo which is...

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30/04/2018 19:12

Local Swifts back at their breeding sites and good numbers of Hirrundines gather for a feast.

There was several Swifts feeding above the site of the Ossett Brewery  complex this afternoon.Also small numbers of Swifts where soaring high above the railway marshalling yards at Horbury Bridge. Nearby on the compost heaps located just below the lowermost fields of Pidacre,Chickenley around...

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25/04/2018 11:49

First Reed Warblers arrive on local sites

The first of the local breeding Reed Warblers arrived back on their breeding site on Dewsbury Sewage Works yesterday with 3 singing males at different sites on the works. The unusual showey conditions this morning brought good numbers of House Martins down to feed over the compost heaps below...

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18/04/2018 18:57

Summer Visitors arrive on time.

A Common Whitethroat was singing in a hedge on the lower Pildacre fields at 08:00 this morning.Also there are now 6 singiing WillowWarblers in this part of the Calder Valley most of them by the Calder just West of the Earlsheaton area.There are also 2 birds singing around the Kerries Food factory...

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11/04/2018 10:26

Peregrine Falcons mating on Dewsbury Town Hall

2 Peregrine Falcons are displaying and going through a mating procceedure this morning on Dewsbury Town Hall.This is excellent news as providing they can find a suitable ledge or similar this would be an ideal nesting place for the species. There is an ever ending supply of pigeons in the town at...

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09/04/2018 17:17

Summer visiting Birds arrive at last on local sites

We allways seem to do well with early Swallows returnng in this part of the Calder Valley.A riverside walk produced first of all 4 Male Swallows fliying around the sprinklers on Dewsbury Sewage Works.This had increased to 10 birds (6 males and 4 females ) a couple of hours later. 22 Sand Martins...

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14/03/2018 22:14

At last spring is on its way.

It was nice to see 2 pairs of Oyster Catcher in full display flight below Mill Bank Thornhill this morning.One of the birds wears aa ring placed upon it as a chick in Southampton Water 6 years ago. 2 singing Chiff Chaff are in full song in the hedgerow below Pildacre Chickenley. Nearby on Dewskbury...

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