31st December

2 female Hens today, not much more other than 3 Buzzards, 1 Oystercatcher, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and 200 Fieldfares.

23rd December

6 Crossbills still in the plantation today also 3 Barn Owls, 2 Shorties, 1 Hen, 1 Buzzard and the Oystercatcher still present.

16th December

All the usual species today, 7 Shorties, 2 Barn Owls, 1 Hen, 1 Buzzard, 1 Raven, several Kestrels and a drake Teal.

13th December

A freezing day out and about, most of the usual species including 3 Barn Owls, 2 Hens, 3 Buzzards, 1 Sparrowhawk, Kestrels, 1 Oystercatcher etc.

12th December

No sign of the Red-crested Pochard at Cold Edge today, looks like its gone. Did have 2 Goldeneye, 2 Tufties, 1 Reed Bunting and a Pink-footed Goose.

9th December

The day after the night before- Last night saw our annual Upper George Reunion take place in Halifax, so it was with a bit of a saw head that I set out today with Phil D. First stop Cold Edge to check and see if the Red-crested Pochard was still present, it was in good light. Then on to the tops for 6 Shorties, 4 Barn Owls, 1 Harrier, 1 Buzzard, several Kestrels, 1 Oystercatcher, 50 Herring Gulls and 1 Great Black back and a flock of Fieldfares.

HELL RAISER

After missing them at the last moment for the last 2 years I finally got to see the SWEET last night at Holmefirth Picture Drome, and I have to say they were bloody great. This is the group that started my passion for loud rock music in the 70s which led on to heavier groups like Sabbath and Purple etc. These days there's only the original guitarist Andy Scott left in the band but the other newer members played superbly well and their harmonies were the best Ive ever heard form any group live. All the old favorites were played, Ball Room Blitz, Blockbuster, Fox on the Run, Teenage Rampage etc, they even played the one that Mary Whitehouse got banded, Turn it Down, but the funniest moment for me was the sound of 2000 heavy metal fans singing along to Wig Wam Bam. What a great night out I would definatly go see them again.

Red-crested Pochard 206

After getting a soaking on Saturday and blown away Sunday we finally hit the jackpot today. News broke of a first for Calderdale when a Red-crested Pochard was found on my old stomping ground of Cold Edge Dams. Me and Andy C were strait on site to check the birds credentials and we both came away happy, fully winged and no rings, that's my 206 species for Calderdale. Up into the hills and what an afternoon, 10 Short-eared Owls, 4 Barn Owls, 2 Harriers, 1 Buzzard, 3 or 4 Kestrels, 1 Oystercatcher and a superb Woodcock sat in the middle of the road on our way back.

30th November

One of two more Herring Gulls at High Road Well Moor today, this one a nice first winter bird.

21st November

An Herring Gull on the deck today at Highroad Well Moor is unusual for my local patch.

19th November

Another good day out on the tops. Todays highlights included 6 Grey Partridge, 2 Woodcocks, 1 Goosander, 1 male Crossbill, 2 Hens, 2 Buzzards, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Shortie, 1 Barn Owl and a Kestrel eating a road kill dead Rabbit.

17th November

Very cold east wind today but we still managed 10 Crossbills, took 200 photos but none were any good. Also 2 Hens, 1 Buzzard, Kestrels 2 Shorties and 1 Goosander.

15th November

Camera has being playing up so had a stroll over Roils Head and tried it out on a perched Kestrel and some Common Gulls in flight. It wont take a picture on full zoom but works by dropping of slightly, also of note today was a male Stonechat. Can not believe its 4 years ago today that I got my new Kowa 883 scope.

14th November

20 Crossbills today after an absence of a week or so, also 3 Barn Owls, 1 Little Owl but no Shorties, 1 Sparrowhawk, 9 Kestrels, 1 Buzzard and 2 harriers.

10th November

Another owl day with at least 3 Barn's, 2 Shorties and 1 Little Owl, also 5 Buzzards, 1 Sparrowhawk and 11 Kestrels recorded. 22 Golden Plovers, 100s of Fieldfares, 2 Ravens and the odd Herring Gull.

6th November

Out with AC again today, Barn, Little and Short-eared Owls all seen again, also 18 Golden Plover, 1 Oystercatcher, 3 Buzzards and a few Kestrels. Still loads of Fieldfares knocking about.

5th November

3 species of Owls today + usual Buzzard, Kestrel etc, also 2 Grey Wagtails.

3rd November

Usual species today + 18 Golden Plovers, 1 Herring Gull, 200 Fieldfares and a Woodcock at dusk. No sign of any Crossbills but very windy.

27th October

30 Crossbills still present in the plantation today, managed to get some phone scoped shots of a female, also 6 species of raptor, 33 Golden Plover, 1 Oystercatcher, 2 Snipe, 1 large Herring Gull in with some Lessers, 1 Great Spotted Wood Pecker, Siskin, Coal Tit etc.

26th October

Just the 5 raptor species today + 200 Fieldfares, 1 Tufted Duck and no Crossbills.

22nd October

Back phone scoping the Crossbills today, at least 30 birds showed well, 9 Whoopers later dropped on to one of the reservoirs. 4 species of raptor noted today, also 3 Ravens.

20th October

All the usual species today + 38 Crossbills in the plantation.

Silmarillion continued

Still reading the Silmarillion for about the 22nd time, found another picture of Fingolfins great battle with the dark lord Morgoth.

18th October

Brief stop at Fly Flats brought us a Dunlin and 2 Red-legged Partridge, then on to our usual spot where we clocked up 7 Shorties, 3 Barn Owls and 1 Little Owl, 1 brief Hen, loads of Kestrels, 2 or 3 Buzzards, 1 Sparrowhawk, 6 Grey Partridge, 32 Crossbills and 20+Siskin in the woods, at least 400 Fieldfare and a Reed Bunting etc. Phone scoped above Kestrel.

16th October

Todays birds included 6 Short-eared Owls, 3 Barn Owls, 5 Buzzards, loads of Kestrels and a juv male Hen Harrier. Also of note 3 Ravens, 250 Pinkies going south east and at least 500 Fieldfares going to roost, usual other species.

14th October Rock Pipit dip

DF found another Rock Pipit at Ringstone today, unfortunately when we arrived on site there was no sight of it despite 6 of us searching. Another dip on this species for Calderdale.

Glenn Huges gig

Me and older brother went to see ex Deep Purple bassist Glenn Hughes at Leeds Uni last night, the first concert Ive been to in 2 and an half years. It was a great night and his voice was as usual brilliant. He started off playing his preferred bass and then later on out came a real bass his very old Red Rickenbacker. This was a back to the old purple set which featured classics like Stormbringer, Burn, Mistreated, Getting Tighter, You Fool no one, Might Just take your life, You Keep on Moving and a brilliant rendition of Sail Away. He also through in 2 Deep Purple mk2 hits, Smoke on the Water and Highway Star excellent. I must dust of the cob webs on my Blue Rickenbacker and start playing more often.

7th October

Back on the moors, todays tally included 1 Raven, 2 Red-legged Partridge, 51 Pinkies, the first Fieldfares and Redwings of the autumn, 6 Buzzards, 1 Hen, 2 Barn Owls and a juvenile Peregrine which had a go at one of the owls.

6th October

Todays birds included all 5 British Owls seen at the same site within 1 hour, these were 3 Barn, 5 Shorties, 1 Leo, 1 Tawny and 1 Little Owl. Also in the area 2 Hens, 7 Buzzards and a Peregrine.

5th October

Local walk produced one predated Little Owl.

1st October

Back on the moors with AC today, first stop the plantation to look for Crossbills, we found 16 in with a huge flock of at least 100 Siskin, also a couple of Redpolls mixed in for good measure. Finally got a few pictures of one of 4 Barn Owls today using the iphone scope adapter. Other bird recorded were 1 Hen, 1 Buzzard, 1 Shortie, Tufted Duck, Great Spot Pecker, Grey Heron, Reed Bunting and a large looking accipiter which dashed through the wood but views not good enough to claim Thunder Bird 2. 2nd October, Wheatear at Tower Hill.