Sand Martins and juveniles

Just catching up with photos! Here are a few of Sand Martins with fledglings/juveniles.

Jumble Hole Clough Garden Warblers

I haven't managed to see a Garden Warbler yet this year so thought it was time to remedy that. A walk up towards Jumble Hole Clough and the hot spot for warblers sorted it out. 3 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, a Chiff Chaff and about 4 Garden Warblers.

2 of the Garden Warblers were carrying food and were chacking away so I left them to their feeding, assuming they had chicks somewhere.

Back on the Rochdale Canal the sun came out, at least I think it was the sun as my memory isn't that good these days and it's been a while since I've seen it!

Langfield and Gaddings Dam this morning

A good walk this morning despite the rain at Gaddings, with a few different birds seen:

Little Owl - ruined barn at Cross Lane, Mankinholes
Little Grebe - 2 at Lee Dam and 1 at Longfield Dam later in the morning
Swallow - 6 or so feeding over Lee Dam
Grasshopper Warbler - 1 reeling in the patch of juncus, bracken and rosebay willow herb at Croft Carr. None at Horse Wood which is where they were last year and a few weeks ago, but Croft Carr is only about 400 yards away so one could have moved down.
Reed Bunting - 3
Twite - 2 at Langfield (not ringed)
Raven - 2 over Langfield
usual good numbers of Skylark and Mipit around Gaddings
Swift - about 14 feeding over the water along with a few Swallows
Ringed Plover - 1 on the shore at Gaddings

The House Martins are nearly finished building their nest on the gable end of our house. This was a complete re-build as the previous nest fell down over the winter in 2009 and they didn't build here in 2010 or 2011 so it's good to have them back again. They're very late in nest building but not too late to breed I hope.

European Roller at Aldborough

I eventually managed to get over to Hornsea today and went down to Aldborough to see if the Roller was still there and it was to my relief. Had good views through the scope as it moved from place to place catching insects, showing its wonderful markings as it flew.
 I didn't manage to get a flight shot but a few record photos from a distance were obtained -

While I was watching the Roller a hare came running along the field edge and stopped about 2 feet from from where I was hidden by the long grass. It sat there for a few seconds and I had my best ever close up view of a hare. I couldn't get a photo even if I'd dared to move to position the camera, as the lens I had on wouldn't focus that close!
As it finally spotted I was there and ran off I got a few photos of its back-end lol.

Jubilee Beacon at Stoodley Pike

The beacon is ready to be lit after the sun has set...