White Stork

After walking over the wet and windy hills and reaching my car that we'd left in Littleborough last night at our celebration evening for our daughter's 21st, I headed off to see the White Stork that had been reported by the local Countryside Service. It was down in Luddenden Foot and it was still there when I arrived, which is pretty amazing for me as I usually dip out on such sightings, and we had good views belore it took off and struggled to find a thermal in order to gain height. The local rooks were giving it a hard time the last I saw of it.


The bird was ringed with a small metal ring on the left leg just above the foot so it could be from the Harewood House free-flying birds. After taking off it circled for a while and apparently landed back in the fields after we'd left.

 

 

 

North Cave Wetlands

Called in the Wetlands for an hour on the way home yesterday. Nothing special but a whole host of good birds on view including Great Crested Grebes starting to display:

One of these days I'll get a decent pic of Blackcap. This one just wouldn't get into position for me...

Nesting activity

A walk around my local patch this morning to check on nesting progress proved fruitful in that Dippers and Little Grebes are under way with other 2 species also cracking on but they will remain anon to protect the sites.

Chiffchaff and Curlews were singing together, but not physically together of course, so that made a nice start to the day - joined shortly afterwards by a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming. A pair of Tufted Ducks and a pair of Redshank at Longfield Dam were good to see but the highlight was a Teal on the dam as I've never seen one there before.

I just need the Wheatears to arrive now as they are a little overdue.

Nuthatches

Off to Hardcastle Crags this morning to try and see the LSW there but no luck. Plenty of Nutchatch around though

Also GSW, Green Woodpecker, Jay and 7 Sparrowhawks soaring.

Linnets here, there and everywhere

Linnets were seen in abundance at Hornsea this morning, along with Mipits that were flying in onto the cliff tops.

Then when I arrived home I had Linnets on the feeders in the back garden, which although I've seen them in the fields behind the house, is a new addition to my garden visitor list.