Covid-19

Hi All
The Sunday Cabin will be closed for now. Thanks for your support.

Graham
CBWG Chair

The Reserve will be open for walks as normal. Always maintain at least 2 metres from others.  STAY SAFE

Bird sightings -April 2020

57 species in total. A very good total considering the lockdown situation and the recorders are visiting much less often for their allowable exercise.

The highlight is undoubtedly the sighting of common scoter. Scoters are sea ducks and at the beginning of the month there was a large movement from the west coast to the east. Looks like we had some tired individuals stopping off for a rest.

The Spring migrants have started to arrive. The highlight of these were some very obliging wheatear. An uncommon bird at our reserve.

Many thanks to all the contributors especially Mike Henshaw, Jeff Milne and Graham Haigh.

Cromwell Bottom Bird Sightings April 2020

Mute Swan Great Black Backed Gull Willow Warbler

Greylag Goose Stock Dove Chiffchaff

Canada Goose Wood Pigeon Wren

Mallard Kingfisher Great Tit

Common Scoter Great Spotted Woodpecker Coal Tit

Goosander Skylark Blue Tit

Little Grebe Sand Martin Long-tailed Tit

Cormorant Swallow Nuthatch

Grey Heron House Martin Magpie

Buzzard Meadow Pipit Jay

Sparrowhawk Pied Wagtail Jackdaw

Kestrel Grey Wagtail Rook

Moorhen Dunnock Carrion Crow

Coot Robin Starling

Oystercatcher Wheatear Chaffinch

Black-headed Gull Song Thrush Goldfinch

Common Gull Mistle Thrush Bullfinch

Herring Gull Blackbird Greenfinch

Lesser Black Backed Gull Blackcap Reed B

Posted by Vic

Just because we  are not down on the reserve dose not mean life stops the locals are enjoying the peace and quiet. Here are two to remind us that we are the ones loosing out

Not great quality but at least a record
Keep Safe hope we get back to normal soon
David L

Hi all surprise of the day was 3 male wheatears one of which followed me and posed like he was a pro.also buzzard ,mipit, female sky lark . Yours Graham

Kingfisher

Yesterday, Saturday, I saw a kingfisher on the Calder, downstream from St Stephen’s Church, across from the rugby field, on the North Dean Woods side. Might there be a nest in the sandy bank there?

Subs and membership fees

HI everyone we as a group hope you are all keeping well and safe please keep up to the social disstanceing and lets hope it goes away soon . In that vain we are suspending subs and fees untill September which will then be half price ,for anyone who has already paid we will give you half price membership next year. if by any chance anyone would like to donate or pay a full years Subs we wont refuse them and class them as a donation.  We hope to be back up and running by September . yours Graham

In isolation in the compound

Nuthatch, Buzzard,  Female Reed Bunting,  Robin,  Long-tailed Tit

Beak of the day.

Spring 2020 Newsletter

Spring 2020 Newsletter is now available!

Here is a direct link to the latest offering from the Newsletter team (Lyn, Jane and Val).  It is all about the Thursday and Sunday Volunteers who make things happen at the Reserve, and a wonderful update from the Bee Hives in Calderdale (thank you Roger!).

Enjoy, and as usual please send in any comments, articles, photos to the newsletter email address on the back page.

http://cromwellbottomlnr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Spring2020online.pdf

Bird Sightings March 2020

March Flowers

As volunteering sessions are suspended for the foreseeable future I spent some of my social distancing time on Thursday walking around the reserve to see what flowers are out. Here is a selection.

Next to the car park there are a number of Flowering Current (Ribes sanguineum) shrubs currently in flower. It's a garden escape which seems to have very successfully escaped to Cromwell Bottom. If you look closely at the pink flowers you will see that they have five outer splayed petals, and five inner petals that form a tube. They are in hanging racemes (flower cluster with the separate flowers attached by short equal stalks). The leaves have 3 to 5 rounded lobes.

There are many Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) trees around the reserve. They are usually smallish looking more like a large bush than a tree but can be easily recognised at this time of the year as they have white flowers but no leaves. The white flowers contrast starkly with the black or very dark wood (hence the name). The flowers have five rounded white petals with numerous stamens.

During the year the Sloes develop which can be picked in Autumn to flavour your gin or make Sloe jam but watch out for those sharp thorns!

One of the earliest dandelion look-a-likes to appear in the year is Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara). You will see it flowering without leaves, the disproportionate sized leaves appear later usually after flowering has finished. The stems are scaly and sometimes red.

See this picture of a Dandelion (Taraxacum agg.) for comparison, a few early ones are already out:

2 members of the Buttercup family are currently displaying.

Marsh Marigolds (Caltha palustris) have been out for several weeks already. You can see them in the course of the disused canal opposite the dipping ponds, they like wet conditions. They look like very large buttercups but with large very un-buttercup like leaves

Lesser Celandines (Ficaria verna) are just appearing, they are low growing and are in a number places in the reserve, the one I photographed was by the river. The number of yellow petals is variable, the outers are green tinged. The leaves are glossy and heart shaped.

There will be much more to emerge in the coming weeks.

Moth Night sat 14th

Arrivals from 6.30pm - warm clothing, torch, & good footwear the usual requirements.

See whoever then.

February 2020 Bird sightings

Cromwell Bottom Bird Sightings February 2020
Mute Swan		Dunnock
Canada Goose		Robin
Mallard		Song Thrush
Teal		Redwing
Goldeneye		Mistle Thrush
Goosander		Fieldfare
Cormorant		Blackbird
Grey Heron		Goldcrest
Buzzard		Wren
Sparrowhawk		Great Tit
Kestrel		Coal Tit
Water Rail		Blue Tit
Moorhen		Long-tailed Tit
Coot		Nuthatch
Snipe		Treecreeper
Black-headed Gull		Magpie
Common Gull		Jay
Herring Gull		Jackdaw
Lesser Black Backed Gull		Rook
Stock Dove		Carrion Crow
Wood Pigeon		Chaffinch
Kingfisher		Linnet
Green Woodpecker		Redpoll
Great Spotted Woodpecker		Goldfinch
Meadow Pipit		Siskin
Grey Wagtail		Bullfinch
		Greenfinch
		Reed Bunting

Cromwell Bottom Access

PLEASE NOTE
There is no access from Elland to Cromwell Bottom as the road is subsiding.
Access from Brookfoot is as normal.

From Halifax the best way is via Southowram and down to Brookfoot.
If you are in Elland then go via Lower Edge Road and down to Brighouse that way.
This takes another 10 to 15 mins.

Moth night Sat 29th

Last week was a catch up so this week Saturday 29th is a planned one.

 6.00pm arrivals, usual Torch, warm clothing, & footwear for muddy paths if walking the wood checking the Goo (sugaring),

See Whoever then.

Moth night Sat 22nd

Cancelled tonight due to heavy rain + high winds which when combined = NO MOTHS.

So we just move it to next week Sat 22nd, 6.00pm arrivals, usual Torch, warm clothing, & footwear for muddy paths if walking the wood checking the Goo (sugaring),

See Whoever then.

You look familiar

International Great Tit Water jump

January 2019 Bird Sightings

Below are all the reported bird sightings for Cromwell Bottom nature reserve in January 2020. Many thanks to all who contributed, most especially Mike Henshaw and Jeff Milne. Highlight is undoubtably the over-wintering chiffchaff but the long staying water rail on the lagoon is also worth a mention. 55 birds in total. Cromwell Bottom Bird Sightings January 2020
Mute Swan		Dunnock
Pink-footed Goose		Robin
Grey Lag Goose		Song Thrush
Canada Goose		Redwing
Mallard		Mistle Thrush
Goldeneye		Fieldfare
Goosander		Blackbird
Little Grebe		Chiffchaff
Cormorant		Goldcrest
Grey Heron		Wren
Buzzard		Great Tit
Sparrowhawk		Coal Tit
Kestrel		Blue Tit
Water Rail		Long-tailed Tit
Moorhen		Nuthatch
Coot		Treecreeper
Woodcock		Magpie
Black-headed Gull		Jay
Common Gull		Jackdaw
Herring Gull		Rook
Lesser Black Backed Gull		Carrion Crow
Stock Dove		Chaffinch
Wood Pigeon		Linnet
Barn Owl		Goldfinch
Kingfisher		Siskin
Great Spotted Woodpecker		Bullfinch
Grey Wagtail		Greenfinch
		Reed Bunting

Moth Night Sat 1st

5pm Arrivals, warm clothing, stout footwear & torch a must.

See you there.

Cromwell Bottom Birds

I haven't posted images on the blog for quite some time.  Here's just a handful of the birds  that call Cromwell Bottom their home and are part of the impressive list of all that do.  Enjoy!

Great Tit

Robin

Coal Tit

Bullfinch

Long-tailed Tit

Ric J

2019 Cromwell Bottom NR Bird Species list

Below is the list of all the species of birds seen on the Cromwell Bottom Nature reserve in 2019. There is a total of 92 different species.

Mute Swan Common Gull Blackcap Pink-footed Goose Herring Gull Whitethroat Canada Goose Lesser Black Backed Gull Sedge Warbler Mallard Common Tern Reed Warbler Shoveler Stock Dove Willow Warbler Teal Wood Pigeon Chiffchaff Pochard Collared Dove Goldcrest Scaup Tawny Owl Wren Tufted Duck Barn Owl Spotted Flycatcher Goldeneye Swift Great Tit Goosander Kingfisher Coal Tit Pheasant Green Woodpecker Blue Tit Little Grebe Great Spotted Woodpecker Long-tailed Tit Great Crested Grebe Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Nuthatch Cormorant Skylark Treecreeper Little Egret Sand Martin Magpie Great White Egret Swallow Jay Grey Heron House Martin Jackdaw Red Kite Meadow Pipit Rook Buzzard Pied Wagtail Carrion Crow Sparrowhawk Grey Wagtail Starling Kestrel Dipper Chaffinch Peregrine  Dunnock Linnet Water Rail Robin Redpoll Moorhen Wheatear Goldfinch Coot Song Thrush Siskin Oystercatcher Redwing Bullfinch Lapwing Mistle Thrush Greenfinch Common Sandpiper Fieldfare Reed Bunting Woodcock Blackbird Snipe Garden Warbler Black-headed Gull
A few highlights worth mentioning: 1) A few years ago the trustees set themselves the task of trying to attract a few key species to breed on the reserve for probably the first time. Success was achieved in definitely attracting barn owl and probably attracting skylark. Much work has gone on behind the scenes to attract these locally rare breeding birds to the reserve. 2) Sightings were made of 2 different egret species. It is not many years since these became regular visitors to southern England but they are now moving further north. It will not be long before they become regular visitors to the reserve?

Moth Night Sat 11th

First one for the year 4.30pm start.

Essentials are warm clothing, torch, & good footwear if walking the wood checking sugaring.

See you there.

New Viewing Platform

We are pleased to announce a new viewing platform at Cromwell Reserve that has been commissioned by Calderdale Council
 . This has been funded from The Brighouse Ladies Circle ,Tesco’s through there plastic bag fund and Cromwell Bottom Wildlife Group this provides visitors of all ages and abilities with a safe platform from which to view the lagoon and enjoy watching the visiting birds and wildfowl . Visitors may see glimpses of the elusive Water Rail and Little Grebe  whilst Reed Buntings and Reed Warblers flit across the reeds  or just sit a while and watch the world go by. Yours Cromwell Trustees

New Years Day Annual Bird Count and Walk

I

I am taking the liberty of posting this on the Cromwell Bottom Blog because two members (or a member - MC - and her husband,) were keen enough to join us on 1st January, and Margaret found the final bird of the day, a male Bullfinch, making the count equal last year's record.

The regular route is from Clay House Park, through North Dean Woods, around Norland Moor and back throught North Dean by a different path. (About 7 miles.)

Mick Harrop photo

2nd January 2020

These New Year's Day Bird Counts have settled into a run of consistent results. This year and 2019 had equal numbers of species with 32; in 2017 the tally was 31. Fine weather is a factor. Given a foul day the count would be lower obviously; we have been lucky these last three times.

As above the two last counts were 32 and it is interesting to look at the similarities and differences in the two counts.

There were 23 species in common to both counts, 1st Jan 2019 and 1st Jan 2020:

Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed Tits, Nuthatch, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, House Sparrow, Starling, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Robin, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Jay, Crow, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Black-headed Gull, Buzzard.

Nine species in 2019 but not 2020: Dipper, Dunnock, Wren, Raven, Pheasant, Stonechat, Little Owl, Mallard, Song Thrush.

And there were nine species in 2020 but not in 2019: Heron, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting, Fieldfare, Redpoll, Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Common Gull.

The Fieldfares were in a huge flock covering two fields, very impressive, and the Redpolls were flitting charmingly through the trees along the top of North Dean Woods feeding from the birch seed-heads.

With thanks to the participants in the walk yesterday, 10 in total (8 in 2019.) All played a part in the final count on the walk as well as bringing their sightings from home first thing and on the way to the meet (without detours to sites with localised species.)

Two of us thought we heard a single note from a Green Woodpecker at the lower edge of Norland Moor where they are often present, but it was very brief so I decided not to include it.

There was some discussion whether to include domestic fowl, etc. I maintained they are bird species, others thought we should stick purely to self-sufficient wild or feral birds.

The bad news about the Little Owls adjacent to Norland Moor is that Jackdaws usurped them from their tree hole last spring so that's probably why we didn't see them all summer or this winter. Jackdaws in tree holes have become the norm throughout Calderdale. At one time I used to see them using only holes in old buildings and crevices in quarry rock-faces, where they still nest.

These counts are samples of the current state of local birds. Who would have thought a few decades ago that Nuthatch and Buzzard would be seen regularly? Also to run into a Raven isn't that unusual now, and to find a Song Thrush or a Greenfinch is a fairly noteworthy event.

These records might be interesting to read in the future. Another way of "sampling" bird populations is to time a count on a walk, noting every species. I seem get about 14 species on a good day in half an hour, though I haven't sat down with my notebooks to work out the average. It's OK to count a bird if you identify it without doubt by its call or song. The habitat needs recording; upland, waterside or woodland, etc.

Perhaps we could initiate a regular Spring Bird Count every May-day on 1st May?

SB