Saturday Volunteering Days

Sadly, we will not be able to re-start Saturday volunteer days, scheduled for Saturday 10th July, as hoped. This is due to the remaining uncertainty over outside numbers allowed and pending a decision from Calderdale. We are aiming to re-start these monthly Saturday volunteer days, in September, subject to all restrictions being lifted. Sincere apologies to all those who had planned to join us on that day - we thank you for your patience and hope to see you in September. An update will be posted on our website and Facebook sites in due course.

Thank you

Cromwell \Bottom Wildlife Group 

Moth night sat 26th

 Should start getting lots of species now, starting from 9PM but darkness will be much later now.

See whoever then.

Broad-bodied Chasers and Banded Damoiselle

 

Bird Sightings May 2021

Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Mallard, Mandarin Duck, Tufted Duck, Goosander, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Tern sp, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Swift, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sand Martin, Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Willow Warble, Chiffchaff, Wren, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch With thanks to Jeff, Mike and Allan for contributing their sightings

Moth night sat 12th

 From 9pm onwards, see whoever then.

😃 The Cabin is re-opening this Sunday the 6th of June. 10am till 4pm 🍫👪👦👧

Tea, Coffee, Soft drinks and snacks available, toilets. 

Covid safety in place.

Also we are planning to resume monthly Saturday volunteering days from July, starting Saturday 10th July and then on the 2nd Saturday of each month. 

We meet at 9.30 in the compound next to our cabin, sign in and then we hold an informal chat about what tasks there are to do, including some health and safety reminders.

These volunteering days will be led alternately by members of CBWG and then by Robin Dalton, one of Calderdale's Countryside Rangers. As July is the first one, we'll both be there on that day.

 Volunteers are advised to come dressed for working outdoors with strong footwear and bring a packed lunch if they intend to stay into the afternoon. The amount of time volunteers spend with us is totally flexible and up to the individual's own discretion. Toilet facilities open.

We do have refreshment available such as hot/cold drinks, crisps and wrapped biscuits which we do not directly charge for but ask volunteers for a donation to the work of the Wildlife group. If you have any further questions, just email cromwellbottom@gmail.com  We'll look forward to you volunteering with us.

Moth night sat 29th

Forward swing practice, this sat from 9pm, clothing to suit weather on the night.

See whoever then.

Moth night sat 8th

 I think it's time to brave the cold and get the trap dusted off.

So I shall run a moth night this sat 8th from about 8.30pm onwards. Please dress in warm clothing, as we will be outside all evening due to covid restrictions. Warm drinks can be supplied through the evèning, and it may run until 4am if my all night crew are around, and moths keep coming.

Hope to see you there!

Bird Sightings April 2021

Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Mandarin Duck, Goosander, Pheasant, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Tawny Owl, Kingfisher, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Dipper, Dunnock, Robin, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Wren, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Redpoll, Goldfinch, Siskin, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Reed Bunting, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker. With thanks to all who contributed, especially, Allan Wolfenden, Jeff Milne and Mike Henshaw.

An Enquiry about running moth nights at Cromwell Bottom LNR

 I was contacted recently by Anthony Arak who is about my age and was a member of the Halifax Scientific Society as a teenager, long before I joined. He has or has had a career in Ecology. I knew his name because his project, along with another teenage member, to reintroduce Emperor Moths onto Norland Moor in the 1960s is written about by Clifford Lees in one of our publications, ("The Natural History of Norland Moor.")

He refound the HSS via me on Facebook. What luck he did that when we are still called HSS! (I hope we always are.)

He has been introducing us to the delights the Emperor Moth as I told him we had never seen one, only the caterpillars. So now we've seen them on Wadsworth Moor (above Hebden Bridge,) Whirlaw Common (above Todmorden,) and Stiperden Moor (above the Long Causeway - the Burnley Old Rd -  above Todmorden.) We used an artificial pheremone lure briefly. It is very effective! If the weather is warm enough and there is a light breeze the males, which are day fliers, arrive very quickly! Now we just have to be lucky and find a female, as they sit still, pumping out their pheremone, and wait for the males to arrive.

Anthony would like to resume his great interest in moths. He has asked me by email if he needs permission to run moth evenings at Cromwell Bottom. I've said I will put him in touch with the various people already involved in this.

He says he would like to try, apart from a light trap, sugaring, wine ropes and "mad moth netting by torchlight."

I have mentioned the CBWG enthusiasts who already do moth nights. Is Robin Dalton still involved for the Council? I was going to ask about how Graham Haigh is but just remembered I might be able to find out on Facebook.

Bird Sightings March 2021

Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Goose, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Shoveler, Goldeneye, Goosander, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Common Sandpiper, Woodcock, Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Dipper, Dunnock, Robin, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Firecrest, Goldcrest, Wren, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Magpie, Jay, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Lesser Redpoll, Goldfinch, Siskin, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Reed Bunting Thanks to Jeff Milne, Mike Henshaw and Graham Haigh for sharing their sightings

Grey Heron and Meadow Pipit

 

Meadow Pipits North Loop

 

Spring/Summer Newsletter

 View and download our 2021 Newsletter and also the earlier ones (LINK). 

Another excellent piece of work from Val, the rest of the team and the contributors.

Site visit.

 Nuthatch,Wren,Stock Dove,Goosanders.  Nice to meet up many I have not seen for a long time.

February 2021 Bird Sightings

Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Canada Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Goosander, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Woodcock, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Tawny Owl, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Dipper, Dunnock, Robin, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Firecrest, Goldcrest, Wren, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Magpie, Jay, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, Goldfinch, Siskin, Bullfinch, Reed Bunting. Many thanks to Jeff, Dan, Mike H, David, Graham and Allan for sharing their sightings.

Todays Visit

    Redpoll, Siskin and LTT seen today, also seen were, 

    Firecrest, Jay, Cormorant, Gooseander, Heron, Wren,

   lots of Bullfinch and 100's of Wood Pigeons on the move.

 A few recent photos from Cromwell Bottom, finishing with a bit of moorhen synchronised swimming.

Bird Sightings January 2021

Mute Swan Snipe Goldcrest Whooper Swan Black-headed Gull Wren Pink-footed Goose Common Gull Great Tit Canada Goose Stock Dove Coal Tit Mallard Wood Pigeon Blue Tit Teal Kingfisher Long-tailed Tit Goldeneye Great Spotted Woodpecker Nuthatch Goosander Meadow Pipit Magpie Cormorant Grey Wagtail Jay Grey Heron Dipper Carrion Crow Buzzard Dunnock Chaffinch Sparrowhawk Robin Lesser Redpoll Kestrel Song Thrush Goldfinch Peregrine Redwing Siskin Water Rail Blackbird Bullfinch Moorhen Reed Bunting Thanks to Jeff, Mike, Allan, Lyn and Hayley for their sightings

Dipper on River Calder

 

Bird Sightings December 2020

Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Canada Goose, Mallard, Goosander, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, L.B.B Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Nuthatch, Magpie, Jay, Raven, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Lesser Redpoll, Goldfinch, Siskin, Bullfinch, Reed Bunting, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush Thanks to Jeff, Allan, Mike and Graham for sharing their sightings.

Bird Sightings November 2020

Mute Swan,Canada Goose, Mallard, Goosander, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron,Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Moorhen, Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Tawny Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin Blackbird Goldcrest Firecrest Great Tit Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Magpie, Jay, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Redpoll, Goldfinch, Siskin, Bullfinch Many thanks to Jeff Milne, Mike Henshaw, Allan Wolfenden and Graham Haigh for sharing their sightings. The highlight on the list is firecrest which is a very unusual sighting for Calderdale.

Bird Sightings October 2020

Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Mallard, Mandarin Duck, Tufted Duck, Goosander, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Tawnt Owl, Barn Owl, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Dipper, Dunnock, Robin, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Goldcrest, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Wren, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Brambling, Goldfinch, Siskin, Redpoll, Bullfinch Many thanks to Jeff, Mike, Graham and Allan for supplying their sightings

Bird Sightings September 2020

Mute Swan, Mallard, Goosander, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Buzzard, Moorhen, Common Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Tawny Owl, Barn Owl, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Stonechat, Wheatear, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Wren, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Nuthatch, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Redpoll, Goldfinch, Siskin, Bullfinch, Greenfinch. Many thanks to Jeff, Mike, Allan and Graham for their contributions

Autumn 2020 Newsletter

 Our Autumn Newsletter 2020 is here for you to download

Click HERE to download the Newsletter