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

Bird Sightings August 2020

Mute Swan

Grey Heron

Mallard 

Cormorant 

Buzzard 

Sparrowhawk 

Kestrel

Moorhen

Coot 

Black-headed Gull 

Common Gull

Stock Dove

Wood Pigeon

Barn Owl

Swift

Great Spotted Woodpecker 

Swallow

House Martin 

Meadow Pipit 

Grey Wagtail 

Dipper 

Dunnock 

Robin

Blackbird 

Song Thrush

Mistle Thrush

Blackcap 

Willow Warbler 

Chiffchaff 

Wren

Long Tailed Tit

Great Tit 

Coal Tit

Blue Tit 

Nuthatch

Magpie

Jay

Jackdaw 

Rook

Carrion Crow 

Greenfinch

Chaffinch 

Goldfinch 

Bullfinch

Many thanks to Jeff Milne Mike Henshaw and David Langley for their sightings.

Share your Favourite Sightings from Summer and Autumn 2020

 The newsletter team are publishing your fave sightings over the summer and autumn of 2020, in the autumn edition to be out on 1 October 2020. We would love to know what your favourites are - animal, bird, insect, fish, view of any part of the reserve, whatever you love about Cromwell Bottom LNR.  If you have a photo then fabulous, please include it but no matter if you don't.  Just need your name (first name only if you prefer) and the month taken, and of course what it is.  

Please send us your best to 

newsletter.cbwg@gmail.com

We will send you your very own copy of the newsletter upon publication or print one for you and hand over in the car park!

Lyn, Val, Jane (newsletter team)

Bird Sightings July 2020

Mallard

Cormorant

Grey Heron 

Buzzard

Sparrowhawk

Kestrel

Moorhen 

Black-headed Gull 

Wood Pigeon 

Swift

Great Spotted Woodpecker 

Meadow Pipit

Dunnock

Robin

Blackbird

Mistle Thrush 

Willow Warbler 

Wren

Great Tit

Coal Tit

Blue Tit 

Long-tailed Tit 

Nuthatch 

Treecreeper 

Magpie

Jay

Carrion Crow 

Chaffinch 

Goldfinch 

Bullfinch 

Greenfinch

Apologies for the short list this month.

Thanks to Jeff, Martin and Alan Ockerly for giving me their sightings.

Bank Vole caught having a nap on the Walkway

Bird Sightings June 2020

Mute Swan
Mallard
Goosander
Little Grebe
Cormorant
Grey Heron
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
Moorhen
Coot
Black-headed Gull
Stock Dove
Wood Pigeon
Cuckoo
Swift
Kingfisher
Swallow
House Martin
Meadow Pipit
Grey Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Blackbird
Garden Warbler
Blackcap
Whitethroat
Reed Warbler
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Wren
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Nuthatch
Magpie
Jay
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Bullfinch
Greenfinch
Reed Bunting

Many thanks to Jeff and Mike for contributing to the generation of this list.

Chair report

Chairman Report June 2019 to June 2020

Firstly, I would like to thank all the volunteers, without your help and support nothing of what we achieve would be possible. SPECIAL thanks to Allan for his work as chairman sadly Allan had to give up his role to focus on other things and with no other candidate wishing to take up the role at this time I agreed to step in ,however this next year should I be re-elected  will be my last.

Also, many thanks to Rosemary and Margret for their commitment and hard work and to the ladies and gents who look after the café they do a brilliant job. The next part I will keep as short as possible and go through the year on a month by month basis.

 In June Allan stepped down as Chair , Yorkshire wildlife trust started repairs to the river bank and we started doing some path upgrades , and we found out we had won a grant of £22130 from the restrict big local  the trailer that had been purchased the previous month arrived on site. We had our first stall at the Brighouse gala 

July saw us make 60 bird boxes in kit form and donate them to Old Earth School Elland and our volunteers took the to the school and with the children’s parents put them together at the school.

  Plans were ongoing for the viewing platform and thanks to Tesco’s and Brighouse Ladies Circle for their kind donations of a joint £7300 the platform was completed in November/ December

August saw us with a problem with the RBL grant we had previously put in for moneys to complete an upgrade to a path from the William Henry school in Rastrick to the reserve ,with us not wining the vote we were left with the remainder of £65000 which was not enough to complete the proposed contract at £22300,as quotes were £33000 going back to the RBl committee we asked if we could spend the money on the reserve and this was granted .

We have always wanted the reserve to be for all to this end we asked a group called access for all to look at the reserve and recommend where we could improve things for disabled individuals or groups, this they did and we received the report with their recommendations , 2 of these were a disabled toilet and upgrade the paths . 

September saw changes in the committee with Rosemary (treasurer) and Margret (grants) leaving created a large hole for us to fill, and I would like to thank them both for their commitment and hard work.

My thanks to Jeff Milne who agreed to fill the treasures role at short notice and was duly elected on to the committee.

Some great news was we had Barn Owls nesting on site, after being checked with the BTO representative Steve Downing was found to be a female on 4 eggs 3 of which went on to fledge   

October saw the handover of accounts from Rosemary to Jeff.

After discussions we decided to use the RBL grant money for upgrading the paths on the reserve which considered with the access for all review, this was put to RBL and was granted we could use the money for that project.

 Prices were collected and preferred contractor selected, time scale agreed which was November to mid-December.

Val and Lynda were very studious and put together a stunning book on Cromwell called Thank you for the days this is still available at £10 from the cabin when we reopen, along with a second book on our Barn Owls also £10 from the cabin (not many left).

November  It rained and rained and rained  just as we had started to do the path upgrades however this did not deter our contractor and paths from the bailey bridge to the  bird feeding area was first , the bund path between the lagoon and wet woodland was next we were hoping to make this a wheelchair accessible  path but trees and unstable ground made it impossible however it did  make a fine path and  a lot safer.

December it was still raining work continued on the paths the top

Medlow path was scraped and cleaned and the only path outside the reserve was started up to the railway line ,this was knee deep in mud in places and with Old Earth School children using this path it was decided to upgrade it this was completed by mid-December and it was still raining ,  some of the paths will need looking at again in the summer when properly dry.

On one of the weekends we donated all our takings from the Café to Overgate Hospice in memory of Sally Henshaw this is something we like to do is give back something to others at least once a year.

January still raining, we put in for a grant for a new disabled toilet and were pleased to find we had been successful, this has now been purchased and is on site awaiting fitting….     

Work continued on North Loop doing the stock fencing this is for an ESIF GRANT that was won by Calderdale MBC, and will allow us to graze cattle from August onward, which is a much gentler way of looking after the meadows.

February to June covid 19 took its tole and we have had to make the decision to hold everything until such times as we can get back safely . 

Keep safe and we hope to see you all back soon .

Yours Graham Haigh   chair  

Random pictures from 15/6/2020

Below are some random pictures of things I saw whilst walking round the reserve today;

May 2020 Bird Sightings

Mute Swan
Canada Goose
Mallard
Goosander
Little Grebe
Cormorant
Grey Heron
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
Moorhen
Oystercatcher
Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black Backed Gull
Stock Dove
Wood Pigeon Cuckoo
Swift
Kingfisher
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Skylark
Sand Martin
Swallow
House Martin
Meadow Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Blackbird
Garden Warbler
Blackcap
Whitethroat
Reed Warbler
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Wren
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Magpie
Jay
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Bullfinch
Hawfinch
Greenfinch
Reed Bunting

55 species in total.

The undoubted highlight is hawfinch. This is a new sighting for the reserve in recent years.

Many thanks to all who have made a contribution to the list.

Tuesday morning walk

A few since my last post ,birds are meadow pipit, willow warbler ,sand martin .gwh

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