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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

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