Work Party 8th of February

Apologies for the delayed posting

Around 12 of us carried out path repairs and direction post fixing on the reserve, more signs to come.

Graham and Bella make a start on the worst bit. 

David and grandson also get stuck in

Barry with a spade

"it's either too long or the hole is not deep enough" says Robin after much thought.

The hole is already 3 foot deep,
so ...

... after a lengthy committee meeting it is decided (by a narrow majority) to shorten the sign

Too late to change now - the sign is cut and the cement is in

Basil

Does this help

At the weekend!

What a decent day on Sunday - It was like a work day with most helpers appearing for a walk round.

A few Siskins were about:

Reed Buntings were regular:

Lots of visits from Long Tailed Tits:

Got some good views of Coal Tits:

 

The star today was the Vole appearances:

 

 Does the brown marking help with I.D. of this little visitor?

It was in & out all day - many people enjoyed it, Quite a good kid quiet tool too lol.
When they were silent it came out.

Birds at cromwell bottom today

                                            cormorants taking a break on a pylon by the river

                                                       long tailed and blue tits

                                                male bullfinch

                                                   Can you spot the great spotted woodpecker?

                                                      male siskin

                                                  Lots of long tailed tits

                                            Juvenile siskin ( I think)
                                   Other birds included treecreeper, male reed bunting, great tit, robin, blackbird
                                   chaffinch and dunnock

Publications page

There is a page in the Members Section where you can now download some publications relevant to the site. These are over 80Meg each so will take up to a minute to download.

Wednesday evening February 12th 2014

There is an indoor meeting this Wednesday the 12th of February at Spring Hall Mansions, Huddersfield Road, Halifax.  7:15pm for a 7:30pm start. All Welcome

Container

Hi all, we have been broken in to and nearly all the new tools have been stolen that we got with the Lloyds grant plus 4 tables that I only got last week, they have opened the fence ripped the side off the green shed by the door smashed off the chain bracket for the large doors opened the roller shutters and used our wheelbarrow to take the things away. It looks like they have used a grinder to cut our lock off the container, total cost will be around £750 to £800.   if any of you are at car boot sales look out for spades,  "Faithful"   mattocks (yellow handles ) post hole auger (blue ) post hole thumper (draper ), new saws and hammers, 26" tool box (ss) wooden brooms, 4 white folding Highline tables (only sold at Costco 6ft x 3ft), "Faithful" trenching spade, all will be new and probably all together, you can ring 101 and quote crime number 13140049658 also the garden cart has gone. Yours Graham
 I am gutted, I have put a lot of work into getting all that together and to see it all go is soul destroying and I am rapidly losing faith in human nature. yours Graham

Recent feeder sightings

Same as Allan I was around the feeding station with him. What was nice - Was the feel of last winter with the 7-8 Siskins & Redpoll squabbling for the Nyger feeder, giving the first chance this year for half decent shots on the branches.

Head shot of Male Siskin

 Another after some grub

 Winking at us!

Quite a few Robins around now

 

Lots of L.T.Tits are visiting all day

 

Oh .... the Redpolls as mentioned

 

 Head shot of a sloppy chops! Redpoll

 

G.S.Woodpeckers are becoming more active

If your lucky the Jays come down to their feeders - couple from a week ago

Please stop by on your way round & check them out.

 

 

 

 

 

Some of Saturday's Delights at the Viewing Station.

                                                                    Siskin (M)

                                                                      Siskin(F)

                                                              Long Tailed Tit

                                                                         Siskin (M)

                                                                       Blue Tit

                                                                   Siskin(F)

                                                                  Siskin (F)

                                                                   Lesser Redpoll

                                                         Short Tailed Field Vole

                                                                        Siskin (M)

                                                                  Lesser Redpoll (M)

                                                                     Great Tit

Badger Culling in Calderdale

http://Www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-calderdale-councils-badgers-from-culling

Badger culling could come to Calderdale!

If you would like this to be avoided please sign the petition and give your opinion to the council.

The culling of badgers is cruel. There are other ways to do this if badgers must be controlled. Science has proved that this is not the way to go. 

The Scientific Society feel that individuals should have the chance to voice their opposition.  Members may have varying views on the cull and by posting this the Society is not voicing the opinion of the Society as a whole.

January 30th 2014

These were taken yesterday at Cromwell very close to the river.

I trust one of our Micologists will put a name to them...

The first one looks like Leafy Brain (Tremella foliacea) and the second looks like Hairy Curtain Crust (Stereum hirsutum).

Thanks Alison

Save Calderdale's Badgers from slaughter

Hi all

I want to draw your attention to this important petition that I recently signed:

"Save Calderdale Council's Badgers from Culling"
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-calderdale-councils-badgers-from-culling

I really think this is an important cause, and I'd like to encourage you to add your signature, too. It's free and takes just a few seconds of your time.

Thanks!

Nest Box Results

The nesting results for the 2013 season at Cromwell Bottom are detailed on the Members blog. 

Voles at the Feeding Station

Hi All,
I've been unable to post so this should be in the comments, but I'm posting like this to confirm my re-invitation. Thanks Bruce.

I'm pretty sure Basil and his mate(s) are Short-tailed Field Voles, which is new to me as I've only seen Bank Voles at feeding stations before.

Bank Voles have more prominent ears, a slightly longer (though still shortish) tail and very noticeably in good light, a chestnut brown coat.

These you are feeding are quite grey-brown (Linda the Mammal Recorder pointed this out ) and their ears are hardly visible.
Also in the first photos about three days ago you can see they have very short tails.

Field mice (of various species I haven't memorised) always have long tails, longer than their bodies, pointed faces (not rounded) and large almost hairless ears. They also have big protruding eyes.

It would be nice to have Dormice back in Calderdale after a century or so. They need big areas of Hazel with Honeysuckle apparently.