Now I know who cleans up after those messy birds

Work Party Saturday March 14th 2015

Alan, Allan, Bruce, Dan,  David, Garry, Joe, John,  Mike, Robin, Sheilah , Simon and Stuart came along at 09:30. (apologies for any omission). We were split into 3 groups. Tree maintenance, Fence maintenance and nest box making and erecting, The boxes were made through kind donations to the Group. The rain held off as promised till around 12:30

Many of these boxes were donated to the Group.

Wood was also given and several were made on site. Many thanks to those who gave. 

The boxes were erected in various locations throughout the Reserve.

New Found Reserve

I know that Denso Martin Reserve has been around a while but we (family) have just discovered it. It's on the Otley road about 1/3 mile past the Baildon turn off.
It's a little gem with a well organised info centre and resident warden - Stephen. Situated next to the River Aire there are lots of birds including 4 chiff chaffs already in. We saw goldcrest, LT tits and a kingfisher flashed by on the river.  Link

Red Kite.

Passed over the reserve at approx 0825 on 14 March

Spent awhile watching this nuthatch on the car park feeders yesterday

Some of our beautiful Cromwell Bottom birds

                                                           Bullfinch (M)

                                                                          Ditto

                                                                         Ditto

                                                                        Bullfinch (F)

                                                                                    Ditto

                                                                  Long Tailed Tit

                                                                           Ditto

                                                                  Robin

                                                                 Long Tailed Tits

                                                                                 Jay

                                                          Jay watching me watching it

                                                                                 Jay

                                                                  Reed Bunting (M)

                                                                      Coal Tit

                                                Male Blackbird looking for worms in grass

                                                                          Great Tit

                                                                 Teal on river (M)

                                                                       Coot on Lagoon

Work in Spagnum Bog

A big thank you to the eight volunteers (David, Alan, Bruce, Shelagh, John, Gary, Allan and Jane) who came to help in cutting back some of the trees in the spagnum bog at Cromwell Bottom Nature Reserve on Wednesday 11th March. The Spanum Bog at Cromwell Bottom Nature Reserve is a unique habitat and has been in danger of drying out  because of the encroachment of trees. The plan is to gradually cut back some of the trees over the next few years so that we can continue to preserve this special habitat.

                                                        David at the heart of things as usual

                                                   Alan getting ready to pull out what gets cut

                                                     Allan thinking about getting started

                                            David wondering when Allan is going to get started

                                    Gary wondering what David and Allan are up to out there

                                                Shelagh preparing to get stuck in as usual

                                          The team getting ready to pull out the cut branches

                                   The plan being put into operation : Maintaining an open habitat in
                                                         which spagnum moss can thrive.

                                           Nearly done for the day. More to do in the future.

I have set up a Twitter account to help spread the word (to find and follow search twitter @CromwellBottom) so if anyone has photo's, comments, news, tales etc I can tweet please send them to steve@themidges.co.uk

Sunny CBNR

                   Had an hour down at CBNR on a nice sunny day and
                   the birds were showing well, and was pleased to spot
                   the  Goldcrest under the Bailey Bridge.

                   3 Heron
                   1 Reed Bunting
                   2 LTT
                   Lots of Bullfinch & Tit family
                   1 Jay
                   4 Chaffinch
                   1 what looked like a Siskin at far end of viewing area
                   2 Dunnock
                   3 Wren
                   2 Blackbird
                   and a flyover by 4 Lapwing, I missed out on the Dipper
                   which was seen later on.
     

                                           Spot the Goldcrest

                                            Jay

                                            Heron

FOUND LENS CAP

A lens cap has been found at Soil Hill. If it's yours then please email me.

Soil Hill Delight

Dave's post and superb pictures now moved to "Offsite" section.
Link to Dave's post click here:

                                    Wednesday the 11th of March. 
Work Party, Tree cutting in the Sphagnum Bog. If you have waders then please bring them, otherwise wellingtons. Please meet in the North Loop car park at 09:30 (over the Brick Bridge)

Flying Killers!

I assume by now most people have heard about the Mink on the Canal a while back that had tried to take the Juvenile Mute Swan out & got took for a flight around Calderdale ......... Well ............

http://www.itv.com/news/2015-03-02/incredible-image-shows-weasel-flying-on-woodpeckers-back/

It would appear it happens to birds more often than we think?

Members Days Out!

All members please check out the MEMBERS PAGE, there is some information regarding some trips out as a group.

 

Wintery Cromwell

                  CBNR today on a wild,windy & snowy day,
                  plenty of the Tit family & Bullfinches at the
                  viewing area and a female Greenfinch which
                  I haven't seen there before.
                              Lots of Wrens down by the bottom lock
                  on the river side in the brambles.
                  Cormorants on the pylons and Canada's flying about
                  down the river and Grey Wagtail down by bottom Weir.

                 Viewing Area-:
             
                             8 Bullfinch
                             4 Chaffinch
                             3 Coal Tit
                             2 LTT one's gone missing
                             3Robins
                             4 Blackbirds
                             12 Great & Blue Tits
                              1 female Greenfinch.

                   River & Canal-:

                             5 Cormorant
                             4 Wren
                             1 Grey Wagtail
                             8 Canada Geese
                             3 Mute Swan
                             4 Mallard
                             3 Blackbird
                             4 Wood Pigeon

                      Car Park-:
                     
                              10 Great & Blues
                               3 Robins
                               4 Grey Heron

Herons Busy Today

                      CBNR today was busy with the tit family & robins at the
                      car park feeders and bumped into Steve Blacksmith who's
                      the chairman of the Calderdale Wildlife Group and he was telling
                      me about the newts in the pond which is good to hear.
                      Bird viewing area was quiet even the bullfinch were being shy
                      only a few showing, but was told by Barry that a Sparrowhawk
                      had just flown through.
                                                          Herons were busy building nests and
                      doing naughty's in the tree's and a few flyovers with branches in
                      their beaks.
                                        The Juv Mute Swan was having a fight with an old rag
                      on the canal.