Queensbury Walk

Despite the false promise from Meteorology Man and Woman what turned out to be a better day failed to produced the avian hordes.
RFlood 1230 hrs - zilch. I went down Roper Lane and got a WW. In Old Guy Rd there were 2 each Lapwing and Skylark.

Oats Royd has lost it, I can't see me visiting there much this Spring/Summer. 6 WW, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Heron, couple Dullard.

Raggalds to Mixenden

RFlood 0925 hrs single Redshank ditto Pied Wagtail.
Soilage: singles of Canada, Curlew, Lapwing, Oystercatcher. 11 Herring Gull over > S. Kestrel, Mipits & Skylarks, 2 Linnet.

Ogden Res was putrid: 6 WW, 1 Chiffchaff, Grey Heron.

Stod Fold coughed up 1 Reed Bunting, 2 Wheatear, couple Curlew up the hill calling.

Mixenden Res: singles of Jay, Chiffchaff, Grey Wagtail. Dullard, drake Tufted & f Goldeneye.

Bolton Abbey

Courtesy of DW on what turned out to be a blustery day with little sunshine that still managed to produce 6 annuals for me and 5 for himself.
First off were c20 Sand Martin concentrated in an area where their previous years nest site is. Presumably these will disperse further down river as the days pass and more arrive.

A Dipper put on a great show and gave very good photo opportunities to boot. Throughout the walk we must have seen 5 such birds.

Photos: DW

Common Sandpiper were present but only a few of them. The reason may be the river was still in full spate with only small patches of stones available for them to potter about on.
The hillside bare rocky land was basically barren with just one Wheatear being seen, however Dave picked up a distant very mobile Peregrine.

A Blackcap was heard singing and soon subsequently seen with another 3/4 heard afterwards.
The one bird we were almost desperate to see gave us a merry run around until it sang just once. This was sufficient for us to get the briefest of views of a male Pied Flycatcher.

Photos: DW

After a fairly long search for Mandarin a single male flew by and dropped onto the river staying within camera shot fortunately. Further down by the bridge a female Goosander chose to stay on dry land just for a change.

There were quite a few singing Song Thrush and Nuthatch throughout.
Other birds seen include Buzzard, Jay, Lapwing, Grey & Pied Wagtail, Green Woodpecker, GSW, Treecreeper, WW & Chiffchaff.

Back Down To Earth

Raggalds Flood at 1025 hrs not a living thing - great.
Soil Hill Aborted after being blown around and soaked. Few Mipits, couple Skylark, 1 Lapwing ditto Curlew & Dullard - nice.

Ogden Res. 1 drake Tufted on the water but apart from a few Dullards twas barren. 5 WW and a Chiffchaff were present. An helpful winsome young lass said she had seen a Heron so I went through the motions and finally got the said bird. This cost me dearly, after 8 months I finally lost my nocular rainguard cover - terrific.

At Hunter Hill bottom it got tasty: 2 pr Wheatear, 3 House Martin, 6 Swallow, Curlew calling, 1 Reed Bunting, ditto Linnet & 1 Skylark.
Mixenden Res just held 1 Moorhen & 4 Dullard.

Cuba Last Post

As expected the day long trip today Saturday 21st produced minimal birds from the coach but I did get a pleasant surprise in Santiago de  Cuba on arrival.
I know for a fact I acquired 2 lifers as we passed over a huge dam simply because I've not had a Swallow species here before (2 birds) nor a Martin, just the one. Determining which types is a different dish of rice n beans man, know what I'm saying?
I got a load of Snowy Egret from the coach and one definite Cattle Egret but I feel certain I got a couple more.

The big event bird was a huge Magnificent Fwiggit Bird seen twice flying from the harbour along the coast and then back. The only other seabird was a distant gull which was impossible to pick up any features from.
TBC on my final day Sun...

...22 April
That wind down feeling hit me and I was lacking enthusiasm this morning. Despite that I got another Warbler species and what a drab little bugger it was; this should require maximum input from my Birds of West Indies guide.
The Greater Yellowlegs was feeding in an industrial fashion and the 'stones must have been dealing big time down on the corner; I had to cough heavily in order to gain my not too quick sand viewpoint.

Bird of the session has to be Clapper Rail. There were 3 of them at one stage and I bet a few pairs of eardrums burst. Now I know why the expression is "...like the Clappers".
One of them came too close for many photos as it walked under the bridge beneath me, still I got a couple that pass the test.

I intend to make the most of my return to UK and after this experience and finally give up birdwatching altogether starting tomorrow.

PS The Warbler was a female American Redstart its distinctive tail pattern gave the game away. Nice to see one again after all these years.

Hard Work Rewarded

Got After an indifferent Thursday, I initially thought today Friday 20 April was going to be similar but 2 new incomers saved the day. One a Cape May Warbler is a lifer while the other a Palm Warbler is a reaquaintence from Oct 2007.
I had another sighting of the Double-striped Thicknee, this time a more substantial one as the bird took off just to my left side and whizzed around a fairly close range giving good views.

23 Snowy Egret were in the mangroves just before breakfast but the majority moved on. A single Lesser Yellowlegs was seen as well as a few BW Stilt and the 'stones. There aren't any Redshank here so the job of early warning system goes to the Stilts. Once again the Killdeer pr were on the footpath almost at ones feet. The Northern Waterthrush put on a good show this morning after not being seen for a couple of days. Others today include YF Grassquit, BW Vireo, SB Ani, dozens of Northern Mockingbird, Grackles and the USA Kestrel of which I got a few photos.

Attention you two who read my blog. You can take tomorrow Saturday 21st off as I am on a day long trip down to the south of the island. I expect to be publishing some sort of drivel on Sunday before flying home on Monday so make the most of your free time.

PS At about 1515 hrs the skies greyed over, a breeze picked up and the temperature dropped so I got down to the swamp just for a change. This proved a good move as the birdlife had picked up as anticipated. A Greater Yellowlegs was busy feeding and a guy fresh in from Wigan pointed a bird on a nest; it was a Yellow Warbler. The male Common Yellowthroat gave cracking views and a couple of Grassquit and Vireo were flitting around. Piece de Resistance went to a pr of birds that created the loudest noise I've heard from a bog in years. 2 Clapper Rail were mating just in view among the vegetation below the bridge. I took about 16 shots of which 3 are acceptable.

Cuba Goodies Cont

Wed 18 April.
I thought I'd no option after lunch but to get back on it and hit the mangrove scene again. Turned out a good move; I got another lifer in flight but showing well and calling. It was a Double-striped Thicknee, call it a Cuban Stone Curlew to get the point across.

I viewed the Sandpipers again mentioned a few days back. There was a couple of Least Sands for comparison with them so I am now happy to say they are Semi-palmated.
After considering images and bird guides regarding this morning's Kingbird I am 100% certain it's a Giant. Not a lifer but most welcome.
Meanwhile my Canadian birding counterpart told me at dinner tonight she nailed a Cape May Warbler close to the hotel entrance so I shall be spending a bit of lurking time there in the am...

Thurs 19 April
I took one look at the bright blue sky at 0730 hrs and abandoned all thoughts of getting new species in the heat. Down at the mangroves breeding behaviour is rife with the YC Night Herons on the nest and an influx of Snowy Egret. There are 9 birds and one of them is really aggressive to other Herons. He even had a crack at the Great White which didn't bat an eyelid and just continued its usual stance.
I finally got reasonable shots of the SP Sandpipers. The bunch of SB Ani are still hanging and I managed some more Tanager and Vireo. Sad thing about the latter is they sing too much like our House Sparrow.

A photographer from Sheffield with just basic bird knowledge asked me to identify a bird for him. It was a very good shot of a  Belted kingfisher taken in the locality.  What a charming gentleman he is no wonder he's called Nigel.

Cuba Goodies

Another early start which didn't prove rewarding. In fact I met my old friend despondency for a short spell but he too got bored and left. No species newcomers before breakfast but 2 Great White Egret were fresh in and the nutcase Tricoloured Heron has found a partner to chase around. I did get another Cuban Emerald, Common Yellowthroat and a pair of Black-whiskered Vireo.
It rained lightly which lends itself to walking for longer in the cooler temperatures so after breakfast I did just that. I got a close up view for a couple of minutes of what I think maybe a Giant Kingbird making a change from Gray but I've still to convince myself.

There are hundreds of beautiful blue and cream crabs roaming the paths here. Some are large enough to give one a tonsillectomy but they tend to back off after sending a couple of semaphore texts. A Turkey Vulture was hanging round giving me much closer views than I expected. The reason soon unfolded; it had discovered a couple of crabs that had been crushed and saw a meal for itself.
All my holidays came at once; I was able to take loads of shots from as close 10 yards away as it started gobbling the goodies. This spectacle only ended when one of those 50s American sedans came spluttering down the track.

On the return back to the hotel I noticed something not quite flush with the presumed GA Grackles nearby, about 12 of them. They called a different tune and their necks were, well, discoloured if you will. Up went the bins and so did the life list after noting their big parrot like bills. I once again got stuck in photographing these Smooth-billed Ani.

Guess It's Cuba

Tues 17th April with an early start which while not quite futile didn't bring a quickened pulse in fact all the throbbers turned up after breakfast. I got about 6 Red-legged Thrush and similar Grassquit plus 3/4 Ground Dove for my effort, oh and a Neotropic  Cormorant.
I met a couple of Brit birders fresh in; not only had they seen 3/4 species that I'd not had in a week, one of em was telling me this that and the other. Now the other guy was a grand chap who knew less about birds than I do (who said that's easily done?) he can be on my friends list anytime he choses.

Back again after solids I had trouble with a Killdeer wot wouldn't get off the concrete path; perhaps it thought I was after it's nest nearby.
Then I got a belting hummingbird, a Cuban Emerald. It got better: a pair of Cuban Green Woodpecker flew onto a tree next to the hotel security staff station and started climbing up giving excellent views. One of the guards told me this bird, a lifer, is known as a 'Carpenter'.

I met the new incomers again and one of them, first time in Cuba, excitedly pointed out a perched American Kestrel a more colourful raptor than ours if smaller. I must point out that Mr Big redeemed himself somewhat; I clocked a Vireo atop a tree, he immediately said it was a Black-whiskered Vireo. My bird book is in agreement; another lifer.
Lifer no.3 for the session came shortly after, I got a singing Western stripe-headed Tanager, photos too.
I'm dreading having to process and publish all the good photos I've taken (about 9) on return home. Doing it out here would not only reduce time out in the field, it's fiddly and WiFi is charged by the hour and limited to the immediate Hotel reception area.

Same Old Cuba

It got hectic this morning (Mon 16th). Even breakfast was interrupted by a spectacular sight which demanded photographs. A Crested Caracara was perched on a wall just outside the entrance to the dining room. Should I mention it was attached to a rather long piece of rope? A much watered down lifer for sure but I'm happy.

I got a potential 3 lifers out of the session but talk about frustration in pinning them down; one even allowed good photos! One was the Vireo species again, mentioned recently. No.2 was a definite Tyrant Flycatcher sp. and the photo shot bird again looks akin to the TF family.
A definite new Warbler sp. that showed very well even though flitting around was a pair of Common Yellowthroat. I've seen these before but it's a thrill to get them after such a long absence.

The King Rail showed again if briefly and both YC Night & Green Heron put on a super show for the camera (pity the photographer ain't up to scratch).
I also was thankful for a Spotted Sandpiper to perch on a tree stump while being slightly dismayed at the Grackle gang now chaperoning 2 fledglings on the lawn.

After lunch I met a Canadian birder who gave me some detailed directions on where to go (most people do) in order to find another 3 Cuban species. The area isn't a million miles away so I reckon that's one for tomorrow morning. In turn I identified a lifer for her then disappointed her by telling her Moorhen is a common as muck bird in the UK. I am almost certain I got another lifer in the form of Clapper Rail, the voice being key in the id process.
Finally I worked out that the lifer I got good pics of wasn't a Tyrant Flycatcher but a still welcome Blue-gray Gnatcher. Nicee.

Cuba Snippet

It's like this m'lud. I was exiting the lobby of this here hotel at approx 1600 hrs local time on Sunday 15th April. A helluva racket did assault my eardrums followed by a higher pitched squawking from the nearby lawn. Upon perusing the ground I saw at the base of a tree an infant bird, a GA Grackle no less. The parent birds were in the branches above no doubt glaring down at me hearts filled with pure hatred. I did the only thing a birder could do, I picked up the youngster and placed it gently in the fork of said tree about a yard above ground. As I did so a parent bird came down and struck me a glancing blow on the lower cranium recalling happy memories of Friday nights outside The Old Crown when I was a younger man.

As I retreated the scene it would appear both parent birds assumed I was walking away with the a/m juvenile such was the close attention they employed on my personage for a minute or so. I then walked swiftly back by a different approach coming to within approx 5 yards of the young infant to see it perched calmly in the tree fork. After some 45 seconds I walked away and stopped some 25 yards from the tree where I could see a parent bird on the tree trunk just a few feet up looking down at the offspring. No m'lud pressing charges against the bird that struck me is out of the question. I'm thankful the bird in question is out of the way of land predators, I mean you should have seen the size of this bleedin crab laying in wait outside my room last night...

Other news today I looked over the perimeter fence just after the above episode to find a pair of Killdeer are breeding just some 35 yards from my back door. Soil Hill eat your heart out.

PS I just walked past the main story spot to gain WiFi access at 1740 hrs. Lots of noise, 1 Infant Grackle on the grass near a concrete path, 3 adult birds on a tree or wire fence and 7 Turkey Vulture aloft. Awww Crap.

Cuba Sorry

This morning was the coolest yet I'm happy to say and it brought the birds out accordingly including 2/3 newcomers. I'm uncertain of the number simply because I dipped my toes into the dark world of brown grey sandpipers of the 7 inches or thereabouts ilk. Least Sands are not a problem because the have yeller legs and can be viewed down to 3 yards. However I got not too close views of about 4 slightly larger birds and after soul and guidebook searching I'm sticking to the safe route and blaming Semi-palmated Sandpiper.

I was relieved to get a duo of Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs together - no problems there. The other definite new bird was a juicy Pied-billed Grebe, excellent to see at home after the Hollingworth lake experience. A huge Great Blue Heron flew around twice before landing to perch on a partly submerged tree trunk. Others that reappeared include Red-legged Thrush, Blue-winged Teal, the Heron gang ditto the east side Turnstone crew. As I picked my way through the 'stones I'm fairly sure I heard a muffled "Sup Dude".
A table top GA Grackle flew into the grass nearby, took one look at a piece of bacon I'd spat out and ignored it completely. Thanks pal, now I know to change my diet.

More from Cuba

Back to the local swamp this morning where I got 2 new birds for the holiday both of which I saw on my first trip so long ago the Dead Sea hadn't reported sick. First off was American Kestrel in flight then I got very good views of a Northern Waterthrush creeping along the mangrove roots. Waders were in short supply apart from the noisy Killdeer pair and the raucous BW Stilts. A pr of Green Heron showed briefly and the Tricoulered is certifiable given that it almost comes within touching distance. Also: White-cheeked Pintail with 3 young, Snowy and Great White egrets, YC Night Heron, singing Yellow Warbler & a pr YF Grassquit - it never rains, it pours.

The after lunch visit produced another couple of newbies both of which have headaches has a label. First was a Vireo species, second was a Dowitcher sp. The latter if a Long-billed will be a lifer but even though some photos are fairly good I can't determine which right now. A Green Heron posed for pics as did a TV (Turkey Vulture, not transvestite 😐). Also got flying Tawny-shouldered Blackbird and White-winged Dove.

Now for the unsavoury bit. The UK does not have the monopoly on scumsuckers; the breed is to be found here in Cuba. A bunch of local teenwasters were walking along the bridge where the a/m nutcase Heron likes to groove. Sure enough a scuzzer picks up a heavy piece of wood and lobs it with vigour; the Heron squawks and flies off down the road apiece. I never did take to prison food which is why I had to shelve my intent of hearing the pleasing sound of a neck being snapped, that and the fact Mr Shitbag had 6 mates alongside.

Roasted Birder Bags a Few

Friday 13th April.
The trip to a distant island for some snorkelling and chance birding took place at the cost of an acquired glow plus a toasted scalp. I got off lightly I suppose; some of the lizards I came across would definitely take your leg off at the elbow should you displease 'em.

I got a few more lifers from our feathered planet sharers and again one was a Warbler seen well and long enough but I can't quite pin it down yet. Here is the short but quality list I drew up before crashing out with exhaustion:
Brown Pelican, Laughing Gull, Caspian Tern, Sandwich Tern, Zenaida Dove (maybe a lifer but I can't remember from my last visit in 2007). Some large Greyish Brown waders were perched on a stone pier but I couldn't nail them. I also picked up another Yellow-faced Grassquit and the obligatory swarms of Turkey Vulture plus unidentifieds from the coach.

These are the lifers: Royal Tern, Least Tern, Black Skimmer, Tawny-shouldered Blackbird.

Cuba Episode III

Day 4 brings another Lifer if not two; I'll have to research further on the second bird. No.1 is Yellow-faced Grassquit an unpronounceable new world Finch species. There is also a Parrot to consider but that was a 1.5 second sight as it landed in a palm tree. A welcome newbie was Spotted Sandpiper which gave good views but was a bit far for the camera as the pics will reveal when/if I get time to publish them. Also new for this trip is a Mourning Dove a bird which I encountered in numbers on my first trip to a different part of this very large island. After lunch sights to memorize for the darker moments of 2018 are: A Cuban man taking a large raptor sp. for a walk on a lead in the hotel grounds! A Turkey Vulture flying toward me at approx 3 metres above my dome coupled with another TV being harassed by a GA Grackle everytime it flew. A Yellow-crowned Night Heron sunbathing in a tree with wings held upwards and lending itself to photographs. I'm on a sea trip tomorrow in search of whatever crops up, hopefully some new gull sp. I'll willingly settle for Laughing Gull as it was 10-1/2 years since my last.

Test Photo Edit

Now I can sleep as I identified all those iffy egrets as Snowy. I hope this picture is shown correctly, shared from Snapseed.

Cuba Again

Day 3 and down to the small wetland again near the beach. I intended to work the beach for a couple of hours in order to do a gull harvest but it soon became obvious the whole bad bunch had buggered off to their breeding grounds.

Needless to say I got a repeat of most of yesterday's birds but there were 3/4 newbies. The first a King Rail was walking in the vegetation just a few yards below the bridge I was gawping from, another lifer. Next up was a Neotropic Cormorant closely followed by a Greenshank then a Moorhen. Another lifer cropped up from the bushes, a little drab green and brown job which remains unidentified. Best I can do here is to lump as a warbler, one of many species in the wider area, it was too slim to be a vireo.
There were 3 dove sp. seen mainly in flight however a pr Common Ground Dove lingered for positive id. I got 4 of those swine Egret that don't come close enough to split from Little or Snowy. Along with a large dark raptor flying over my head in the hotel last night I've got more to lose sleep over.

Turnstone here behave just like UK birds i.e they clamour together just three or four yards from your plates of meat. The GA Grackles are the equivalent mischief makers to our Starlings. The restaurant staff wave a kind of swish at them when encountered. It didn't stop one this morning nicking a big gobful of scrambled egg and flying past my approving eyes.

Cuban Birds

Day One or rather evening one Mon April 9. On departing the airport where the temperature was close to 40C I saw around 56 Turkey Vultures soaring before reaching the hotel. The lobby was and is lousy with House Sparrows! I picked up a Grey Kingbird and a Northern Mockingbird plus 4 unid species before fading light and exhaustion did my head in.

Day Two Tues April 10. I did a morning session before the heat really started to gimme some hammer. There is a rather diminished marsh area surrounding a lagoon near the beach. By this I mean the mud is cracked and dried with plant life withered and the bushes and trees looking wrecked. However I got some very good birds with a modicum of lifers thrown in for good measure: Great White Egret, Green Heron, Tricoloured Heron, Yellow Crowned Night Heron (lifer) Blue-winged Teal (lifer although I found a dead one on Lister Park lake aeons ago) White-cheeked Pintail (lifer) Yellow Warbler, Grey Kingbird, Red-legged Thrush (lifer) Greater Antillean Grackle, Cuban Blackbird, Black-winged Stilt, Killdeer, Turnstone aplenty, Least Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs. I got some reasonable photos but it's a nightmare transferring them to this tablet and keeping quality. One has to resize down to 640 pixels so that storage space and Web publishing is better managed.

There is one outstanding identity problem: have I seen a Little or a Snowy Egret today? This should keep me worrying for a short while methinks.

Local Area Snippets

Sat 7th April DM walked the Northowram edge of Shibden Valley and got his first Chiffchaff of the year followed by a pr of Swallow whizzing overhead back in Northowram.

DP went up Soil Hill seeing couple of Curlew and Snipe he then hit the jackpot in a field down Perseverance Road seeing 2 Wheatear together.

Sun 8th April NK couldn't sleep owing to his enforced absence from local birding for a while and walked to Raggalds Flood then back down Roper Lane home. Not much doing: RF a single Lapwing and Pied Wagtail. Old Guy Rd 3 Skylark, 2 Lapwing few Meadow Pipit.

Usual Local Route

An up and down day with a few pockets of activity.
Raggalds Flood was deserted. Soil Hill had Grey Heron, Oystercatcher, pr Lapwing ditto Grey Partridge & Skylarks.
The N slope excavation is  cracking on a pace.

Ogden Res had 5 Goosander back on it. However apart from a Kestrel and a pr Jay woodland action was minimal.
Stod Fold gave me great close up views of a Little Owl in flight close by before it perched and gave me the eyeball from cover.Also a Curlew here.

Mixenden Res was busy with Kayakers and walkers which maybe why the Goldeneye didn't show and what did ain't worth a mention.

Fly Flatts

Couldn't resist an opportunity to peruse FF today courtesy of DP despite the inclement attl weather.
The area was alive with Spring Fever avians calling and displaying throughout the session. Meadow Pipit were prevalent with a few Skylark here and there. We must have had at least 11 Snipe chipping away with 5/6 seen in flight.
Red Grouse were very active with a couple of pairs seen and singles flying about calling.
Curlew, Lapwing & Redshank were also doing the business and a distant Peregrine was seen perched and then in flight around Nolstar where again a small number of Curlew and Lapwing were encountered plus a Redshank.

Raggalds to Mixenden

Raggalds Flood approx 1025 hrs 1 Pied Wagtail, 4 LBBG.
Soil Hell a fair number of Skylark into double figures, less so Mipits. 2 Canada, 2 Curlew ditto Common Snipe flying from top field calling.

Ogden Res was interesting. When a downpour eventually stopped the place had a Spring like air with birds singing eagerly. Among  others were Song Thrush, 3 out of 5 Goldcrest, Blackbirds and my first Chiffchaff of 2018. A pr Curlew flew over SW as did a single Greylag Goose. On the water were 1 each Goosander & Cormorant along with a number of large gulls. The majority of gulls were 1/2CY jobs so in the limited light I have probably got the ratio less than great but here we go: 1 adult & 1 young Herring Gull, 4 adult & 6 young LBBG. 3 Common and a BHG were also present.

The leg from there to Mixenden quietened down big time. 1 Skylark & 2 Curlew plus a couple of Mipit on the golf course. The reservoir had 2 Cormorant, 2 Moorhen and the Goldeneye pr on it but not a single Gull. A pr LTT and a Stock Dove were nearby.

Rock N Roll Raggalds Flood

All hell broke loose on the flood this morning. When I first passed Raggalds the Redshank pr that took up residence on Monday, were there feeding quietly. I left 'em to it and went up the hill from hell before returning for a final sweep. I could hear this racket from the hill, thinking there may be a bird on the E quarry pond, turns out I was wrong.

A second pair had turned up and the landowner birds were going crackers trying to drive them off with much caterwauling and expressions of  "I say would you mind leaving old sports this just aint cricket". In between times the residents took to a bit of hanky panky so it looks like they will hang around. Lets hope this ephemeral stretch of H20 don't dry up until June - fat chance.

Look below the left hand shore bird for the other pr.

Others here: a Herring Gull over > NW, pr Dullard, 1 each Meadow Pipit & Pied Wagtail.

I gave Soil Hell a thorough going over and what a nightmare of navigation this was. Excavation has taken place on the lower third of the N slope so look out for further development.
There were plenty of Meadow Pipit knocking about but just 4/5 Skylark. 1 each Curlew & Oystercatcher, pr Lapwing, pr Canada, 7 Dullard. A Greenfinch and 4 Blue Tit were down Persecution Road along with a Blackbird and a number of House Sparrow.

Old Guy Road: 2 Skylark, Lapwing, hundreds Starling, plenty of mud.