Amphibian Walk: Saturday, March 17th

A reminder: There is a walk this Saturday at Cromwell Bottom, meet at 10:30 in the Fishermans car park to count the spawn and look at the site. Bird watching is also allowed! Bring some lunch.

Walk this Sunday in Todmorden

There is a walk this Sunday 18th of March at Todmorden Moor. Meet Alison Tymon at Sour Hall Road, Todmorden, To look at the local geology and possibly find the rare coal balls. Part of the West Yorkshire Geology Trust. Link

Talk Tonight Tuesday 13th March

A reminder that Alison Tymon is giving a talk on the "Halifax and Todmorden Coal Balls and their importance to paleobotany" at the Central Library tonight at 7:15.  All Welcome

Soil Hill

A walk along the west track this morning produced 15 fieldfare and several singing skylarks in the fog. No mipits calling.

Plantation Hare

A much cropped shot of a Brown Hare I watched in a field for about 20 minutes off  Back Lane, Ogden. I average one of these about every two years if I'm lucky!

Whoopers and shelduck

There were 6 whooper swans and 1 shelduck on the ski lake at Cromwell Bottom today.

(received via Grapevine)

Sunny Soil Hill

One of two Roe Deer galloping up the N slope of Soil Hill

Today Frogs and their spawn were very much in evidence in a number of different locations on the hill.

I counted about 15 frogs but there were far more splashes from those I didn't see.

Little Owls

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This blog, found by Street Burner has exceptional pictures of little owl. Well worth a visit. Thanks Chris for the link.

Toads of Todmorden - Steve Cummings

These Common Toads were filmed on April 24th, rather late considering that toads emerge from hibernation around February/March and head straight to ancestral ponds to breed, following the same migration route each year. Males are smaller than females and many stop on the migration route waiting for the females to arrive so they can hitch a ride. Spawn is laid in strings and wrapped around plants.

 

Frogspawn at Cromwell Bottom

Allan from the CBWG saw frogspawn on February 24th in the wet wooded area.

Spring Returns to Savile Park

Crocus at Savile Park © Michael Sykes

Michael took this picture at Savile Park earlier this week

Frog at Cold Edge

I'm hard pushed to recall seeing a frog anywhere on an early date like this.

Toads Moving to their breeding ponds

I checked the known road crossing points around the Copley Valley this evening and found:

Washer Lane 0 and 0 dead toads
Bottom track (along past the Milner Royd Allotments) 19 males and 1 possible female. 0 dead.
Copley Lane 0 and 0 dead.

Watch out for them on any small road near water, as I am sure you will want to steer round if you are driving, when it's safe to do so.

Anyone who wants to see the migrating toads, or help move them off the road, meet at the start of the allotments track (Sowerby Bridge Household Recycling Site.) at 8.30pm tomorrow, Friday. Bring a torch and wear old shoes, light clothing. (I have only one spare high-visibility vest.)

I wont give tallies here every night, but will keep notes. If others at other toad-watch points could do the same, we could collate them at the end of the season.

I can't do this Saturday, but can Sunday, probably.

Wheatear Migration

Dave has posted a fascinating insight into Wheatear migration on the Calderdale Birds blog.
Link.

New Phytopthera killing Juniper

We now have a new disease to add to the current worry about Phytopthera ramorum. A damaging plant disease that was until recently almost unknown in Britain has been confirmed in rare native juniper bushes at the Moor House-Upper Teesdale National Nature Reserve in the North Pennines of England.The disease is caused by Phytophthora austrocedrae, a fungus-like organism that infects the plant through the root system and causes the foliage to decline and eventually die.Juniper is a native conifer and a member of the Cypress (Cupressaceae) family of plants. P. austrocedrae infection was only confirmed in the UK last year on other trees from this family, at two sites in Scotland.

I have provided a link to this and there are other interesting reports on this page which many will find interesting. I have not come across this link before http://www.countryside-jobs.com/NewsArchive/Archive2012/06.html

Spring is round the corner

Pennywort - (New Lane) © Michael Sykes

Oak Apple Biorhiza pallida   © Michael Sykes

Michael took these pictures today on "The Rocks", Albert Promenade, Halifax 

Crocus © Michael Sykes

Library Consultation Cancelled

The proposed meeting at the Library this next Tuesday has been cancelled.
See Council announcement: 
http://www.calderdale.gov.uk/council/news/pressreleases/detail.jsp?id=24949

Courier Quote:

"THE council’s ill-fated attempts to get public backing for a new library in Halifax have ended in shambles."
http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/local/halifax_library_consultation_will_be_re_run_in_june_1_4252181

Crocus at Manor Heath

Crocus   © Michael Sykes

Crocus in flower at Manor Heath,
Halifax.  February 15th


Picture: Michael Sykes

Kingfisher Video - Chris Burns

A brilliant video by Chris Burns of a female Kingfisher at Cromwell Bottom LNR
Click Link to video

Notice of A.G.M. of the Cromwell Bottom Wildlife Group March 2012

Please Note Date Change. The first A.G.M. of the Cromwell Bottom Wildlife Group will be on Tuesday
March 27th 2012    GWH   Link

The Halifax Scientific Society - Tuesday 14th February

A reminder of next meeting at the Central Library Halifax at 7:15pm. Finn Jensen talks about Climate Change. All welcome.

Volunteer Day

Just a reminder that there will be tree and bush planting
and nest box erecting at Cromwell Bottom tomorrow
11th Feb 2012.
Meet at the Fishermans carpark at 9:30 All Welcome
GWH

Halifax Birdwatchers' Club

      

Bird Report 2010


The bird report is now available at Woodlesford
News Agents, Pellon /Mount Tabor price £5.00.

Soil Hill Snow Bunting - Video

Up at Soil hill this morning in the fine drizzle searching for the Snow Buntings, found them then they obliged staying in one spot for a video, they had a good cleaning session in the drizzle, enjoy 3 minutes.

Chris Burns

Final Statement - Budget Proposals, Countryside Services

Hi all
Please find below a link to above Document: This is the final statement now sent to the Council and other recipients.
Very many thanks to those who attended meetings and/or signed the Draft Document. Special thanks to
Anthony Rae for compiling the Statement.

Document Link