Cuckoo returns to local area

A Cuckoo flew from Mill Bank Thornhill at 14:20 this afternoon being pursued by a party of 7 Black Headed Gulls as it made its way into the small quarry below Pildascre Chickenley.

Cuckoos have been turning up around this date in our part of the Calder Valley for the last 6 years.

Nearby on Kerries Reserve Ossett 5 singing male Blackcaps this afternoon with also 4 singing Chiff Chaff.Also on the Reserve the first returning Sedge Warbler,a very noisy Water Rail uttering its strange calls from the central parts of the Reserve.

The area aside Kerries Foods Factory is so far generaly quiet so far this Summer mainly I think because the undergrowth is still very low providing little cover for warblers and such.There is only 3 pairs of Whitethroats so far compared with 5 at the same time last year.

Nearby on Dewsbury Sewage Works 4 singing Reed Warblers and 2 singing Sedge Warblers along with 4 male Whitethroats.

There are still 2 Water Rails in different parts of the Sewage Works.

Also on the works 2 Little Ringed Plovers and 2 Oyster Catchers both spending most of their time on the central beds

Canada Geese appear to be spreading further up the Calder from Ossett with some 16 birds all in pairs present today.There are 9 Gadswall on Dewsbury Sewage Works along with 42 male Mallard(with 5 females).There are still 2 pairs of Little Grebes all in breeding plumage and 2 pairs of Lapwings.

There was 18 Linnets on Dewsbury Sewage works today.