Hot weather brings courtship behaviour to birds in the valley

There are 2 Common Sandpipers chasing each other on the banks of the River Calder near Earlsheaton this morning.Elsewhere there is much courtship behaviour amongst the Reed Warblers on Dewsbury Sewage Works where there are now 9 singing male birds.At least 5 of these have been busy chasing their partners through the reeds this morning and I suspect it wont be too long before they begin nest building.

Sedge Warblers appear to be thin on the ground in my part of the Calder Valley as Iv only come across 1 bird so far this Spring.

Whitethroat numbers appear to be well up on last years totals with about 12 singing males counted in about an hours walk westwards from Healy Road Ossett to pidacre fields just below Chickenley.Also Sand Martins have injcreased by some 30 pairs over last years totals with some additional birds taking to preparing nesting burrows at Dewsbury Asda store.