Oyster Catchers breed in Dewsbury rearing 3 youngsters

A pair of Oyster Catchers have successfuly bred near Dewsbury town Centre rearing 3 out of 4 youngssters.The birds which are now a regular sight from March right through to August can be heard doing their noisy display flight anywhere from Earlsheaton through to the outskirt of Dewsbury centre.They are extremely cautous and decieving during breeding and the nest is difficult to find.But this pair chose to nest right in the centre of an office complex andd where lucky enough to have almost constant surveilence right up to the hatching stage.1 out of the 4 eggs laid did not hatch.

There are now 4 Green Sandpipers on the river calder between Ossett  and Saville Town as well as a single Common Sandpiper and at least 1 little Egret.

The last of the late nesting Sand Martins have left their nesting site and are feeding their juvenile birds mainly on Dewsbury Sewage Works.The majority of Reed Warblers have left our local colonies and as yet there has been no sign of any build up of Phylloscopus Warblers which sometimes occurrs at this time of year.There has been a major spraying of Giant Hogweeds in and around Dewsbury Sewage works which though completely neccessary eliminates a major food supply for late summer Warbler numbers. Even so numbers of juvenile or immature Chiff Chaff and Willow Warblers have been very poor which could indicate a poor breeding season for these birds.

Number of Gulls on Dewbury Sewage Works have increased over the last week to now around 550 to 600 birds.Of these some 500 are Black Headed Gulls with a percentage of some 30% young birds and around32 Herring Gulls and 18 Lesser Black backed Gulls.

Theres a feeding flock of 63 Linnets right below Hostingley Lane Farm on the canal side and we now have 3 adult Barn Owls hunting in the South Ossett area,