Its worth a visit
Summer visiting Birds arrive at last on local sites
09/04/2018 17:17We allways seem to do well with early Swallows returnng in this part of the Calder Valley.A riverside walk produced first of all 4 Male Swallows fliying around the sprinklers on Dewsbury Sewage Works.This had increased to 10 birds (6 males and 4 females ) a couple of hours later.
22 Sand Martins where inspecting last years nesting burrows just below Mill Bank Thornhill mid afternoon.
There are still 52 Teal,7 Gadwall and 18 Mallard and 2 Shoveller on the works along with a single pair of Tufted Ducks.
Small birds are still in short supply and it is hoped there is an improvement on last years totals.There was no singing Willow Warblers today just a singing Chiff Chaff on one of the hedgerows below Pildacre Ossett.2 Pairs of Common Buzzards were displaying today 1 pair over the M1 motorway near Kirkhamgate and the other over Earlsheaton Dewsbury.
There are 3 Oyster Catchers on the banks of the river Calder near Saville Town and in the same stretch of river 10 Goosanders 4 males and 6 females(further down river in Horbury there another 6 Goosanders (4females and 2 males )
It is good to have Little Owls back and doing well in my local area of Shaw Cross.For years they where a regular sight sat on telegraph poles around Chidswell and now they are back and hopefully(after succesfully breeding last year) will produce young this Summer.This news together with another pair of Little Owls in Horbury and a pair of Barn Owls in Ossett thing appear to be on the up.Lets hope the trend continues.
—————