Its worth a visit

Visitors notice

20/12/2009 19:31

The introduction of the new licencing system must be counted as been a great success.This was very noticeable on my most recent trip to the Gambia from thec 15th to 22nd of March

Anyone walking from Kololi down towards Kotu severl months ago would undoubtably have been surrounded and presssurised by any number of giudes fo their buisness.On my most recent walk in this area I came across only one guide who was very pleasant and informative and after a very brief exchange I was continuing my walk to Kotu.

At Kotu itself only 4 or 5 guides were in the office and these people too conducted themselves in ac ver polite and more orderly manner.It has to be said that ther is now a much more noticeable military prescence in the area and this is no doubt contributing to thesituation.We saw at least 1 unlicensed giude being removed from the site very positively indeed.

So lets hope this more orderly approach will continue asd it will undoubtedly bring about more buisness for the local licensed guides and will createa much more relaxed environment for the birder and casual tourist.

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News

16/09/2018 19:45

Autumn has arrived

What a difference a week makes.After spending a week at Spurn Point where it is still possible to see birds such as yellow wagtails,several whinchats and Wheatears and see a steady flow of Swallows and House and Sand Martins it was strange to return to my local sites to find just about all the...

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21/08/2018 20:36

No sign of young Kittiwake but plenty to see on the Calder this evening.

No sign of the Juvenile Kittiwake from yesterday but still plenty to see on the Calder between Dewsbury and Ossett this afternoon and early evening. There are are still 2 Little Egrets and 4 Green Sandpipers present in the area on the Calder around the Earlsheaton Dewsbury Sewage Works area and...

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20/08/2018 19:51

Young Kittiwake a surprise find on the Calder at Ossett today.

The area of the River Calder between Ossett and Dewsbury has produced many surprise birds over the years and now with its cleanliness and a very much imroved surrounding environment it appears at the moment to be on the up again.Never have I seen so many shoals of small fish splashing around the...

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14/08/2018 23:18

Garganey make timely visit to Local Sewage Works

It was nice to come across a pair of Garganey this morning in my part of the Calder Valley.2 birds male and female where on what is almost the only permanent lagoon on the sewage works at Dewsbury.Though its a private location the birds can easily be seen from the view point which overlooks the...

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08/08/2018 19:14

Little Egrets showing signs of Courtship on Calder near Dewsbury.

2 Little Egrets were showing slight signs of courtship and display this morning on the River Calder near Dewsbury.I have never seen so many small fish in the river and in spot below Earlsheaton i noted 8 Goosander,8 Cormorants,4 Grey Herons,2 Little Egrets and a Kingfisher all fishing in the same...

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07/08/2018 19:04

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...

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05/08/2018 08:45

Little Egrets within yards of Town Centre

Little Egrets are slowly but surely establishing a foothold on the banks of the River Calder between Ossett and Dewsbury and can now be observed in riverside bushes and on the river edge within yards of Dewsbury Town centre.It seems now only a matter of time till we record our first breeding record...

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31/07/2018 22:33

Green Sandpipers return and an unusual visitor caught blocking the path

Its good to see 3 Green Sandpipers on andd around the river Calder near Dewsbury Sewage Works this morning.With so many of our local lagoons dried up at the moment its good tthat the Calder provides such an ideal feeding ground for these delightful wading birds. Most of the local breeding birds...

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17/07/2018 17:30

Lapwings begin to gather and young Shellducks take to the sky.

Its a pleasant surprise when you check up on something and all is better than expected.I was checking up on a brood of young Shellduck this morning finding them in their usual spot and still 8 in number when to my pleasant surprise the whole brood just took off sand flew a hundred yards or so into...

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26/06/2018 21:57

A good breeding season in this part of the Calder Valley so far.

A single Red Kite was circling over Leeds Road End Ossett at 09:15.The bird attracted many glances from passing members of the public as it slowly moved South disapearing after about 20 minutes.This coincides with a similar Red Kite sighting over Shaw Cross playing fields on Friday afternoon at...

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Notice Board

28/04/2021 

Merlin hunting briefly on Dewsbury Sewage Works
5 Swallows Dewsbury Sewage Works Thursday 8th April.
2 Swallows at Asda Dewsbury on Wednesday 7th April
Osprey at Horbury Wyke Saturday 3rd of April
30/04/2020
Common Sandpiper
1 on river banks below Earlsheaton
29/04/20
2 singing Sedge Warblers on the river bank below Earlsheaton.
25/04/2020
First Reed Warbler back on site on Dewsbury Sewage Works
Single Common Whitethroat singing in Hawthorn clump by the public footpath gate in lower Pildacre.
2 Singing Chiff Chaff along the public footpath above Kerries Food factory.
02/05/19
2 Common Swift over Millbank Thornhill at 0925 in overcast skies.
26/04/19

3 singing Willow Warblers on Kerries and 3 singing Whitethroats.Also 4 singing Blackcaps.Much nest building going on round the Pildacre area with Bullfinch,Long Tailed Tit,Chaffinch and Goldfinch all carrying nesting material.Sand Martins almost up to full strength at around 33 pairs.2 singing Reed Warblers on Dewsbury Water Treatment works and 1 singing Sedge Warbler.5 Gadwall,38 Teal on Dewsbury Sewage Works.Barn Owls hunting in Fields below Mill Bank Thornhill and Mitchell Laithes fields.ossett early evenings

 
 
17/03/19
43 Golden Plover came in high from the North East and circled over Dewsbury Sewage Works for 5 minutes before departing to the North West at 0938 hours.10 Goosander,2 Goldeneye,18 Cormorant,3 Little Grebes on Calder between Ossett and Dewsbury.
 
27/02/19
6 Oyster Catcher on Dewsbury Sewage works today>Also 14 Shoveller,6 Gadwall,14 Widgeon,88 Teal,1 Buzzard
26 12 18
Green Woodpecker on hedgerows of Pildacre Fields Ossett this morning also Wintering Chiff Chaff nr Compost heaps
adjacent to Dewsbury Sewage Works Eastern border.8 Goldeneye on river Calder below Earlsheaton(4 males)
18/12/18 Green Sandpiper and 184 Teal on Dewsbury Sewage works
10/12/18
Blackcap female feeding on compost heaps below Pildacre Ossett yesterday.
Over 450 Black Headed Gulls on Dewsbury Sewage Works this morning.
21/10/28
Around 800 Pink Footed Geese over Ossett in 10 minutes this morning at around 11:15 in 4 skeins all flying directly Eastwards
Also 1 party of 52 Fieldfare flying South overPildacre fields Chickenley.
29/08/18
1 Common Sandpiper 1 Green Sandpiper 1 Little Egret 2 Kingfisher and at least 2 flying Buzzard family parties 1 of 5 birds and another of 3 birds all active this morning on or above the river calder between Healy Road Ossett and Earlsheaton.136 Starlings where on the telegraph wires in the fields just adjacent to Kerries Food Factory  at the bottm of Healy Road Ossett at 09:45 also 65 Swallows feeding at the same site at the same time
20/08/18
Juv Kittiwake on Calder near DSF
06/08/18
4 Green Sandpipers,1 Common Sandpiper andd Little Egret on pebble bed West of Iron footbridge at the bottom of Healy Road Ossett and Green Woodpecker present on hedgerows lower Pildacre
 09/06/2018A Lesser Whitethroat has been singing for the last few days outside Dewsbury Rugby League ground at lampost 20 on the housing side of the road
 
 
 
Around 250 House Martins feeding on and around the filter beds for the  last couple of days along with around  130 Swallows.
First Common Whitethroat today 18/04/18
Peregrines mating on Dewsbury Town Hall 11/04/18
Little Owls back at Shaw Cross 11/04/18
1st Local Swallows return with Sand Martins inspecting last years nesting holes.
76 Pink footed Geese over Shaw Cross this afternoon at 14:05  28/02/18
1 Very dark Chiff Chaff near kerries Foods Factory car park this morning 23/01/18142 Teal on Dewsbury Sewage Works this morning 23/01/18
72 Fieldfares on hedge at Pildacre fields at 09:15 this morning 23/01/18
2 Willow Warbler Pildacre5/4/17
2 Shellduck Saville Town 5/4/172 Broods of Goosanderon Calder nr Horbury Bridge .1 pair with 12 chicks and another pair with 8 chicks
07/07/2014
There are now 142 Lapwings on Dewsbury sewage works.
1 little Ringed Plover on Dewsbury sewage Works.Also 2 Green Sandpiper and 2 Common Snipe. 3 new broods of Moorhen(making 7 broods this year)No sign of Cuckoos which appear to have moved on. 2 Oyster Catchers on filter beds.
21/05/14
8 singing Reed Warblers now on Dewsbury sewage works.6 singing Sedge Warblers.Very slow Westerly passage of Swifts this morning.1 brood of Coot with 6 young.4th brood of newly hatched Canada Geese on Calder with 7 young.
17th April 14
240 Swallows hawking over the filter beds on Dewsbury Sewage Works.
16/04/14
c170 Swallows on the filter beds on Dewsbury Sewage works.Also 8 Shoveller,2 Gadwall,8 Tufted ducks,2 Little grebe.Very few small birds.
08/04/14
On Dewsbury Sewage Works 2 Little Grebes on main lagoon.58 Teat 3 Shoveller,1 Gadwall,2 Oyster Catcher.2 Kingfishers displaying on riverbank.2 Water Rails calling from seperate locations,6 Tufted ducks.On Kerries.1 Water Rail calling,8 Great Tits,6 Blue Tits,5 Long tailed Tits,6 Dunnocks,2 Bullfinch,7 Swallows around security box area,7 Sand martins on colony site and 2 Kingfishers,3 Goosanders on river(females) near sewage works fence. 5 Cormorants on river by the new traffic bridge on the sewage works.Windy and showery wind fresh to strong at times westerly'
3rd April 14
7 Swallows on Dewsbury Sewage works this morning.Much quieter otherwise but still 62 Teal,11 Tufted Ducks,1 Shoveller.A pair of Mallards have 13 ducklings on the main lagoon near Hotworks mill..Still 3 singing Chiff Chaffs on kerries reserve Ossett.Rather cold and heavy clouded this morning.
28/03/14
2 Sand Martins over Dewsbury Sewage works at 14:45 slowly working Westwards.3 singing Chiff Chaffs on Kerries Foods Reserve.58 Teal,1 Pochard (drake)58 Teal 9 Tufted Ducks,11 Coot,2 Mute Swans,1 Green Sandpiper on Dewsbury Sewage works.On the Calder near Earlsheaton 6 Cormorant,3 Goosander.A male Sparrow Hawk was hunting for food on Kerries this afternoon.
 
 
19/03/14
78 Teal,3 Shoveller,22 Mallard,8 Coot,8 Tufted Duck, on Dewsbury Sewage Works.1 Green Sandpiper on banks of river calder.4 Kingfishers at 2 seperate sites on the river.48 Pied Wagtails 3 Grey wagtails and 5 Goosander and 6 Cormorants on Calder.2 Kestrels are displaying on the Sewage works.2 Oyster Catchers where on the settling tanks on the works.
17/03/14
92 Teal on Dewsbury Sewage this afternoon 16:00 hours.Also 8 Tufted Ducks 22 Mallard,2 Mute Swans,8 Coot.5 Goosander on river(2 Males).2 Kingfishers,1 Kestrel.1 Sparrow Hawk(devouring Blue Tit in Car Park at Kerries Food Factory.2 Pairs of Canada Geese have taken up territory on banks of River Calder.A party of 8 Common Gulls flew West over the Sewage Works at 15:40
 
14/03/14
 
4 Wigeon feeding on river bank near new road bridge on Dewsbury Sewage Works.A Green Sandpiper is on the river bank near Hotworks Mill.Otherwise as yesterday.Very few Pied Wagtails due to maintenance work being carried out on the Filter beds.2 Kingfishers on the calder between Healy Road and Hotworks Mill.6 Snipe on the Sewage works and a party of 6 Reed Buntings in the largest of the Phragmitese beds.A single Kestrel was hovering on the works.
Nearby on Kerries reserve.1 Chiff Chaff in the large hedge.2 Great spotted woodpeckers chasing each other in the central area and single male Sparrow Hawk from the willow plantation across the river.
11/03/14
 
10 Shoveller,10 Widgeon and 78 Teal on Dewsbury Sewage works today.also 27 Mallard,156 Black Headed Gulls.Also  on River Calder.7 Goosander(2 males).7 Tufted ducks and 2 Kingfishers displaying around a suitable site.
10/03/14
 
2 Common Buzzards circling over Horbury Bridge at 11:15 Also  1 Common Buzzard over Gawthorpe 13:30 and 2 more over Thornhill at 15:00.Also 2 Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies at Thornhill Cricket Club 14:30 and 3 Peacock Butterflies down Gawthorpe Lane Ossett in the morning,
5/03/14
A Curlew flew West up Mill Bank at 10:20.On Dewsbury Sewage Works. 8 Shoveller,78 Teal,24 Mallard.4 Tufted Ducks.1 Goldeneye on river and 2 Goosander.220 Black Headed Gulls on settling tanks,1 ad Lesser Black Backed gull with BHG. 120 Pied Wagtails and 4 Grey Wagtails on filter beds,58 Carrion Crows,Crows on filters.1 Buzzard and single Sparrow Hawk over Kerries copse.
21/02/14
On Dewsbury Sewage Works. No Common Snipe (where have they all gone).122 Teal,8 Shoveller,24 Mallard,c350 Black Headed Gulls,4 Heron.7Goosander(3 Pairs and 1 Redhead) 7 Tufted duck
On Kerries feeders
Female Great Spotted Woodpecker,3 Reed Buntings,8 Great Tits,7 Long Tailed Tits,8 Blue Tits,5 Chaffinch,5 Goldfinch,4 Dunnock,4 Robins.7 Blackbirds,3 Song Thrushes.2 Jay.