The 2016 Report is sponsored by 10 Ivegate, Yeadon, Leeds LS19 7RE 0113 3910 510 website: www.birdholidays.co.uk email: [email protected] Report Production Editor: Paul King Sub-Editor: Keith Moir Contributors: Keith Moir, Paul King, John Armstrong, Martyn Priestley, Brian Sumner. Records Collation: Stephen Lilley with assistance from Shaun Radcliffe and Paul King Photographs Front Cover: Black Grouse - Ian Hargreaves Inside Front Cover: Garden Warbler - Keith Allen Whitethroat family - Nigel Priestley Back Cover: Cuckoo - Brian Vickers Little Owl - Phil Matthews Others: As individually credited Editorial This, the 30th Annual Report, represents a milestone for Bradford Ornithological Group. When that first tentative gathering of birders met in a Bradford College classroom in 1987, none could foresee that from such an inauspicious start would be developed the well-respected and authoritative Group of which we are a part today. A camaraderie blossomed and knowledge was shared through a simple (by today’s standards) communication system. There followed the acquisition of land at Stockbridge for our very own nature reserve and access to Thornton Moor Reservoir, Esholt and Marley Sewage Works was granted by Yorkshire Water. A six-monthly publication and website were launched, and the !1 new technologies were harnessed to enable the Group to communicate with its members. Through our monthly meetings we were able to inform and enthuse the growing membership with talks given by visiting speakers and occasionally from our own knowledgable colleagues. And so to 2016 and the latest Report, in which you will find details of 180 species compiled from 19,000 records contributed by 58 individuals and two organisations (Calderdale Birders and Wharfedale Naturalists’ Society). The latter groups, with whom we have a reciprocal agreement, supplied 4,000 records, leaving 15,000 submitted by birders in the Bradford area. However, this impressive haul has to be commended with some caveats. Only 25 individuals, a quarter of the membership, submitted more than 10 records. Our aims, firmly established by that nascent Group in 1987, committed us to produce an Annual Report that reflected the status of birds in our Pennine area. Without that information, gathered and shared amongst ourselves and with a wider national audience through the YNU and BTO, we are in danger of falling short of those commitments. Despite the low response from members, this year will be remembered for some excellent records; none more so than two species which were seen in the area for the first time. A female Black Grouse was watched during the autumn at Slippery Ford and a Cetti’s Warbler appeared at Snaygill in November. Record flocks of 130 White-fronted Geese, along with 39 Brent Geese arrived at Lower Barden Reservoir on 11th November and a couple of scarce Berwick’s Swans graced Keighley Moor Reservoir a day later. A flock of 90 Arctic Terns flew north- east over Barden Moor in May and there were increased numbers of Mediterranean, Yellow-legged and Caspian Gulls on our moorland reservoirs. Perhaps the most surprising change has been the massive increase in the number of Herring Gulls which reached a total of 7,550. Breeding birds included Grasshopper Warbler and Ring Ouzel; Turtle Dove was recorded in May. Other outstanding reports included a Hoopoe near Barden in June, Garganey and Wryneck on passage and two Hawfinch in a garden in February. It was also the first time that all five British grebes have been recorded in the same year, but sadly Lesser Spotted Woodpecker has declined still further and Yellowhammer was again absent, though it was seen on a number of occasions at Weeton, tantalisingly close to our region. Last year I asked for more support in the production of the Report and thankfully four members responded: Keith Moir, John Armstrong, Martyn Priestley and Brian Sumner. My thanks go to them for their valuable contributions, with the reminder that in just nine months time the whole process begins once more! Paul King !2 CLASSIFIED LIST OF SPECIES FOR 2016 MUTE SWAN Cygnus olor Common resident breeder. Twelve double-figure counts were about the same as last year but the highest total of 16 at Otley Wetland was well-down. This site and the nearby River Wharfe provided most of these higher counts, with only two at Yeadon Tarn and one at Knotford Nook. The pattern of sightings suggests the same birds might have been involved in all of them. Smaller numbers were seen at St. Ives, Harold Park (Wibsey), Park Dam (Low Moor), Dowley Gap, Saltaire, Redcar Tarn, Lindley Wood Reservoir, Caldene Fields, and near Leathley. As last year, some birds carried Darvic rings or tags, six of which were red and eight yellow. The members indicate all but one were different birds from those seen in 2015. BEWICK’S SWAN Cygnus columbianus Scare passage visitor Regular coverage of the site by the observer was rewarded with the discovery of a pair of these splendid swans on Keighley Moor Reservoir on 12th November (IH). The first record since 2011 of this increasingly scarce species. Bewick’s Swans on Keighley Moor Reservoir. photo: Ian Hargreaves WHOOPER SWAN Cygnus cygnus Uncommon but regular passage visitor. The number of birds seen in 2015 are unlikely to be surpassed, so this year should be more fairly compared with 2014. At 32, the numbers of records is the same, and the possible total of 368 birds compares very favourably with the then record count of 326. A caveat on the totals is in order, however, as, without details of the timings, it is impossible to say whether some counts of passing birds could be duplicated. The biggest numbers in spring were seen in March, always a good passage month, comprising 20 at Fewston Reservoir on the 13th, and 38 over Trough Lane (Denholme) and 42 over Keighley four days later. The two big counts of !3 returning birds were both from Oxenhope Watchpoint: 25 on 20th October, and 30 the following day. Smaller numbers were seen at or from a wide range of locations: Marley Hall Farm, Swinsty, Chelker, Keighley Moor, March Ghyll and Lindley Wood Reservoirs, Caldene Fields, Baildon Moor, Oxenhope Watchpoint, Horton Bank Top and Cononley Ings. The total counts were 20 in February, 116 in March, 10 in April, 18 in October, and 49 in November. PINK-FOOTED GOOSE Anser brachyrhynchus Seen regularly overflying on passage, and occasionally as a winter visitor. After a significant drop in numbers in 2015, this year saw a return to the sort of considerable total now expected. The figure taken from the submissions is 13,900, and even if this is adjusted to take account of possible duplicate sightings, the revised total of 12,400 is still impressive. Compared with last year, there was a significant drop in the proportion seen on relocation in the first three months, which at 20% of the total was just a fraction of the numbers of arriving birds noted in autumn. Totals of more than 100 were counted on 28 days, with 2nd November producing 1,400 birds past Oxenhope Watchpoint and 900 at Caldene Fields. There was also a report of around 700 birds moving up the Aire Valley, but it is likely these were also seen from Oxenhope. As ever, these two watchpoints contributed greatly, and for once their counts were similar: 3,800 at Oxenhope, and 3,500 at Caldene. Up to three birds were seen from January into the early part of April, mainly associating with Greylags, at Cononley Ings, Leeshaw, Shipley Glen and Fewston Reservoir. WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Anser albifrons Scarce autumn/winter visitor With only two records since 2008, this species remains very scarce in the area, so any sightings are noteworthy. What makes 2016 particularly special is the amazing record flock of 130 birds that arrived at Lower Barden Reservoir on 11th November (RC). They provided a repeat performance to another observer when they flew over the outskirts of Skipton a week later (HC), but weren’t reported again. GREYLAG GOOSE Anser anser Common resident breeder, and passage visitor. This goose remains widespread and in good numbers, but the 13 three-figure counts were better-distributed than last year, with Cononley Ings, Bingley, Leeshaw Reservoir and Kildwick Ings coming into the picture. This last site had 280 birds in December, but the biggest counts continued to come from the more traditional locations, as 430 were present at Lower Barden Reservoir in February and between 300 and 400 at Denton in September. !4 Proven breeding occurred at 12 sites (about the same as last year) and of the approximately 180 young seen, 30 were at each of Keighley Moor Reservoir, Barden Moor and Kex Gill, 24 at Otley Wetland Nature Reserve and the remainder from Lister Park (Manningham), Strid Wood, Dowley Gap, and the reservoirs at Scargill, Leeshaw, Fewston, Thornton Moor and Chelker. This and earlier years’ records indicate the birds’ wandering tendencies, confirmed by the data obtained on a bird seen at Addingham in October showing that it had been ringed at Lake Windermere on 28th June. CANADA GOOSE Branta canadensis Common resident breeder. This goose was again widely reported, and 18 three-figure counts from 11 sites is much as last year. Most of these were in the south of the area, and provided totals of between 123 and 200 from Lister Park, Saltaire, Redcar Tarn and Cononley Ings, and particularly impressive totals of 313 at Caldene Fields (a visible migration count on 12th October) and 483 at Leeshaw on 2nd August. The latter might have included birds from a maximum count of 00 birds at and around Warley Moor Reservoir on 7th July, a Group record (BS).