Bradford Ornithological Group The 2014 Report is sponsored by 10 Ivegate, Yeadon, Leeds LS19 7RE 0113 3910 510 2015 Destinations Include Europe, Middle East and North Africa Czech Republic Spain’s Sierra de Andujar Spitsbergen Hungary Northern Greece Spain - Steppes & Pyrenees Northern Spain - mammals The Americas Falkland Islands Peru Belize South East Brazil North East Ecuador Rest of the World Papua & New Guinea Southern India Mongolia Bali, Java and Komodo Namibia South Africa Tanzania website: www.birdholidays.co.uk email: [email protected] !1 From the Chairman Another interesting year of bird watching is reflected in this the 2014 Annual Report. Thank you for your records, now on the data base for future reference, along with the many photographs sent in. Our Publications Secretary has written the Report having successfully taken on the job last year so many thanks go to Paul King. I know that the previous writer, Keith Moir, has kindly given his time to assist, along with our Group Recorder, Stephen Lilley making it possible to have the edition ready for the new membership year in May. With Keith’s experience and Stephen’s organisation, they have helped Paul in collating the data, ready for writing. Finally, without your input of records, this Report could not be possible so please keep sending them in. For birding we hope BOG provides the opportunity to share local knowledge so why not tell a friend about us? I hope you enjoy reading this issue. Shaun Radcliffe Report Production Compiler and Editor: Paul King Records Collation: Stephen Lilley, with assistance from Shaun Radcliffe and Paul King Photographs Front Cover: Lapwing by Stephen Lilley Inside Front Cover: Shelduck at Snaygill by Brian Vickers Little Egret at Lindley Wood by Stephen Lilley Back Cover: Sparrowhawk (male) via Roger Wilkinson Inside Back Cover: Clockwise from top left - Juvenile Curlew by Roger Nelson Juvenile Snipe by Phil Matthews Juvenile Oystercatcher by Brian Sumner Juvenile Lapwing by Stephen Lilley Others: As individually credited !2 Editorial I wish to thank members for co-operating fully with the request to submit all records by 31st December. This has worked well and it has enabled us to satisfactorily compile the data and commence the writing of the report in early January. All the checking and analysis of the 18,000 records was completed by the end of March and thanks must go to Stephen Lilley, Shaun Radcliffe, Phil Matthews and Keith Moir for their unstinting help and support during this lengthy process. I must also thank the members who have submitted excellent photographs which have been used to enhance and compliment the records. This, the 28th Annual Report, uses the reformed Voous Order with the Anseriformes and Galliformes brought to the start of the list. This system has been adopted by all European Countries. There is also the reappearance of the map showing the BOG recording area, published in the hope that it will encourage you all to visit more of the sites mentioned in these pages. This year there were record numbers of Whooper Swans and Pink-footed Geese and also by Woodpigeons which streamed over in huge numbers late in October. At Cononley Ings, impressive flocks of Wigeon and Teal gathered, and a big flock of Barnacle Geese was seen at Chelker. The number of Mandarin Ducks at Strid Wood rose steadily and peaked before Christmas at a new record high of 163. Visitors to lakes and reservoirs included Scaup, Red-breasted Merganser, Great Northern Diver, Godwits, Knot and Sanderling. Little Egret was seen more often, Jack Snipe was located in good numbers and a Little Gull appeared once again. Migration brought a Turtle Dove, an Arctic Tern and possibly a Roseate Tern, though this record is awaiting verification from YNU. Six Ring Ouzels was a lucky find and a Willow Tit and a Marsh Tit both fed regularly at a feeder in a Leathley cottage garden. Barn Owls had a good breeding season, Peregrines bred atop the tallest chimney in Bradford and a female Montagu’s Harrier might have stayed longer if she’d found a mate. A Wheatear was reported on 27th November, making it the latest ever recorded, and there was evidence to suggest that this species may have bred on Baildon Moor. On the debit side, Pochard numbers have declined once again, Yellow Wagtail and Twite are just about hanging on, but unfortunately, Yellowhammer has disappeared completely. Please ensure we receive your records by 31st December by any of these methods: 1. E-mail records to [email protected] or 2. Pass written sightings to Stephen Lilley or Shaun Radcliffe at meetings. 3. Fill in the on-line electronic form on the website. 4. Send an Excel file to the recorder, Stephen Lilley, by 31st December. We look forward to a year when every member submits records, thus enhancing the overview of species - common and rare - which lies at the heart of and is a major focus of BOG activities Paul King !3 CLASSIFIED LIST OF SPECIES FOR 2014 MUTE SWAN Cygnus olor Common resident breeder. As has been the case in previous years, the River Wharfe at Otley, its neighbouring wetlands and the tarn at Yeadon, have attracted the largest groupings. 26 of these majestic birds were on the calmer river stretches at Otley on 5th April and three other double-figure counts of 15 or more were also recorded here. 13 double-figure counts were also reported, particularly at Yeadon Tarn, where a high of 15 was reached on 2nd April. Away from these locations, small numbers were attracted to Park Dam at Low Moor, Harold Park at Wibsey, the Leeds to Liverpool Canal and Tong Park, Baildon. There was successful breeding at Otley Wetland, Farnley Lake, on the canal at Riddlesden, Park Dam and at Harold Lake an attempt was suspected. WHOOPER SWAN Cygnus cygnus Uncommon but regular passage visitor. This was a remarkable year for this species with no fewer than 32 reports of 326 birds, by far the highest numbers ever recorded in the BOG area. There were 11 double-figure counts, the biggest, being a skein of 40 birds over Baildon Moor on 5th April (CJK), whilst at Oxenhope, during the visual migration watches on 29th October, four skeins produced a total of 31 birds. There was a repeat performance on 5th November, when 32 birds in three skeins, occasionally with Pink-footed Geese, passed over the observers. Other large groups flew over Redcar Tarn (11 on 19th January), Ogden (24 on 5th February), Fewston Reservoir (18 on 26th March), Oxenhope (16 on 16th October), and Caldene Fields (11 on 27th October and a group of the same size on 16th November). 17 birds had rested on Chelker Reservoir on 9th March and, on the last day of the month, the number had risen to 23. Other sightings of feeding groups were as follows: nine at Leeshaw Reservoir on 23rd November, up to eight birds at Silsden Ings between 21st and 23rd December, eight birds at Ogden Reservoir recorded on four occasions, 4th and 12th March, 3rd April and 3rd December, and seven at Royds Hall Dam on 29th October. Other smaller flocks were recorded, particularly flying over during migration in autumn, but those that remained for a short while included two adults at Silsden Ings, first reported on 28th March with one of the birds remaining until 3rd May, usually in the company of a sub-adult Mute Swan. There were also two birds at Redcar Tarn on 12th February, at Warley Moor Reservoir (Fly Flatts) on 7th November, and at Ogden Reservoir on 12th October and 10th December. !4 PINK-FOOTED GOOSE Anser brachyrhynchus Seen regularly overflying on passage, and occasionally as a winter visitor. The aggregate totals of the two previous years, records in themselves, were somewhat eclipsed by a staggering 15,099 birds recorded as they crossed the region. A third of the birds were seen in the first part of the year as they generally moved from east to west, but the return passage in autumn consisted of a remarkable 10,205 birds, in-line with a similar figure recorded in 2012. In all, there were 41 day counts of between 100 and a massive high of 2500. This figure was reported at Yeadon on 11th February, but there were other impressive counts: 1414 at Caldene Fields on 26th October, 11 skeins totalling a thousand birds over Wharfedale on 24th September and 909 seen from Oxenhope watchpoint on 4th November. There were, however, some birds that did decide to land. Of these, three birds were at Redcar Tarn on 6th and 7th December when three others flew in and landed in a roadside field. Two birds were seen flying very low near here on 1st March and another duo was on Shelf Moor on 11 October. There was a single bird that fed amongst Mallards and Greylags at Bolton Abbey at the end of January and another that was seen with Canada Geese at Stockbridge during February. GREYLAG GOOSE Anser anser Common resident breeder, and passage visitor. There were six three-figure counts, all originating from Wharfedale and the Washburn, but it was possible to see reasonable numbers right across the area. The biggest count was at Lindley Wood Reservoir, where an amazing 585 birds arrived on 27th September; this was the second time this total has been recorded, but well below the record of 900 set at Denton Hall in 2011. Other notable counts comprised 310 at Swinsty Reservoir in January and totals around 200 at Thruscross, John o’ Gaunt’s Reservoir and Denton Hall during January.