Lesser Whitethroat 1987 – There was patchy distribution along the Aire, Calder and Wharfe Rivers. The earliest were two at Esholt Sewage Works on 29th April but the main arrival was in May with up to six seen at Elland Gravel Pits. Lesser Whithroats were also noted between May and August at: Buck Wood, Thackley; Fagley Beck; Knotford Nook; Heaton Woods; Priestley Green; and Lindley Wood Reservoir. A single with a mixed flock of Goldfinches and tits at Bog, Old Hills, on 12th September was the last record.

1988 - There was only a handful of records. The first was a male at Knotford Nook on 1st May with other singles at Gravel Pits on 8th, Woods on 25th and on territory at Lindley Wood Reservoir from 31st until at least 5th June. The last was a male at Knotford Nook on 20th and 21st September.

1989 – A male at Otley Gravel Pits on 6th May was the first; it eventually left up the River Wharfe. Passage was evident between 15th and 21st May as several wandering males were encountered as follows: one at Wagon Lane, Bingley, was last seen on 18th, another at Otley Gravel Pits on 17th and singles at Black Carr Wood on 16th and 21st. Two August reports, possibly referring to birds of this species, were one at Lindley Wood Reservoir on 3rd and another at Shell Lane, Calverley, on 10th. The last were two at Poplars Farm and a single at Beckfoot Lane, Bingley, all on 24th September, the latter being a product of that day’s local ‘Bird Race’.

1990 – Three was an unprecedented number of records for this normally scarce species. The first was in the Belle Vue area of Tyersal Beck on 1st May while birds arrived at Middleton, Toad Hole Beck, Otley Gravel Pits, Tong Village, Heaton Woods and Elland Gravel Pits between 6th and 9th of that month. During the same period, singing males took up trerritory at Esholt Sewage Works and along the and Liverpool Canal at both Saltaire and Dockfield, and were supplemented by later arrivals at Buck Lane, Thackley, and near Metal Box factory at Dockfield. Over the summer, others were encountered at Oakenshaw, High Busy Lane in Shipley, Lindley Bridge, Tong- Cockersdale, Otley, Marley and Dowley Gap. Breeding was proven at Quarry Hill, Lindley, at Otley Gravel Pits and Toad Hole Beck, this last record being some reward for the diligent flogging of a local patch! This site held the last bird on 11th August.

1991 – Last year’s dramatic increase in numbers was not repeated, the species being recorded at just six sites this year. The first was a singing male at Knotford Nook on 29th April and several other reports of this bird were received in the ensuing week. A small influx on 12th May brought singles to Toad Holes Beck, Crossflatts and Elland Gravel Pits while another was found at Dowley Gap next day. Birds at Crossflatts and Elland Gravel Pits later that month were no doubt those which arrived on 12th. The only site mentioned was Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits which held two on 31st August. Breeding was proved at Knotford Nook when a family party was seen on 8th August. A pair probably also bred at Toad Holes Beck as singles (including a possible juvenile) were noted on several occasions during the early autumn with the last of the year there on 15th September. Unusually, a male was in full song at this site on 7th September.

1992 – First of the year was a singing male at Toad Holes Beck on 25th April. This was followed by a single male at Knotford Nook from 2nd to 4th May. From this latter date to 8th a bird was recorded at Tong. Pairs proven to have bred were at Toad Holes Beck and Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits, with strong suspicion of breeding at Elland Gravel Pits and Knotford Nook. Other singing males were by the Aire at , the canal near Buck Wood and at Greenbank, Bingley. The last of the year was lingering bird, possibly from the pair at Toad Holes Beck, visiting one observer’s nearby garden on the late date of 16th October.

1993 – A garden at on a wet 25th May produced the unexpected first record of the year. Although thinly distributed, this species was reasonably widespread and the records showed a significant improvement over previous years. Odsal Wood, Knotford Nook, Toad Holes Beck, Copley, Timble and Castlefields Industrial Estate were just some of the sites noted. The species was added to the site list at Stockbridge Reserve when a single spent all day there on 17th July. The last of the year was a male in song (!) in company with a second bird at Toad Holes Beck on 11th September.

1 1994 – The majority of sightings were of single birds with the first at Elland Gravel Pits on 25th April. An influx was noted on 2nd May with singing males at Toad Holes Beck, nearby Odsal Woods, Beaver Dyke, Knotford Nook and Micklethwaite Mill. Otley Gravel Pits held a singing male the next day as did Tong Cockersdale. During the next four weeks movement slowed down with birds reported from Toad Holes Beck on 13th and 29th May. An interesting report of a singing male came from fire station on 2nd June. The only confirmed breeding records came from one pair at Elland Gravel Pits and a bird observed carrying food at Buck Wood on 29th May. Return passage started with singles on 7th and 15th August and two on 20th, all at Toad Holes Beck. Also in August, Beaver Dyke held singles on 20th, 26th and 27th. A garden record on 29th came from Caldene Avenue. Farnley Lake held two birds on 11th September with the last record coming from Baildon on 18th September.

1995 – It is interesting to note that out of 32 records received over half came from the south-east quarter of the recording area. The first were singles at Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits on 29th April, Toad Holes Beck and Elland Gravel Pits both on 1st May and Tong Village the next day. A noticeable influx had occurred by 6th May with single males at South Golf Course and nearby Toad Holes Beck, a single at Dob Park, and three Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits. Before breeding commenced additional sightings came from High Bradley Moor two on 10th and Folly Hall Woods two on 13th May.

A breeding pair returned to Toad Holes Beck with two adults feeding two juveniles on 18th June. On the previous day the same observer had been delighted to find a new breeding site when a pair was feeding young at Wyke Banks, approximately three miles south-west of Toad Holes Beck. Additionally, the species was thought to have bred at Elland Gravel Pits in early July. Singles were at Marston’s Nature Reserve on 12th July and Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits on 18th August. September birds included a single at Toad Holes Beck on 1st and 3rd, two at Eldwick Reservoir on 9th July and, finally, one at Wyke Banks the next day.

1996 – This species can never be described as common in the Group’s recording area, and sightings were down this year generally, with 23 records compared to 32 during 1995: however, the south-east corner of the recording area in particular again generated a good complement of sightings and breeding records. In the first week of May, singing males were recorded at several locations within a relatively small geographical area – Toad Holes Beck, South Bradford Golf Course, Wyke Bank and Tong Cockersdale. During the remainder of May, there was a pair at Dob Park on 7th, a singing male was heard at Bingley Bog on 9th, and another singing male was in a Silsden garden on 10th. A single bird was at Elland Gravel Pits on 12th, on 13th, a pair and a second male were at Toad Holes Beck, while three birds were in Healey Lane (BIngley), and a singing male was present at Lindley Wood Reservoir on 30th.

Breeding was confirmed at Toad Holes Beck (near to previous year’s nest site) on 9th June, and at Wyke Banks a pair was seen with two juveniles on 13th July. This species – especially the females – can be very unobtrusive, especially at nesting times, and a number of records – e.g. tow birds at Dob Park on 6th June and one singing at Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits on 15th June – may well constitute evidence of breeding outside the south-east corner of the Group’s recording area. A single bird was at Knotford Nook on 5th and 10th August, and the last of the year, at Toad Holes Beck on 3rd September, was of an individual showing noticeable black ear coverts.

1997 – This species still remains uncommon in the Group’s recording area, although there was a slight increase in the number of records submitted in 1997 (32, compared to 23 in 1996). In addition, a number of breeding records were received from sites away from the usual ones in the south-east corner of the area; these were at Lindley Wood Reservoir on 11th May ( a pair feeding young), Sunnydale on 29th May, and Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits on 18th June (two birds feeding young). The first returning migrant recorded was at Dob Park on 9th May, subsequent May records were of a single at Gomersal Lane on 18th and another at Toad Holes Beck on 24th, a male bird in full song at Golf Course on 26th and a single bird at Wyke Banks on 30th. During the summer months the species was recorded at no sites other than those already mentioned, except for Swinsty Dam, where there was a single singing bird on 22nd June. Immature birds had started to move on by 10th August, a date on which birds were seen at Paul Clough and Otley Gravel Pits, also on this date, an adult bird was observed fighting with a Willow 2 Warbler at Knotford Nook. The remainder of the year’s records all came from the Low Moor area; there were single birds at Toad Holes Beck on 17th August and 13th September, and in October a silver-birch tree in a Low Moor garden proved to be popular with a first-winter bird which was seen feeding for an hour on 5th after which an adult was seen feeding on insects on 11th (a good late record for this species).

1998 – Whilst this species still remains uncommon in the Group’s recording area, there was a slight increase in records from 1997’s total. Inadditon, Marley Sewage Works – a site not renowned for the species – turned in some excellent records in early May: three birds on 2nd increasing to five birds the following day, which turned out to be the year’s largest count. The first bird of the year however, arrived at Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits on 25th April. The first week in May is when spring passage is normaly at its peak, and in this context it was interesting to note that during this period six different sites provided records; of these, one (Marley Sewage Works) was in the northern part of the Group’s recording area, the other five being in the southern part (all single male birds – at Tong Cockersdale on 2nd, and the following day at Mann Dam, Kirkless Lagoon at , Toad Holes Beck and Wyke Banks), There were just two confirmed breeding records this year: at Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits, a juvenile bird was seen taking food on 20th June, and a pair bred in the Knotford Nook area on1st August. A male bird sang at 1997’s nest site at Toad Hole Beck until 17th May, but failed to attract a female. The year’s final record of this species was of a bird feeding on elder berries at Toad Holes Beck on 16th September.

1999 – For the second year running, the earliest birds turned up at Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits, with two birds being seen there on 26th April. This was only one day later than 1998, and represented year’s only April sighting. On 1st May, a singing male bird was a local-patch first for the observer in the Hewenden area. On 2nd and 3rd May there was a string of sightings from the southern part of the Group’s recording area; one bird was seen at Odsal Wood, while two birds were seen at a previous year’s nest-site down Toad Holes Beck, and a fourth bird was present at Lagoon, Brighouse. Burley Grange Park held a single bird on 7th May, as did Gomersal Lane on 9th. Another single bird was observed at Nunbrook Farm on 18th May. On 19th June one was belatedly seen at the regular site at Wyke Banks. On 22nd June, a single bird was present in the area of the Cow and Calf Hotel by Moor. Lesser Whitethroats were seen all summer at Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits, up to 15th July. One observer was lucky enough to have one in his garden in the Low Moor area on 1st August, but the only other August sighting was on 8th, in , of a single bird by a small pool next to the River Worth. The year’s last sighting of this species was of another lone bird in a field adjacent to Bartle Gill Drive, Baildon on 17th September.

2000 – The number of records of this species in the Group’s recording area varies quite significantly from one year to another. This year’s records showed a marked downturn, with birds, usually singles, being seen at only eight locations. The first returning bird was one in the area on 29th April – a fairly typical date – and birds were also recorded at Elland Gravel Pits, Hewenden Reservoir, Marley Sewage Works, Lindley Wood Reservoir and Otley Gravel Pits. The final record of the year came from a Low Moor garden on 8th August. The remaining location – Gallows Hill – did at least provide the year’s only breeding record.

2001 – Last year’s downturn in records conrinued, with only seven birds seen at the same number of locations. The first returning bird, on the typical date of 25th April, remained in the finder’s Otley gaden for some two months. There were two late records, on 21st September in a Bradford garden and on 26th September at Lindley Wood Reservoir. The reduction in the number of sightings was mirrored by an absence of breeding records.

2002 – Locally, the fortunes of this species continues to dwindle. This year, there were only eight birds seen at seven locations, including Doe Park Reservoir, Ikley, Toad Holes Beck, and the Washburn Valley. There was no real evidence of birds summering and none of breeding. The first record was of of two birds at Elland Gravel Pits on 4th May, and the final sighting on 15th September at Stockbridge Nature Reserve, were both on about average dates.

2003 - A fairly average year. The first of the year was noted on 26th April at Elland Gravel Pits. On 3rd May others were at both Stockbridge and Barden Bridge. These were followed by records

3 from Dob Park Bridge between 7th May and 4th June, Knotford Nook 1st July and Lindley Green on 6th August. All records relate to singles.

2004 - The first record was of a singing male at Lindley Green on 26th April. Other records in the Washburn Valley were of singing males at Dob Park on 2nd May and Quarry Hill at Lindley Wood Reservoir five days later. All these sites are relatively close to one another, however, and it is not out of the question that only one bird was involved. Elsewhere, two males were seen at Toad Holes Beck (Low Moor), on 23rd May. Overall, the continuing reduction in sightings gives cause for concern.

2005 - The 2004 Report seems to have been prophetic in saying that the continuing reduction in sightings gave cause for concern. This year there has been but a single record, though a remarkable one, of three juvenile birds feeding in a Low Moor garden on 1st August. What makes the record even more surprising, is that in 2005 the species didn’t breed at nearby Toad Holes Beck, from where previous records have emanated.

2006 - Whilst there were four times as many records as in 2005, only four reports of five birds confirm the species’ continuing decline in the area. The only reliable locations now appear to be in the south, where birds were seen at Toad Holes Beck on 6th May and 9th September (two birds), and at nearby Raw Nook on 3rd June . The year’s first, and most intriguing, record, however, was a bird seen in the centre of Bradford on 28th April.

2007 - Whilst birds continue to turn up, the probability is that most of them are simply passing through the area, as indicated by just three reports this year, all in May. A bird was seen near Lindley Wood Reservoir on the 2nd, at a spot where there have been previous sightings (PRi), and on the 28th another was found nearby at Norwood Bottom (D&HK). Elsewhere, a singing male was at Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits on the 22nd.

2008 - Confirming the species continuing decline in the area, there was just one record: a singing male near Silsden from 28th to 31st May.

2009 Though there were none there last year, south Bradford now seems to monopolise the few records we get of this increasingly scarce warbler. The same individual was at Toad Holes Beck from 20th May to 1st June, with two different birds at Caldene Fields on the first date, and another at Raw Nook on 30th May.

2010 Just one record: a bird at Raw Nook on 22nd April.

2011 A good year, as, in addition to the regular bird reported from Caldene Fields (this year on 23rd and 30th April, there were five other records, almost all certainly all passage birds. Probably the same bird was near Lindley Wood Reservoir on 27th April and 11th May, another was on nearby Norwood Edge on 4th May, and one was near Burley on the 12th. Finally, an autumn migrant was in Clough on 22nd August.

2012 The usually reliable Bradford sites again produced two of the records: singing males at Raw Nook and Toad Holes Beck on 3rd May. The following day there was another urban discovery of a ringed bird in Northcliffe Park, Shipley.

2013 - Just one record of this increasingly uncommon species. There were no records from the previously reliable sites in South Bradford, but a bird was seen and heard on 30th April at Lindley Wood Reservoir.

2014 - The six records represent the best haul since 2011. The first was a bird in full song on 1st May at Wyke Beck, an old breeding site for this species. Four days later at Tong, another was seen and a further bird at Toad Holes Beck on 7th May. On the same day, also in the south of the area, there was a bird at Judy Woods. In Wharfedale there was a singing bird at Sun Lane NR on 3rd May, and on 21st June a bird was seen and heard at Knotford Nook.

4 2015 - It was another reasonable year with five records. The first was a male at Lindley Wood Reservoir on 1st May. At Sun Lane Nature Reserve another male was located on 9th May and four days later a third bird was heard at Toad Holes Beck, a site often associated with this species. On 3rd June a bird was reported on Moor and the final record came from Low Moor, where a bird was located on 6th July.

2016 - Only three records received and all of probable passage birds. All these records came from the north of our recording area rather than the south, formerly a stronghold for the species. In spring, a bird was near Bingley Grammar School on 9th May followed three months later by one at Pennythorn on 10th August and another at Slippery Ford on 6th September.

2017 - After a blank year there, singles were again seen in Low Moor on 10th May (Raw Nook Nature Reserve) and the 11th. Other reports were from Stockbridge on 30th April and John o’Gaunt’s Reservoir on 21st May.

2018 - Happily, the Low Moor area continues to produce a few birds, and this year singles at Toad Holes Beck and Caldene Fields were the prelude to proved breeding (MVP). Two other reports from Leathley (AJ) and Otley Wetland (DS) were no doubt individuals on spring migration.

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