Lesser Whitethroat 1987 – There Was Patchy Distribution Along the Aire, Calder and Wharfe Rivers

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 Bingley 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 Otley Gravel Pits on 8th, Calverley 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 Leeds 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 Baildon, 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 Silsden 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 Keighley 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 Bradford 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 Cleckheaton Golf Course on 26th and a single bird at Wyke Banks on 30th.

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