Welcome

Welcome to the Blog of the Bradford Ornithological Group (BOG). Here you will find information about the latest sightings, an archive of information and a gallery photos of the birds of this area of West Yorkshire, England. We are an active group dedicated to the study and conservation of birds within this region which is situated amongst the Pennines of Northern England.

Send your recent sightings and photographs to us at this address: recorder@bradfordbirding.org Please add us to your contacts.


Please note that all images remain the property of the photographer.

SWIFTs IN AIREDALE AND WHARFEDALE - TELL US IF THEY ARE BREEDING IN YOUR AREA.

CONTACT - recorder@bradfordbirding.org

Thursday 30 May 2019

Wednesday 29 May 2019

Heber's Ghyll, Ilkley - Three Wood Warblers still on site.
Howard Creber

Wharfedale
Images by Phil Matthews taken during a day in the Wharfe valley:
Common Sandpiper
Carrion Crow
Dunnock
female Goosander
Mandarin Duck
Pied Flycatcher
Sand Martin

Wednesday 29 May 2019

Tuesday 28 May 2019

Timble Ings - Tree Pipit & Cuckoo
Tree Pipit at Timble Ings                                           photo: Keith Allen
Bolton Abbey
Spotted Flycatcher are nesting at back of cafe(near book shop)
via Keith Allen

Heber's Ghyll, Ilkley
Three Wood Warblers seen at 6.35am, all near the wooden steps

Lindley Wood Reservoir
Osprey fishing at 6.30pm
Peter Riley

Tuesday 28 May 2019

Monday 27 May 2019

Tonge Park, Baildon - 2 Little Egrets flew west, plus Cuckoo calling in the area.
Roger Wilkinson

Sandwith Moor Plantation
Redstart and Tree Pipits.
Andy Jowett

Wednesday 22 May 2019

Wednesday 22 May 2019

Private Wetlands - permit holders only - 2 Common Tern, Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler & Garden Warbler.
Timble Village - Tree Sparrow, pair of Pied Flycatcher feeding young.
Brian Vickers

Tuesday 21 May 2019

Tuesday 21 May 2019

Low Wood, Riddlesden - male Pied Flycatcher, Nuthatches carrying food.
John Preshaw, Shaun Radcliffe

Monday 20 May 2019

Monday 20 May 2019


Wagon Lane stretch of R. Aire - Little Egret feeding on the river & not bothered about close observation.
Shaun Radcliffe

Goosander and chicks and a young Robin                              photos: Phil Matthews


Juvenile Dunnock and Starling                                    photos: Paul King

Sunday 19 May 2019

Sunday 19th May 2019

Walker Wood, Baildon
Stubbins Lane - In an open area adjacent to Walker Wood: 
Two pairs of Bullfinch, two pairs of Song Thrush, a pair of Chiffchaffs, a singing Whitethroat, a singing Blackcap and a family party of seven Long-tailed Tits.
Paul King
Bullfinch (male).    Two pairs in the area.                                  photo: Paul King
A breeding Chiffchaff.                             photo: Paul King
Stockbridge Reserve (members only) - Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, Stock Dove, Blackcap.
Howard Creber, Shaun Radcliffe

Saturday 18 May 2019

Myrtle Park - female Goosander with 7 ducklings plus another with 11 ducklings, male Tufted Duck, 2 male Blackcap, Kingfisher, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail are some of the sightings.
Phil Matthews

Bolton Bridge - Hazlewood - 2 Spotted Flycatcher, Swifts, Cuckoo calling, Little Owl
Roger Nelson
Blue Tit chicks                          photo: Roger Nelson 
Tawny Owl                                  photo: Roger Nelson


Friday 17 May 2019

Thursday 16th May 2019

Lindley Reservoir
A pair of Mandarin ducks were seen amongst the Mallards.
Bryce Henderson

Thursday 16 May 2019

Wednesday 15th May 2019

Swinsty Reservoir
Two male Pied Flycatchers in song in the woodland to the east of the reservoir.
Darren Shepherd

Glovershaw
A single Wheatear at 7.30am.
Paul King

Glovershaw
In the evening, four Skylarks, at least five Lapwing chicks, three Oystercatchers, eight Curlews, two Red Grouse, a singing Whitethroat and a male Reed Bunting.
Phil Matthews
Male Reed Bunting at Glovershaw                                   photo: Phil Matthews


Tuesday 14 May 2019

Tuesday 14th May 2019

Glovershaw
Wheatears are still passing through.  Today there were three of them around the 11th fairway, that's a total of 27 Wheatears in the past five days at this location.
Paul King

Folly Hall Wood (Washburn)
Pied Flycatchers and Redstarts can be seen and heard in this woodland.
John Budworth

Doe Park Reservoir
A pair of Common Sandpipers and a Dipper
Whats App


Monday 13 May 2019

Monday 13th May 2019

Glovershaw
Two Wheatears, pair of Common Whitethroat and a Cuckoo.
Cuckoo by the cabins at Pennythorn.        photo: Steve Meredith
Shipley Glen
Green Woodpecker was calling and feeding, but there was no sign of the Wood Warbler which spent at least four days in the Glen last week.
Treecreeper              photo: Steve Meredith


Sunday 12 May 2019

Sunday 12th May 2019

Glovershaw
The Wheatear passage continues with 10 feeding on the 11th fairway and the 'horse track'.  That's a total of 22 within the past three days.  Also a Cuckoo, a Snipe with a chick and a Common Whitethroat with nesting materials.
Paul King

Photos taken at Pennythorn by Steve Meredith (from top to bottom) Mistle Thrush, Red Grouse, Sky Lark, Snipe and Willow Warbler.





High Royds, Menston
Both Reed & Sedge Warbler singing at High Royds Pond.
Andrew Kelly

Bradup
Stonechat (pair), Wheatear (male), 7 Golden Plover, 3 Snipe, 2 Oystercatcher, 6 Linnet, Reed Bunting and an unexpected Willow Warbler.  Lapwing numbers are down at this site this year.
East Morton
Red Kite and Little Owl
Walsh Lane, Bingley
Little Owl
Phil Matthews


Male and female Stonechat and three Golden Plovers                  photos: Phil Matthews


Saturday 11 May 2019

Saturday 11th May 2019

Glovershaw
After heavy overnight rain and a change in wind direction, there were at least eight Wheatears feeding on the 11th fairway.  A Common Whitethroat and a pair of Reed Buntings were also in that area.
Paul King

Pennythorn, Baildon Moor
Grasshopper Warbler first ringed here last year (8th May) has returned to same spot!  Cuckoo in the area.
Jon Middleton

Ilkley Moor - Cuckoo
Strid Wood - Redstart, Pied Flycatcher
Sally Varrie

Bromley Road, Bingley
First two Swifts back at breeding site.
Rex Holt

Buck Wood, Thackley
A Little Egret in the field next to the river
Esholt
Two singing Sedge Warblers
Casper Pottle

Friday 10 May 2019

Friday 10th May 2019

Redcar Tarn
Male Garganey at 5.45pm
Keith Moir

Cottingley Woods     A Wood Warbler
Cottingley        Swift overhead
East Riddlesden Hall    - Common Sandpiper, Common Whitethroat, Grey Wagtail
Sally Varrie

Yeadon Tarn
Dunlin seen on concrete jetty.
Darren Shepherd
Dunlin at Yeadon Tarn                                  photo: Darren Shepherd
Glovershaw/Pennythorn
Four Wheatears were feeding around the 11th fairway and a male Stonechat was near the cabins at Pennythorn.   A Common Whitethroat was singing on the moorland close to the Scout Camp at Sconce and another was near the car park opposite the 'white house'.  Keith Allen photographed a third individual (see below) near Golcar Farm fields.   
Paul King
Common Whitethroat                           Keith Allen
Linnet (male)                              photo: Keith Allen
Wheatear (male)                     photo: Keith Allen


Wheatear (female)                   photo: Keith Allen
Shipley Glen
The Wood Warbler, first seen on Tuesday (7th) was still present today.
Wood Warbler                                    photo: Keith Allen

Thursday 9th May 2019

Lindley Bridge
Redstart, Garden Warbler, pair of teal, Great Crested Grebe, Lapwing etc.
Bryce Henderson

Cottingley Woods
Two male Wood Warblers heard at 6am.
Jon Middleton.
This week there have been reports of four Wood Warblers singing in mature woodland in the Aire Valley ie - Shipley Glen, St. Ives and now Cottingley.


Wednesday 8th May 2019

Leeshaw Reservoir
Four Turnstones and a single Sanderling at the reservoir. All flew off high to the north west.
Howard Creber

Tuesday 7 May 2019

Tuesday 7th May 2019

Shipley Glen
A Wood Warbler singing in an area by the 'large tree' close by the parking area on the Glen Road.
male Wood Warbler in Shipley Glen                 photo: Paul King
St Ives
Another Wood Warbler was reported to be singing in St. Ives.
via Whats Ap.


Monday 6 May 2019

Monday 6th May 2019

East Riddlesden Hall 0900-1000am
Swift x6 passing through, Garden Warblers x3
Whitethroat x2♂, Blackcap, Chiffchaff,
Kingfisher♂, Sand Martin 40+, Moorhen + young,
Mallard +young on lake and river.
M Doveston

Hewenden Res 11.30am

One pair of Gadwall, Blackcap, Willow Warbler
Grey Wagtail, Canada Geese
M Doveston

Doe Park Res

3 Dunlin (Site Tick), Common Sandpiper, Redshank,
Mute Swan, RLPartridge, GCGrebe, Sand Martins
M Pearson

Glovershaw
Four Linnets feeding on the fairway, four Wheatears and a pair of Common Whitethroat.
Paul King

Barden Moor
A Cuckoo was watched being mobbed and a pair of Stonechats were prominent.


Photos and sightings by Keith Allen

Sunday 5 May 2019

Sunday 5th May 2019

St.Ives Estate 0700-1030am - RSPB Guided walk
Redstart♂, Cuckoo♂, Garden Warblers 5♂, Swallow
Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest,
Long-tailed Tit, Little Owl, GSWdpkr, Nuthatch,
Lapwing, Curlew, Skylark, Bullfinch, Redpoll,
Siskin, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Goosander
M Doveston, H Creber et al

Eldwick Reservoir & Heights Lane - Common Sandpiper, 4 Oystercatcher, Blackcap, Nuthatch in 40 species recorded.
Phil Matthews 


Dunnock, Lapwing and Redshank were all seen in the Eldwick area by Phil Matthews

Saturday 4th May 2019

Stockbridge Nature Reserve (Members Only)
Reed Warbler x1♂, Sedge Warbler 2♂, Goosander ♂♀,
Sand Martin, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting,
House Sparrow, Long-tailed Tit, LBBGull, BHGull
M Doveston

Thornton Moor Reservoir (Members' Only)

Avocet, reported and photographed by Chris King.  This is a major rarity and only the second time the bird has been recorded.  The first was in 1995 when a bird stayed at Horton Bank Reservoir for three days in late April.
Other sightings at TMR - 5 Wheatear, 6 Redshank, 6 Dunlin and a Common Sandpiper.

3rd May - Tong Park, Baildon - Peregrine stooped for a male Goosander but failed.

Roger Wilkinson

Thursday 2 May 2019

Thursday 2 May 2019

Queensbury Old Station - 3 Garden Warbler
Howard Creber

Baildon - Hollins Hill area
A Lesser Whitethroat                                      photo: Roger Wilkinson
Strid Wood
Blackcap (male)                                           photo: Keith Allen