Ryburne

 

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Large bird

From Andy M

Friday, 15 April 2011

Did anyone else see the very large, broad winged bird (grey/white + black areas on wings and not a heron!) flying North over Heptonstall/Hardcastle Crags last Saturday about 11:10 am? It was being mobbed by rooks which it dwarfed.

It has been suggested to me that it may have been an Opsrey heading up to Lakes/Scotland - it looked the right sort of shape.

From Greg Hobson

Friday, 15 April 2011

I have seen it, but on an earlier occassion and not for long enough to identify it.

From Tim B

Friday, 15 April 2011

I saw what I thought to be a buzzard in that area on Wednesday evening. I didn't look that closely, just noted that we don't see many buzzards here. Might go and have another look tonight to double check.

From Andy M

Friday, 15 April 2011

I have seen Buzzards around - up towards Widdop - before now. This had the wrong markings/colour even though they can look pale from underneath - I saw the top of this ones wings before it disappeared behind the hill.

From H Gregg

Saturday, 16 April 2011

Heron - often sits on the island next to Innovation watching for fish.

From Andy M

Sunday, 17 April 2011

Definitely not a heron! I see those flying past regularly

From Kate C

Sunday, 17 April 2011

Judging by colour and size I think it very probably was an osprey. As you say they are returning to nest at Bassenthwaite and varous places in Scotland. We were above Bolton Abbey a couple of weeks ago and stopped to chat with some guys with spotter scopes that were watching ospreys above the Wharfe. In fact a quick google brings up an osprey siting at Castle Carr on the 12th April, see calderbirds/blogspot.com.

From Matt B

Wednesday, 20 April 2011

Andy

There have been several reliable reports of ospreys heading north through our area this spring (and hopefully many more in Autumn if they have a successful breeding season), so that is certainly a possibility. Unusually, there was also a white stork seen in the Halifax area on the same afternoon that you saw the large bird - is that a possibility?

Also, a general note - can people please be careful about publicising the locations of raptor sightings on the web. We have a very real and genuine problem with persecution in this area. Probably no worse than other areas, but raptors in Calderdale have certainly been targeted - we know this for a fact. I won't get into finger pointing by suggesting who is responsible, but sightings and locations need to be treated sensitively in order to not assist any wrong-doing.

Anyone interested in bird sightings in our area can find up to date information at Calderdale Birds

Matt, Calderdale Bird Conservation Group.