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In-flight! Welcome to the Spring 2020 edition of the Airedale & Bradford Local Group Newsletter. This edition has been edited and produced by Judy Robinson, the next edition is due in the autumn. Any contributions to future editions of this newsletter would be gratefully received: either speak to Judy, Paul (Group Leader) or e-mail abrspb@blueyonder.co.uk. Views expressed in this Newsletter are those of individual contributors and not necessarily of the RSPB. Our Group website not only has a digital copy of this and earlier newsletters (with photographs in full colour), but provides most useful information of what is happening within the group plus tips and ideas of how increase your pleasure and enjoyment of the wildlife around you.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: England and Wales no. 207076, Scotland no.SC037654

On Other Pages:

2. Guided Walks; Indoor Meetings Programme. 5. Celebrity Birder 3-4 Guided Walk Reports 6. Big Garden Bird Watch

Wild Bird Crime At our November meeting, Howard Jones (RSPB Investigations Officer) asked you to contact him if you suspected and crimes being committed against wild birds. His contact details are: Phone - 01767 680551 and 07834534142 email - Howard.Jones@rspb.org.uk

helpwildlife.co.uk helpwildlife.co.uk provides advice on what to do if you find a sick, injured or abandoned wild

bird or animal.

RSPB Policy on Game Shooting At the 2019 AGM, the Chair of the RSPB Council, Kevin Cox, announced that the RSPB was undertaking a review of their policy on game bird shooting and associated land management. You can read the full announcement at https://community.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/b/martinharper/posts/announcement-of-review-of-rspb-policy-on-gamebird-shooting . The RSPB fully acknowledges that this is a difficult and emotive subject, however the stated desire is “to use our scientific rigour to develop a set of conservation tests for management practices associated with game bird shooting. We will use these to guide the RSPB’s conservation policy, practice and communications, consistent with the ongoing climate and ecological emergency, respectful of our charitable objectives and maintaining the confidence and support of our members”.

The development of policy will be consultative in nature and the means by which members and other stake-holders can provide their inputs will be communicated in early 2020. It is intended that the updated policy will be shared with the AGM the same year at the very latest although the RSPB has stated that it will publish at an earlier date if this is possible. Please check the RSPB website for updates; because of the nature of this topic, there is likely to be considerable press coverage and interest, so it seems likely that the start of the consultation will not go unremarked. If this is a matter on which you have views, the RSPB will want to hear from you.

Paul Barrett

Photo: RSPB Images

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Guided Walks

2020

Programme subject to weather conditions Each walk lasts about 2-3 hours

Sunday 15 March : 7 am Goitstock

Saturday 18 April : 4 pm Shipley: Canal and River

Sunday 5 May : 7am St Ives

Saturday 16 May Field Trip to Salthome

Booking Essential (8 am to 6 pm)

Saturday 6 June : 1pm Northcliffe Park

Directions to the sites will be given at Indoor Meetings and on-line at:

rspb.org.uk/groups/airedaleandbradford

Directions to the sites will be given at Indoor Meetings and on-line at:

rspb.org.uk/groups/airedaleandbradford

Autumn dates will be announced in the summer with details available on the

website. Programme of Event cards will be available at local libraries.

2020 Indoor Meetings

Friday 13 March: Inspired by Birds An Illustrated talk

Peter Holden

Friday 24 April: AGM at 7.00 pm, followed by:

Upper Aire Land Management Project Don Vine

Details will also be posted on our Web Site.

rspb.org.uk/groups/airedaleandbradford

Falling Leaves Event at Cliffe Castle on 27 October 2019

Your Local Group

The group's aim is to support actively the work of the RSPB in the local community and to involve RSPB members and the wider public in the Society's conservation, public affairs, education, fundraising and other activities. We have monthly indoor meetings locally from September through to April and have occasional walks around local nature reserves.

So, if you would like to have fun and meet like minded people, contact us and help make a difference for birds and wildlife. Telephone: 01274 582078; e-mail: abrspb@blueyonder.co.uk

On Sunday 27th October we held our annual "Falling Leaves" event in the Education Room at Cliffe Castle Museum, Keighley. During the day we welcomed nearly 70 adults with nearly 70 children to participate in autumn-related art & craft activities - such as making pine cone hedgehogs, threading cereal hoops for bird feeders, or colouring in unusual designs of animals & leaves. The donated set of glitter-glue pens produced some beautiful, if rather sticky, art work! The tombola, of mainly nature related items, proved popular with children & adults & raised some useful funds. Our local nature reserve warden, Steve from Denso Marston, took two appreciative groups on bird/nature walks around the grounds, where the trees were resplendent in their autumnal hues. An "Apple Day" outside, juicing & identifying different types of apple, & the excellent & popular cafe added to the day's enjoyment. Birds seen on walks: black-headed gull, mistle thrush, carrion crow, woodpigeon, common gull, coal tit, herring gull, jay, robin, treecreeper, nuthatch, chaffinch, great spotted woodpecker.

Debbie White

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Guided Walk Reports

Rodley Nature Reserve

Sunday 15 September 2019

Setting out from the lower car park at 9am, on a partially cloudy Sunday morning, 17 enthusiastic visitors made their way towards the Visitors Centre, where we were met by Pater Murphy for an introductory talk about Rodley Nature Reserve. A bird count had already taken place for BTO this morning and Peter was able to tell us what we could expect to see on our visit, or as it turned out, what we were unlikely to see, as there was a dearth of birdlife on this windy morning.

We made our way as a group to the Dipping Ponds, pausing to search for signs of passing wheatears, stonechats or linnets which stop to feed on the bird friendly seed crop planted on Tim's Field, but although one or two birds flew above the wildflower meadow, they hunkered down very quickly before identification was possible.

Continuing along the river path, we arrived at the dragonfly ponds, where the water lilies are still in flower, and where in the summer months various species of dragonfly can be seen. At this point, after watching a buzzard mobbing a magpie in the distance, it was agreed for people to make their own way around the reserve, using the self-explanatory leaflets provided, as we were such a large group.

Sightings along the Winter Walk were few and far between and as one member of our group said, 'It's a poor day on the reedbed when you can't see a coot!'

Five cormorants were perched on a pylon, viewed from the Reedbed Hide and the odd reed bunting braved the wind to show on the overhanging willow branches.

A swift tower has now been erected with hope of encouraging these most aerial of birds to roost and hopefully nest. A few swallows with their highly acrobatic flight were in search of insects before setting off on their long journey South.

Along the Willow Path, white deadnettle and comfrey are a temptation for bumblebees and beautiful teasels attract charms of goldfinches.

Suddenly, on reaching the Lagoon Hide, we were able to identify several species of waterfowl, including a number of gadwall, Canada and greylag geese and lesser numbers of mallard, coot and moorhen. A single lesser black backed gull, heron, little grebe and herring gull were also sighted. Excellent views of a pair of chiff chaffs were seen flitting about feeding non-stop in the foliage next to the hide, close to a small flock of active long tailed tits.

Three of our members were delighted to see a beautiful wheatear, which was just a few yards in front of them on the path.

Before leaving this gem of a local reserve, two members decided to take a last view along the River Aire, whereupon first, a female goosander was sighted and almost simultaneously a kingfisher flew across to perch low on fallen branches...the icing on the cake to our visit!

Birds seen: Canada goose, greylag goose, mallard, gadwall, mute swan, coot, moorhen, little grebe, herring gull, lesser black backed gull, black headed gull, cormorant, heron, goosander, kingfisher, buzzard, magpie, crow, jackdaw, wood pigeon, stock dove, blue tit, great tit, long tailed tit, reed bunting, swallow, chiff chaff, dunnock, robin, bullfinch, goldfinch, greenfinch, chaffinch, wren, wheatear, pheasant.

Carol Barrett

http://www.rodleynaturereserve.org/

Photos: Carol Barrett

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Field Trip to Leighton Moss

Saturday 12 October 2019

Leighton Moss is described as a wetland. Today it was all wet and very little land! A beautifully, dry day saw a group of us leaving Shipley and heading west over the Pennines to the reserve on the edge of Morecambe Bay. Having been pre-warned about the conditions at the reserve, everyone brought along various styles of boots. A short walk from the Visitors Centre and we encountered the water: throughout the site, the pathways were flooded, occasionally over-topping the tallest of boots. Unfortunately, for a couple of our party, the footwear was not up to the task - wet feet resulted. Because of the underfoot conditions, the bearded tits were showing well on the grit tables near Grisedale Hide and on the Causeway. At Grisedale, one particular robin appeared to be upset at the attention that the tits were getting and continually hopped around amongst the watchers. The ducks were a little scarce, having taken themselves elsewhere as the water around the hides was too deep for them. Water rail and red deer were heard but not seen. Cetti's warblers could be heard and although very elusive, were eventually seen after some of the group had waited patiently near the reed beds along the Causeway. Some members managed to get a bird's eye view of the magnificent marsh harriers from the top of the Skytower.

Dragonflies were in abundance skimming over the pools and around us as we waded along the pathways. Comma, painted lady and red admiral butterflies were also seen, although looking rather ragged at the end of the season. At 3pm our coach driver obligingly dropped us off at the Coastal trail, which gives views of Morecambe Bay from Allen hide and Eric Morecambe hide. We were rewarded with sightings of flocks of redshank, shelduck and little egret, and a very active kingfisher in the late afternoon sunshine. Sightings: bearded tit, robin, little grebe, blue tit, crow, coot, teal, moorhen, mallard, great-crested grebe, great tit, dunnock, coal tit, chaffinch, mute swan, gadwall, shoveller, wigeon, kestrel, magpie, heron, black-headed gull, marsh harrier, nuthatch, cormorant, blackbird, greylag goose, wood pigeon, lapwing, redshank, shelduck, little egret, great white egret, kingfisher, sparrowhawk, red-breasted merganser, merlin, curlew, black-tailed godwit, blackcap, Cetti's warbler, tufted duck, pheasant. Butterflies: comma, painted lady, red admiral.

Paul Barrett

Guided Walk Reports

Photos: Carol and Paul Barrett

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About the RSPB

The RSPB is the country’s largest nature conservation charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home.

Together with our partners, we protect threatened birds and wildlife so our towns, coast and countryside will

teem with life once again. We also play a leading role in a worldwide partnership of nature conservation

organisations.

Our work is driven by a passionate belief that we all have a responsibility to protect birds and the

environment. Bird populations reflect the health of the planet on which our future depends.

The need for an effective bird conservation organisation has never been greater. Climate change, agricultural

intensification, expansion of urban areas and transport infrastructure, and over-exploitation of our seas all

pose major threats to birds.

The RSPB could not exist without its supporters and members. Whether you join us, give a donation,

purchase items from us or undertake voluntary work, your support is vital to the future of birds and the places

where they live.

Celebrity Birder #1 Bill Oddie There are two types of celebrity: those people who receive a great deal of attention and those who are celebrated for their achievement or contribution to the world. This is about the latter. As a youngster I took no interest in birds but I did watch The Goodies. Three blokes – Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie - who cycled to hilarious (in my mind) adventures at 8pm on a Wednesday. In one episode they attempted to catch the Loch Ness Monster and in another they dealt with a giant kitten that was terrorising London. Come on, I was about ten. So several years after the sit-com closed on BBC 1, I had a vague interest in watching a programme about birds hosted by Bill Oddie. I knew it would be fun. Was it? Nope. It was about the corn crake but it struck me for the first time that birds might be a. important and b. interesting. All thanks to the pull of Mr Oddie’s fame and popularity. Forty years later, and I found myself photographing a dance rehearsal at Saltaire’s United Reformed Church and looking for shots of the dancers arriving. The scene was marred by some people with bigger cameras than mine at the end of the approach so I went to ask if they’d mind moving out of my shots. I realised on

approach that it was a whole film crew with Bill Oddie at the centre and switched into Polite Mode. He was filming a canal boat trip and Saltaire was one of the stopping places. His guide was Maria Glot from Saltaire Walks and Talks, dressed in full Victorian Costume and she wanted to show him inside the fabulous church. I was ten again. I accompanied them and meanwhile searched around inside my camera bag for … YES! Our RSPB tri-fold programme. There’s no such thing as pure luck, only the meeting of preparation and opportunity. I always carry a programme or two (that’s the preparation) and here was an opportunity. Celebrities can be awkward when asked for favours but Mr Oddie, when asked to pose for the camera holding the leaflet, simply said, “Just tell me where to stand.” I suspect he would have been less helpful were the shot for another purpose but birds and I am left with a real sense that he saw an opportunity to help another birder spread the word with his celebrity status. Five seconds later, he was on his way. So thank you Mr Oddie for understanding the impact you have on your fans, using your influence kindly and for making my day.

Wendy Robinson January 2020

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The RSPB is the country’s largest nature conservation

charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home.

We belong to BirdLife International, the global partnership of bird conservation organizations.

For me, no bird evokes the Yorkshire Dales more than the dipper. This could be due to the fact that I’ve never seen one anywhere else in the country(!), but its natural habitat of rocks and waterfalls is very much that of the Dales. The only truly aquatic species of passerine in Britain, it is remarkable in its method of walking into and under water in search of food - insect larvae and freshwater shrimps. Last summer, I finally got a close-up of this unusual bird. Paying the small fee to visit Hardraw Force was amply repaid when I saw this bird feeding in the stream leading from the falls.

Paul Barrett

Peter Holden MBE was instrumental in developing and promoting the first ‘citizen science’ project in the UK – Big Garden Birdwatch – in 1979. Initially for children, Peter’s vision enabled him to see the potential in extending the project to people of all ages. It is now established as the world’s largest citizen science project – involving up to half a million participants monitoring millions of birds every year. Over the past few years, our local group has marked this event by undertaking a birdwatch at the feeding station in Northcliffe Park. In cooperation with the Friends of Northcliffe, who offer hot drinks and home-baked cakes in the allotments' clubhouse, we have met many members of the public seeking help in identifying visitors to their gardens and telling us about their exciting sightings. A visit to the viewing screen pretty much guarantees sights of great tits, blue tits, coal tits, dunnocks (or hedge accentors, as we should now call them!), robins, blackbirds and nuthatches. Bullfinches and great spotted woodpeckers might be glimpsed and over the years a population of parakeets have arrived in the park. This year's cakes were particularly tasty! Peter will be visiting our group on 13 March, presenting an illustrated talk entitled ‘Inspired by Birds’. Humans have been inspired by birds since the dawn of time: sometimes as food, sometimes as fashion and sometimes the subjects of fine art or music. In his talk he will travel back and look at how men and women viewed birds, and consider some of the objects, images and other works of art and science they created. The talk will include film from the RSPB archives, recordings from the BBC and the very best ‘nature writing’

from the RSPB library. Paul Barrett

Big Garden Bird Watch 2020

All Photos on this page: Paul Barrett