In the same way that migrating birds crisscross the globe and butterflies traverse continents, birdwatchers from Yorkshire are regularly crossing the Pennines. How do I know this? It is not by observation on the A59 or by tagging of RSPB members, but via the remarkable Hillam News - 'The Voice of Hillam Village', a fearsome no holds barred sort of publication that strikes fear into the hearts of....those who have something to fear, which was recently sent to me and I quote extensively here from their Birding Column, written by Graham Todd. A nice descriptive piece about a well known area in Bowland -
"Before the present cold snap took hold, I drove over to Lancashire, principally to do a 7 mile walk round Stocks Reservoir... There is one of my favourite landscapes, with long views of the rolling, distant hills of Bowland, interspersed with purple grouse moors; but the main attraction for me and other birdwatchers, is that there is lots of glorious birding habitat thereabouts - wet, undrained grassland abounding with wading birds in the spring and summer. I wasn’t looking for grouse or waders though, as I wanted to explore the surrounding farmland, to try to locate the site of a little known roost of harriers and owls. The walk round Stocks reservoir was good exercise, but of very little interest bird wise, and by the time the sun began to set, it was becoming exceedingly cold. I got into the car and drove off to the area of wet rushy bog that I had read about as being a good place to see Shorteared Owls and Hen Harriers in the winter. Luckily for me, a birder from Burnley turned up shortly after I arrived, and he was able to confirm this was the correct place, but by this time it was absolutely freezing! A Peregrine Falcon flew over in pursuit of a Lapwing shortly after I arrived, to be joined by another Peregrine a few minutes later. Most people have read about the flying skills and spectacular dives of the Peregrine in pursuit of prey, but this bird must have been a juvenile, as it was totally useless, and the Lapwing escaped its lethal talons. It put on a memorable performance nonetheless, against a perfect azure sky, bordered by pink edged clouds to the west, illuminated by the setting sun. My day was complete, when in the gathering gloom, I spotted three Short-eared Owls hunting the long damp grasses, joined later by a couple of now very rare Hen Harriers, and after a couple of brief pursuits over dry stone wall, the birds all went to roost."
If anyone in Bowland has been birdwatching in or near Hillam, North Yorkshire, then please let me know - we should send them an article.
The first task was to cut a new entrance through the hedge and begin to clear the many small trees that had set in the garden; keeping some back to replant along a new fence line. Work then began on measuring and cutting timber to fit around the pond to make a dipping platform. Three sections were assembled in the car park before lifting them into position.
In mid December, local photographer John Eveson, carried his camera and lights into the middle of a field near Chipping where Michael Neary was working repairing field drains. The danger was that the natural light would be insufficient to produce a 'good shot.' Michael had asked John to take a picture of him working for his booklet of poems titled 'My way home to Chippin'. Here's the result and I don't think I've seen a more dramatic photograph in a long time. The printing presses are now rolling and the booklet is about to hit the (cobbled?) streets of Chipping and further still. Further details and a poem about the Hodder....in a short while.
Every cloud has a silver lining and maybe that could turn to Olympic gold for Bowland if the current weather patterns are repeated for the next dozen or so years. The next 3 winter Olympic venues are spoken for; Vancouver this year, Sochi in 2014 and Annecy, Munich or PyeongChang (the only 3 bidders) in 2018. This leaves us free to bid for 2022. 
Still frozen, I know, but let's hope that it thaws out before Sunday 24th Jan when we plan to start renovation of the pond at Lowgill school. (Tatham Fells Primary). A bit more than a renovation actually. Kath Godfrey of BTCV (the practical conservation charity) has drawn up the plan you see here with a dipping platform, path and mushroom seats. The pond at present is weed infested, the ground is uneven and the hedge is overgrown so much that the area has been closed to pupils for several years.
One of Kath's designs built by Kath and BTCV groups throughout the NW won the 
As I mentioned on a previous posting, I was waiting for confirmation of the eating preferences of Gavin Thomas (The RSPB's guardian of wading birds in Bowland), when along came this opportunity to grill the local ornithologist at the famous Inn at Whitewell. 'Would you like your bird well done, medium or rare?' asked the waitress. Gavin had plumped for Goosnargh duck which he assures me has slipped off the endangered list.