Tuesday 29th May, A surprise on the moor!

There is nothing much more relaxing than a couple of hours out in the pleasant evening sunshine, with a new site to explore it is even better. Parking the car I was greeted with this lovely view over Chelker Reservoir towards Beamsley Beacon.

I decided to explore a little deeper into the trees and it was rough going, felled trees had been left to rot, brambles grew wild and moving quietly was nigh on impossible! A couple of roe deer bolted ahead of me, attempts at stealth were futile and I was getting scratched sweaty and midge bitten, oh what fun:-)) I decided to halt for while and settled in some cover by a tree, almost immediately I was rewarded. In quick succession a female redpoll, a willow warbler and a robin appeared in range of the camera.

The midges were becoming a bit of a nuisance after a while and I moved on and back onto the main track, on the way a red grouse appeared briefly.

I sat again for a while by a clearing and this proved a very good move but it also highlighted the difficulty of trying to photograph birds in treetops bathed in bright but low sunshine as a male redpoll appeared very close to me.

I wandered on westwards to the point where a view over Skipton and up the Dales opens up...

I switched my attention away from the woods on my return, the fields on the other side of the track contain skylarks, lapwing and curlew none in close attendance on this occasion unfortunately but a meadow pipit had gathered a tasty meal!

How lucky was I a couple of minutes later with my attention in this direction as a short eared owl appeared hunting over the pastures:-)

Heavily cropped and not at a perfect angle the shots are all I could manage as I was in the open and there was no cover anywhere near, a splendid sight though and a very enjoyable evening.