17/18th June 2012. Ilkley, Bolton Abbey and my moor

A quick catch up for those who do not use Facebook, yesterday we started with yet more dull weather but with a forecast of afternoon sunshine I was urged to get some shopping done. We needed to visit one of those out of town multi-centres that I always suspect will leave me out of pocket! Anyway the necessary purchase, a mini greenhouse after a hedgehog not content with doing a good job of eating our slugs then continued to a dessert of all the baby lettuces, was made we stopped off at Ilkley and had a stroll by the river towards Ben Rhydding.

The stepping stones portrayed the level of the Wharfe quite well:

We had packed some lunch in expectation of the fine weather, as we walked back to the car the blue skies appeared and we took the short drive to Bolton Abbey. Coffee and sandwiches were enjoyed before we had another short walk by the Wharfe.

The sand martins are present in large numbers here, trying to capture there fast flight is a job for patience and not a task when you don't have a large amount of time. Intrusion near the nests is strictly on my not to do list and I contented myself with this shot, resting on barbed wire this one was preparing for take off, all apart from head and feet was a quiver of movement so I was really pleased how this turned out:-))

Grey wagtails are much in evidence on the Wharfe, their chicks are funny as they imitate their parents but unable to fly as far, they often just hop!

A decent shot of a female goosander concluded my pix of what was after all a lovely warm afternoon at last.

Said garden piece was "patiently" assembled!

My normal early finish at work on Monday has been postponed to Tuesday, grand-daughter Isla is representing her school in a cricket tournament, attendance is compulsory!!!

The skies looked interesting this evening though and I drove up onto the moor, as often happens a promised sunset quickly diluted as cloud seemed to rush in, here looking out over Skipton to the hills of Sharphaw and Roughaw with Malham Moor behind.

There was no sign of the short eared owls I am sometimes lucky enough to see up here, in fact it was very quiet. The beautiful and evocative sound of a curlew will always be a favourite, I was lucky to see one right on the skyline.

A couple of days of warmer weather, much appreciated by those of us with ageing joints!