6-8th April 2013, Spring arrives for a couple of days

The weather forecast for the weekend promised sunshine and warmer temperatures, trusting the forecast I set the alarm for an early start and headed over to Bolton Abbey in Wharfedale before the sun rose.

The sun was just beginning to show over the hills as I set out...

A few days of dry weather had firmed up the paths nicely and the joys of spring were all too obvious as I walked with a symphony of birdsong to accompany me. From the haunting calls of lapwing and curlew on the hillsides to the merry "yaffling" of a green woodpecker and the drumming of a great spotted woodpecker with melodic interventions of the robin it was just wonderful!

First decent bird sighting of the day was an oystercatcher..

Mandarin ducks, originally escapees but now firmly established here...

The Wharfe is a great place to see dippers, I caught the pose of this one well, unfortunately it was in a shaded area and the colours are not as clear as I would have hoped.

As I wandered onwards the strident and insistent call of a wren demanded attention, not the biggest bird but among the loudest!

And then for contrast the delicate colours and soft call of the grey wagtail...

In another month or so the woods will be full of birdlife with many special species due to return soon, the repetitive call of the male chaffinch was the dominant sound on this stretch...

Another wren played hide and seek and refused to appear completely for my lens!!

I ventured off path as I was watching a nuthatch which I failed to photograph successfully, I was in camouflage clothing which came in very handy as I heard movement through the trees. Moving very carefully I managed to get within about 10 yards of this lovely roe deer...

Regaining the path I looked out over the adjoining fields, a distant curlew....

And a pair of lapwing in display flight...

I witnessed the comical behaviour of a great spotted woodpecker as it landed and then saw me, it peeped first from one side of a tree then the other...great fun:-)

It was time to head homewards now, after some lunch I had a walk by the Leeds Liverpool canal near home...once again the path was much improved:-)

I have a favoured spot on here where there is some tangled and thorny undergrowth, the warmth of the sun was obviously to the liking of this cute robin as it basked blissfully..

My standard shot of Nab End, Rombalds Moor as I walked toward Silsden..

There were no kingfishers to be seen today, but I'll see them again if I am patient. The greylag geese seem as happy in the fields as on the water..

By the edge of town a swan came close, I used the camera settings to get this muted effect...

And finally for the day....a robin proclaims that spring is finally here....

And a moorhen does some sprucing up:-))

A great day to be out enjoying the warm sunshine.

On Sunday we had some jobs to do at home, after several hours of successfully assembling some bedroom furniture I felt the need for a short walk to loosen my joints! One of my favourite local walks for occasions like this takes me through some farmland, I often wonder if people think I am strange as I peruse walltops through my binoculars! There is a good reason, walltops are a favourite perching place for little owls and occasionally I am successful in my perusal:-)

Knowledge of habitat is really important to finding the wildlife you seek.

I returned to Bolton Abbey on Monday for another short walk, another grey wagtail offered an opportunity for a photograph, nearly good but the focus was not quite correct...

A pair of goosanders were taking a break on some rocks in the water, male and female respectively..

A small tributary stream is often visited, the light lends itself to slow shutter speed shots of the lovely cascades..

I had packed some lunch and as I enjoyed a sandwich and a cup of coffee a lovely mallard appeared, strangely it  wasn't the coffee it was interested in!!!

All in all a decent weekend........................