April offers some great opportunities

The month has been an exciting one as the great migration of birds began, after some good sightings the weather took a turn for the worse and things stalled for a while. We have had some lovely sunny walks near home and a visit to Dumfriesshire , added to our usual trips to reserves and an ever growing list of recommended wildlife sights it has been hectic at times!

It has also seen me make my debut as a fully fledged RSPB volunteer for the pergrine watch at Malham Cove, a place I would have in any list of favourite places to visit, from my youth the fascinating limestone landscape and the intricacy of the drystone walls have been a delight to the eye.

Wandering by the canal one day this fine little wren was gathering nest material...

This walk also allows me to check my local little owl site, and they rarely fail to appear...

We had a day at Malham to allow the freedom to wander around a little and hopefully get some photographs of the peregrine falcons.

In the beck by the cove grey wagtails were fluttering about...

I managed a flight shot of a peregrine...followed by another on a well used perching branch...

The warm weather continued and we enjoyed a lovely sunny walk on Barden Moor, probably where I learnt how to watch wildlife from close quarters as a young child. Red grouse can be notoriously difficult to get close to, more often disturbed and flying away with their cackling call, with a little know how and patience you can get amazingly close.

It is the season of procreation for the common toad, not all wildlife chooses to mate in the middle of a path!

We had an amazing sight of buzzard, kestrel and hen harrier while enjoying our lunch, the camera was unfortunately not to hand!

Another little owl spotted on the way home...

I had a couple of hours at Rodley Nature Reserve while my car was being serviced...

A great crested grebe came in close...

Later that day I went to Barden Moor in the evening to see if the short eared owls were about, poor light but they appeared. Good job as friends Graham and Sandra Anderson were meeting me there en route back to Wales from a holiday in Scotland! Not great light but super birds to watch...

Time to head north of the border ourselves as we visited RSPB Mersehead again, what a treat we had.

Blue tit...

Yellowhammer..

Grey heron..

Wren...

Willow warbler...

We were booked in at Caerlaverock WWT for an evening badger watch, the sun set as we arrived...

A badger duly appeared a couple of hours later, photographs at 1/8th of a second are never going to be great!

We had a bed and breakfast for the night and then enjoyed a few hours on the reserve...

The whooper swans would be leaving soon..

A chance conversation the day before disclosed a good site for red squirrels without too much diversion from our homeward route.

After a little waiting time the subjects appeared as promised...delightful.

Back home and I am at Malham again, one of the peregrines has brought a meal back and rather than share it with its partner it took it to a small ledge and fed itself.

A wander through a local woodland and I spot a nuthatch posing nicely...

Another stint with the short eared owls, my best shot yet...

Watching the red grouse closely paid dividends...

A happy accident a couple of days later, as I was focusing on a robin it took off giving me this splendid shot...

I managed to get a good peregrine feather spread shot on another Malham trip as visitors...

Wandering in Wharfedale to see how the dippers are doing...

Female pied flycatcher newly arrived back from Africa...

Nuthatch in the dark woods...

Male pied flycatcher

Sand martin in flight

It has been a tremendous month overall, the weather has been pretty kind and the paths are firm and dry which is great for all of us who enjoy life in the countryside.

Many thanks to all who read the blog, don't forget if you do comment they come to me first for moderation.