15-16th June 2013, A couple of local walks

Gradually catching up on developments near home after a most enjoyable couple of weeks in Scotland. I have a much favoured site near Skipton, from warblers to raptors the potential is magnificent and I have often been rewarded for the time spent here. Conveniently it fitted in with shopping plans too and in late morning I was dropped off at a convenient spot, in the few weeks since my last visit things have grown at a surprising rate! Waist high grass, sodden wet from recent showers, giant nettles and thistles...and worst of all hordes of voracious midges...I could hear birdsong all around me...and I could see precisely nothing.

Battling my frustration I resorted to other things..the inside of a buttercup

And I managed to find a small tortoiseshell butterfly...

I lasted a little over an hour before the sheer discomfort of the midges defeated me, a walk back to Silsden via the canal towpath beckoned so time for best foot forward....after a short interlude while I compared my feet to find the best one I wandered homewards...

A lovely blackbird perched happily for me..

No it isn't one legged!! Many birds seem to use a single leg for standing like this, reason unknown to me anyway.

At this time of year there are many young birds to be seen on the canal, it was hardly a surprise to find a mallard with chicks..

The sun was out and the scenery pleasant..

Some canada geese with youngsters came near enough for me to try a real close up shot...

Trying to capture swallows in flight is rather more difficult, this was the best I managed..

A swan with cygnets passed by...

The walking is obviously fairly level, there not even any locks on this stretch I maintained a good speed with an occasional stop for a drink from my thermos. Occasional heavy showers meant the waterproofs were kept in easy reach but as the afternoon wore on the weather became more settled and the sunny spells lasted longer, much appreciated!

This little duckling was speeding around like a clockwork toy!

 

Silsden was reached safely and post walk re-hydration undertaken!

 

The weather forecast for Sunday was for a dull outlook, signs were that there could be some improvement in mid to late afternoon.

 

We set off for a short walk on Barden Moor...the home of unanswerable questions regarding walking with dogs...a sign in the car park we use says clearly NO DOGS! but fifty yards away on the bridleway from Halton Heights to Rylstone..

 



 

This is the only path on the moor where dogs are allowed, the other paths are "permissive" and the estate can set their own rules, however distasteful most people find them.

 

 

The forcasted improvement was slow to develop and it was still rather grey as I took a shot over the lower reservoir towards Simons Seat..

 

Meadow pipits are one of the main victims of the cuckoo con trick but their numbers are such that they can absorb the losses..lovely birds..

 

 

We passed the upper reservoir before taking another path eastwards..

 

 

 

Greylag geese form a protective shield around their youngsters..

 

 

I found a lovely common sandpiper in full song on a wall..

 

 

 

And a curlew in mid call too...

 

 

Another meadow pipit, this one preparing to dine..

 

 

A small white butterfly..

 

 

Reaching the edge of the moor we could hear stonechats, the adults were too active to capture on camera but a lovely youngster posed..

 

 

Some lovely freshly developed cotton grass completed the sightings for the day..

 

 

 

Not the greatest of wildlife sighting weekends but time spent outdoors is always welcome....

 

Please remember if you do wish to add a comment that they come to me for approval first, and thanks to all readers, much appreciated :-))

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



8-10th June 2013, Wharfedale and Malham

Having spent the last weekend catching up on family commitments and the jobs that need doing after a two week holiday I was looking forward to a good wildlife watching couple of days.

A very early start on Saturday saw me on the banks of the river Wharfe well before 7.00am, early enough to catch the goosander chicks still enjoying a snooze:-)

The bluebells were displaying well, a green veined butterfly was adorning one...

After a few weeks without a visit I wasn't sure what stage the nesting birds would have reached, this pair of pied flycatchers were quite obviously feeding youngsters as they worked busily too and fro from the box....male and female respectively..

I was watching unobserved by the birds from the cover of a bush, if you get too close they will not enter the box and the youngsters go hungry. Regrettably I had to rebuke a couple who seemed to want their lens almost into the box...

Judging by the sounds from the now leafy treetops the redstarts have fledged and I caught only an occasional glimpse of their beauiful colours.

Moving on down river I found a lovely and elegant common sandpiper..

The sun shone occasionally down through the trees producing this lovely colour effect around a cute duckling..

It is always a treat to see a grey heron..

I was now on the lookout for dippers and I found some, not difficult here really, but I had a problem the sun was now blazing down and I was looking straight into it! Despite trying several adjustments on the camera and taking a lot of shots there were none of a suitable quality.

Returning to the woods I spotted another green veined white...

A splendidly coloured chaffinch adopted a lovely stance..

A female pied flycatcher was observed taking a break from feeding duties..

A grey wagtail danced and fluttered on the riverside rocks..

A final look at the gorgeous bluebells..

And finally for the day some spectactular fungi...

Another half day of catch up jobs on Sunday, the forecast was for a dull afternoon and we didn't plan anything other than a local wander. As often happens the weather forecast was wrong and by late morning the sun was breaking through, a quick decision to visit Malham to check on the progress of the peregrine falcons, news that the young chicks were beginning to fly was exciting!

The view of the amphitheatre like Malham Cove.

After a chat with the RSPB team and some views of at least one young bird whizzing around and landing in various places we took the steps to the top. Regular visits teach you where the birds are likely to perch and we found one straight away..

A short search through the binocs and another was located..

Sometimes take off occurs and you just do not have chance to set the camera at a suitable speed..

I managed to move a little closer to the remaining falcon...

Wonderful, and warm sunshine too!!

We wandered back down to the base just in time to see a great spotted woodpecker nearby...

A grand afternoon indeed...

On Monday I spent the afternoon at my local raptor watch and saw several splendid species through binoculars and telescope. The camera sees little use there but I keep it close by just in case...I did spot this small copper butterfly..

And I witnessed a grouse seeing a couple of its youngsters across a moorland track..

It is hard to believe how much growth there has been in both animals and vegetation since we set off for Scotland, the beauty of Spring:-))

25th April - 1st May 2013, Fine weather and birds arrive by the day!

The distinctive song of a willow warbler is often accompanied by an indistinct view of said bird, I have captured them successfully in the past and certainly hope to do better than this shot which could be almost anything!

I was out on a short midweek wander at my barn owl site, as the sun began to set some wonderful colours were produced in the sky..

As useful photographic light disappeared the owls did appear, ah well perhaps another time!

Saturday saw me in Wharfedale quite early, I was eager to take a look at the dippers and see how the nests I know of from previous years were progressing.

The first bird I had the chance to photograph was another species though, a lovely pied wagtail..

The primroses in the area are doing well...

Pretty soon I got my first look at the birds I had come to see, a dipper in traditional pose..

Their habitat co-incides with a lovely bird which has just returned from migration, common sandpiper.

More dipper sightings, all the same bird as I struggled to find activity near the nest sites.

There was plenty of avian activity up in the treetops and out of practical reach for my camera, still concentrating on the river in those circumstances I found another sandpiper..

I don't know the name of these fungi, burnt toast would be appropriate:-))

Many walk here, it is enjoyable in most weathers, but merely staying on the made path shows little imagination. This little contributory stream is a splendid diversion and has led to some spectacular sightings in the past, today I had to content myself with the peace, quiet and lovely view.

Resuming my trek on the main path I was now not far from the car, ducklings appeared with a proud mum:-)

The last worthwhile sighting of the day was a dunnock doing it's usual ground feeding by a shelter..

 

 

There was no walk on Sunday as we had lots of family commitments.

 

On a sunny Monday, I returned to Wharfedale with high hopes, the sun was out and it was a warm day, perfect for some static bird watching.

 

I always take what I would call a test shot just to make sure I have the settings somewhere near right, I rarely keep that shot but on this occasion the goosander looks too good to discard!

 



This was taken across the full width of the river.

Nearer to me an oystercatcher posed nicely on one leg!

Many migrant birds are returning now, the fine and warmer weather seems to attract them, I can't think why!

Pied flycatchers are stunning little birds, tough to get near to but occasionally they do stay still in the trees. I wasn't really close to this male, nevertheless I am pleased with the shot:-)

I was sat quietly deep in the woods, scanning all around through the binocs, sometimes you can look too far away...a lovely thrush walked almost across my boots!

A female pheasant passed by...

I don't mind feeders shots of birds which are otherwise nearly impossible to photograph, with study of habitat and a little patience the nuthatch can be found and photographed away from artificial feed.
This one was sizing up something down below it...

And so to the riverbank and some hilarity, I settled in on a bank where just opposite is normally a good dipper nest site. A dipper sped by, then another, then another, it appeared an interloper was being chased away and the scene was repeated several times.

I practice complete non-disturbance near any nest site, being content to sit and watch the behaviour patterns and keep an eye out for any places where the birds may rest.

I took another detour into the trees and had sightings of blackcap and redstart, each a stunning bird and each eluded the lens!

One little beauty I did manage to capture was a treecreeper as it scuttled around a tree trunk.

There may well have been some bits of food on the end of this wall as I took a break, various birds visited....I didn't need to photograph these but.....

Female chaffinch...

Male chaffinch...

Robin...

Time to move on and into the trees again, on a previous visit I had seen a small bird darting through the trees with nest material, it appeared to be ground nesting. Working on the assumption that it was a warbler, which it appeared to be, that limited it to one of two possibilities. With helpful input from friends and some research I was confident I could identify it if I got a half decent sighting. Working myself into a comfortable but concealed position well away from the potential nest I sat and waited, and waited and waited, several half views resulted before I got a definitive one, a wood warbler and now I tried to get a photograph. With several layers of foliage between me and its flightpath it would not be easy and this was the best I managed...

Tuesday evening I had a short walk on the moor near home...

A reed bunting...

Not great light up here, a neglected plantation yielded a roe deer stag..

A meadow pipit appeared on a nearby wall...

There were prospects of a decent sunset....

I made my way back to a farm where my car was parked, just in time..

Wednesday saw another fine night, a kestrel hunted in the evening sunshine...

How beautiful the weather has been, and how it has been appreciated too. Some new species seen, some photographed too, and some great adventures and learning experiences with some old favourites.

I have something rather special on the cards this coming Saturday....................................