3rd-4th August 2013, Wharfedale, canal and lanes, and Leighton Moss

The weather at the weekend was a bonus, not looking too promising all week yet when it finally arrived it was pleasantly good.

I had planned a very early start over in Wharfedale, not early because I thought I would see more wildlife but because I thought I would see less people! On the road at 6.30am and at my Barden Bridge destination before 7.00 I blessed my preparations, the waterproofs were packed and needed as a brisk shower fell soon after I began my walk. There wasn't much to see and I kept the camera packed away for a while, as the rain ceased I optimistically hoped some sunshine may appear but it was some time before any brightness filtered into the woodland.

Eventually though a few rays found there way through and I began to find some subjects...fungi on a tree..

Down at the river a young dipper...

More youngsters, a chaffinch and a blue tit as I reached the half way point of my walk and crossed the bridge for the return...

Not much reward for my early start but if you don't try you see even less!

Nearly back at the car a treetop goldfinch..

The weather was settled now and after a re-fuel at home I set out again, this time using the canal towpath and some country lanes to explore to the east of my home town of Silsden.

A mallard at least offered a sunlit photograph...

Swallows rested on a field side fence..

The settled weather has seen a profusion of butterflies, here I think is a small heath..

Moorhens are lovely, quirky birds, rarely still and not the easiest to get sharp shots of, here a youngster heads out for some exploration..

I am trying to get better at flight shots, swallows are maybe not the easiest ones to practice on but I got a couple of reasonable results. The blobs in the pix must be insects magnified by my lens as they only appear in some shots and always in different places.

Another beautiful butterfly, the peacock, completed my shots for the day.

Discussions took place over Saturday evening as to the viability of a trip to Leighton Moss over near Carnforth in Lancashire. My assertion that the forecast of reasonable weather until early afternoon would be correct but that the weather would hold for longer eventually won, some preparatory work was undertaken, lens and camera cleaned and battery put on charge, and alarm set for silly o'clock again!!!

The day started slowly again, a blue tit appeared momentarily as we walked to our first hide...

A cormorant perched out in the water...

Some views of distant marsh harriers were entertaining enough but I was eager for more photographic opportunities.

A patient study of movement in nearby shrubs proved profitable as eventually a beautiful little sedge warbler posed for just long enough...

A reliable mallard posed nicely in the sun...

And that was that for the morning session, we retired to the car for a picnic lunch and a rest.

Re-envigoured and always hopeful we ventured out again in the now bright sunshine...we found a swan enjoying a splash and revelling in the cooling results...

A tiny moorhen chick...

A grey heron hunted out in the reeds...

A lovely little snipe shuffled around near the hide...

The juvenile marsh harriers occasionally flew near enough for me to try a shot or two...

The snipe stayed nearby...

My nearest view of the harrier turned out to be a silhouette...

The little egrets are wonderful to see...

A lovely red deer fawn appeared...

Joined later by some adult females with occasional visits from the marsh harrier as well...

Another great and rewarding, if tiring, weekend.

Many thanks to all readers, the numbers are much appreciated and make the small job of compiling and writing the blog very worthwhile.

Don't forget that any comments come to me first for moderation.

The next blogs will be from Norfolk, hopefully the WIFI in the property we are renting will have sufficient bandwith for me to keep things up to date!

20-22nd July 2013, A grey but fine weekend

I was looking forward to last weekend, a hot sunny week led to high expectations and I had a good walk on Rombald's Moor planned for Saturday.

With my camera cleaned and charged and a kind offer of a lift at both ends of the walk to save me some unnecessary road plodding all looked good. Some high white and grey cloud persisted but the forecast was for the sun to break through before too long and I began my walk at Keighley Gate.

Some days, despite all my fieldcraft practice, all I seem able to do is disturb wildlife no matter how much care I take! As I set out along side the wall red grouse took to the air in every direction, their noisy flight seeming to mock me, good job I was in an optimistic mood.

Eventually I found a willing model, a lovely meadow pipit, a theme that was to continue all the walk!

There is lots of cotton grass at the moment...

The conditions have been wonderful for butterflies, a small tortoiseshell...

The meadow pipits were either feeling sorry for me or oblivious to whatever clumsiness was making the grouse flee :-))

Some of the patches of cotton grass were so dense I could try some variations in focal length..

The sun was finding gaps in the cloud now and again, a gentle breeze blew and the day was far from unpleasant.

A rest break on a handy rock brought me a lovely neighbour, yes a meadow pipit again!

There are good markers to the strength of the wind up here...

I am gaining more knowledge about butterflies but needed help from a friend to confirm that this a wall brown..

A large white settled momentarily...

A hover fly...

Another small tortoiseshell...

And a ringlet and small tortoiseshell sharing a flower...

A good walk and I was happy with how I coped with the weight of the new camera plus backpack on a decent walk in warm conditions.

On Sunday afternoon we drove up to Malham to meet the RSPB team, it is nearly the end of their stint for the year. Three successfully fledged peregrine falcon chicks is testimony to their work, let alone the hosts of other birds they help people to see and identify.

On the way up to the viewpoint we spotted a grey heron near the beck...

Near the viewpoint a lovely redstart posed on a tree stump...

A grey wagtail gathered food for its family...

I spotted house martins taking a sip of water in the edge of the beck, although this first shot was a complete accident as the bird took off straight at me...

Another grey wagtail shot...

A greenfinch on the RSPB feeders...

And one of the adult peregrines made an appearance, the nature of the sky made my photographs silhouettes though...

The grey heron was still there as we returned to the car...

Family jobs limited my time on Monday but I had sufficient to allow a short moorland walk, perhaps my luck or skill with the red grouse would have changed....

Still finding meadow pipits...

Near the end of my wander things changed :-))

And that evening a fine moon too..........

The change in the weather and the ensuing thundery conditions have meant no further midweek expeditions but maybe things will improve again next week.

Many thanks to all who read and enjoy, thanks also if you wish to add a comment....don't forget though that comments come to me first for approval..........