Rivers, woods and moorland - my favourite habitats

I tend to have a routine at this time of the year, checks on on early nesting birds like dippers to see the delightful youngsters, the woodland migrants like pied flycatchers before the foliage becomes too heavy to see them and the moors just because that habitat was the beginning and will be a constant in my love of wildlife.

There are several options for all these and Rombalds Moor, of which Ilkley Moor is a component, proved reliable again for a female wheatear...

The river Wharfe is the best I know for dippers and I had great fun watching an adult trying to tempt a youngster to eat a fish. Whether the size was putting the young one off I don't know but it steadfastly refused to take it!

Caddis flies were eagerly accepted though!

A short walk further down river takes me into the woods and a shelter where visitors scatter seed to attract birds. The seeds also attract voles and mice which appear from gaps in the walls, first what I think is a short tailed vole then the big eyes and ears of a wood mouse.

Pied flycatchers migrate between here and Africa each year, nesting and breeding here before leaving in Autumn. The fact that they return to the same nest site each year is not only amazing but makes you wonder at the instincts that guides birds like these, part of my love of nature is the way they are influenced by factors we do not fully comprehend.

My RSPB duties at Malham have resumed, shots of the peregrines from the watchpoint are difficult and usually long range!

More on these beauties later!!!

While on duty at Malham I spotted a bird rarely seen nowadays. People often say they have seen yellow wagtails when what they have seen is the grey which does have a lot of yellow, I had to double check myself when I spotted this!

Not a great angle but a notable sighting.

The call of a cuckoo is a sign of spring, a message from a friend of one appearing really close is a sign of me throwing gear into the car and driving as soon as I can to the location! A male and apparently one keen to have his photograph taken, a remarkable experience.

At peregrine watch I get breaks and I usually look round the base of the Cove to see what is around, I got really lucky with a wren....

A walk on the moors to our secret ring ouzel site paid dividends with a good sighting of the male...

I spent a couple of hours just enjoying the warmth of the sun by the river Wharfe but had to appreciate the beauty of a kingfisher landing nearby with a catch to take back to the nest...

And finally the peregrines...two chicks this year. We went up as visitors so we could get up on the top and try to get some closer shots...super afternoon, my favourite birds so the emotional tie is strong and so good to see more young birds being raised successfully...

I am often asked why I like the predatory birds so much...having given the matter some thought I can only conclude that their care and love for their youngsters is exemplary, I have witnessed extreme tenderness and they train and prepare the chicks for the hard life they will face. The territory they rule is guarded fiercely and as the world's fastest animal when you see a hint of the speed they can get to, I just love them!

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

Have a great summer everyone!

Lots of favourites and some new wildlife too!

I don't really have a favourite season as each one can offer amazing beauty and sightings of special wildlife. Spring however offers opportunities to see some wonderful birds before the canopy of leaves grows and we are left with a beautiful but invisible chorus!

There are a few local sites where I visit with intense regularity at this time of year, fingers firmly crossed and a huge amount of expectation in mind. Strid Woods at Bolton Abbey is a firm favourite and has been for many years.

Many birds can be seen along the river and in the woods, the magnificent pied flycatchers find their way back from Africa every year, the amazing instinct that guides birds like these continues to fascinate me.

Male pied flycatcher...

Not great light on the day but a delight to welcome them back.

Nuthatch are common year round birds in the woods but are always photogenic...

Treecreepers are tricky to get near enough to photograph but with patience I get lucky now and again...

Roe deer roam the woodland, seldom seen on busy days but a bonus of regular midweek trips is the opportunity to see them close.

With dippers on the river there can be little wonder why I spend so much time here!

Not far from here there are ring ouzels nesting and I was fortunate to get a shot of a male in flight...

A trip to a local reservoir resulted in some photgraphs which created a lot of discussion amongst birding friends, what I presumed was a female sparrowhawk...it was certainly large...could well be a male goshawk, hard to tell apart but the thick body and large head certainly suggest goshawk. The bird was very high so the shots are heavily cropped which restricts detail.

A chance sighting on my way to my RSPB peregrine watch duty, a little owl...

Green woodpeckers are around at the peregrine watchpoint...

Redstarts are back from Africa too...

Of course we are there to watch peregrines!!!

Another walk in Strid Woods, this time the light is better and the pied flycatchers look stunning...

As do the redstarts!

Another visit to the ring ouzel site and a brief sight of the male...

Back into the woods as the season progresses, a nuthatch almost too close for my lens to focus!

More pied flycatchers...

And a real bonus, wood warblers are scarce, their song is beautiful as are their colours...

And another male redstart...

House martins are back at Malham, another thing to add delight to the peregrine sightings...

And to end on a real bonus... a yellow wagtail. Normally seen at higher altitudes this is a real beauty and to see close a privilege I shall never forget!

Exciting times in the last couple of weeks and hopefully many more good sightings to come. The peregrine chicks are hatched and I look forward to keeping you updated on their progress, with photographs, in the weeks to come. Meanwhile we are heading to Suffolk for a week's holiday, the forecast looks good and the wildlife sites look great!

Many thanks to all who read, please don't forget any comments come to me first for moderation.