Crossbills in the woods at Timble, north of Otley - a first for me.
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Crossbills in the woods at Timble, north of Otley - a first for me.
Nice one. Never seen one.
Me neither - nice one indeed. Apparently they sometimes get them in Macclesfield Forest. But apparently they spend most of their time at the top of tall pine trees, so perhaps I'm not likely to.
3 Snow Buntings at Dale Head summit, in the snow.
Barn Owl quartering a field, just before dusk, near Taddington.
Not exactly wildlife, but when out with the dogs today saw my first,in bloom,snowdrop of the year.
Not wildlife either but saw the first lambs a couple of days ago, proper muddy soggy looking waifs they were
They'll still taste good with mint sauce!Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnK
Whilst running on Barden Moor a flock of about 30 Golden Plover flew across our path.
Whilst out with the dogs this afternoon near Flagg saw my first lapwing of 2020.
A pair of Little Grebes on the Wharfe at Otley, one swallowing a fish. They are hard to spot, being in thick vegetation and often underwater. No lapwings yet, but each evening a flock of curlew fly over our house heading west.
Followed a juvenile fox this morning up a bridal way up on to Walton Hill. The headwind was so strong he was unaware of me and the dog for quite a while so got a good long look. Dog didn't seem to mind whereas foxes in the garden are soon chased off.
Large flock of Lapwing (50+) by the M56 yesterday.
Not really today's - actually Sunday. Three deer near Foxhole hollow in the Goyt Valley.
And Sunday for me as well, a hare going full tilt into the distance on Cunswick Scar
This afternoon out walking with the dogs, between Priestcliffe and Brushfield, saw a pair of Jays and a magnificent Red Dog Fox with a vivid splash of white on the tip of his brush.
Running in Lathkill Dale this lunchtime the Dippers were very busy and in the fields above Ricklow Quarry a solitary Curlew landed on a wall. A bit early around here but perhaps he/she was on a recce!
Just been for a brief walk around the back fields.
2 deer jogging past me and a woodpecker which took a bit of spotting.
Was it the Lesser spots or the Greater spots that took a bit of spotting?
Or perhaps it was the Green against the grass!
Whilst walking on Aran Fawddwy today saw a large dollop of frogspawn in a peaty bog on the lower slopes. The first I've seen this year.
Unfortunately it will probably get destroyed on March 14th as it is right on the Ras Yr Aran route!
Any snow up there, good covering when I look across at the Beacons today.
A decent covering over around 1,200 feet and lovely views showing a similar covering over The Berwyns and Arennigs but there looked to be a bit more on Cader.
Whilst out with the dogs today I found myself downwind of 3 hares, sat on their haunches, checking each other out.
I don't think anyone had told them it was a leap year and they were waiting for tomorrow, in order to go mad!
Three red deer with antlers. Two of whom were having a half-hearted tussle before we drove past and they stopped fighting and went back to grazing, like a pair of naughty school-children hoping we hadn't seen them.
A lovely proper spring day today. A blue sky, a little warmth in the sun but still a nip in the air and, of course,birdsong.
It is my favourite time of year in the wooded limestone dales. The winter storms have blown all the leaves off the trees and the new buds are not yet out which allows views up the dale sides which are only visible for a few weeks. Previously unseen crags come into view which shows potential nest sites to observe later in the year.
As for today's encounter just the usual suspects down in Lathkill Dale,varios woodland birds and dipper, heron,moorhen,coot and mallard. However a nice surprise was two pairs of Mandarin Duck, which I have not seen down there for a couple of years.
I hope they haven't got coronavirus!
The parakeets are back in Warley Woods. Not sure where they have been but not seen them for a while. British winters can't be much for them.
Pair of Goosander on the Peak Forest Canal above Strines this morning. They normally over-winter on the Goyt - must've fancied a change of scenery, or fish!
Retrieved my trail camera from just behind the village, only been up there 5 days but good to see I now have a pair of pine martens, polecat, fox, roe deer and about a million mice!
Pine Martens. Lovely Molehill.Quote:
Originally Posted by molehill
Lots of Skylark singing over the weekend. And there was a Peacock butterfly in Lyme Park on Saturday.
Running near Tilberthwaite - two woodpeckers nearby - different tone, different direction, taking it in turns. Never heard this before. I understand the d-d-d-d-d-d is a territorial warning; to make a hole in the tree they just make individual thrusts at it, with a significant rest in between.
There were twenty Lapwing on and around New Mills golf course yesterday afternoon, then I heard another near the summit of Win Hill later in the evening. Curlew & Golden Plover next to return, presumably. They obviously think spring is on its way.
Had a walk along the Goyt from New Mills towards Strines yesterday and there were Chiffchaff everywhere, singing their little hearts out!
Also 3 pairs of Goosander on the river and a pair of Mandarin ducks up a tree near Brookbottom. Apparently that's where they nest.
Saw my first Greenfinches for 4 years. Pair on friends bird feeder near Pendle Hill. Haven't seen them in Otley for a bit.
Out taking my permitted exercise - a walk with my wife by the Wharfe in Otley and we saw a kingfisher, pair of mandarin ducks and a large flock of curlew - nice. We are all in lockdown and the weather is beautiful with spring happening all around us.
Out taking my permitted exercise - Wood anemones and celandines in full flower and the first violets of the year.
Plenty of celandines and violets in my garden. I have a rather permissive attitude to "weeds".
A Red Kite floating at about 30 feet as if suspended, looking for its next meal.
Working at home. Slight commotion outside the window. Along with the starlings on the lawn, there was a goldfinch.
Out taking my permitted exercise, apair of Mandarin ducks on the Wharfe and another pair on the Washburn. More deer visible with less folk around.