I had a good day for spotting birds today. Walking round the local Nature reserve saw Tree Creepers, nut hatches and Goosander as well as many more common birds. The real stars though were a flock of Greenfinches on a feeder I fill. Never seen them in the reserve and not seen one for a long time.
Then out running this afternoon saw a Barn owl and as I crossed the River Wharfe to get home a Kingfisher flew under the bridge.
A very good day's haul. You should buy a lottery ticket.
On my regular early morning walk round our local Nature Reserve I was very please to see a Goldcrest very close. Tiny little bird, hopping round a bush looking for food.
This morning whilst out on my bike I was approaching Top o'th'Edge near Longnor when I heard a bird squawking in some hawthorns to my left. I then saw a Sparrowhawk diving into the trees 3 times before a Buzzard flew across the road about 20 feet in front of me at head height, closely followed by the Sparrowhawk who by now was above the Buzzard and started dive bombing it, causing a small flurry of feathers on each of the four times it made contact.
The Buzzard, who was struggling to gain height, eventually found an updraft from the edge and started to wheel away leaving its attacker behind only for 4 jackdaws, who appeared from a large tree, to start mocking it.
Not a Happy New Year for the Buzzard but a wonderful wildlife encounter for me!
Visibility good except in Hill Fog
Doing my squirrel trap round this morning I had 2 unexpected firsts. A red squirrel in one trap and then a pine marten in the next one. Photo as proof and then released unharmed, I wouldn't stick my fingers anywhere near that marten, big gnashers.
Don't roll with a pig in poo. You get covered in poo and the pig likes it.