To escape the recent madness I took the train to Kirkby Stephen and walked over the Mallerstang ridge. No one else up there and fine views. Moorland birds surpassed themselves with plovers winning. Never been up there before - a wild area with not much path. Camped on top of Sail and saw Ring Ouzels and heard Snipe rodding on the way down. Bowmore was the nightcap.
Sounds like paradise. No midges?Originally Posted by MattPo
Not a one, though I was packing Skin so Soft! It did rain for an hour in the evening - but I had the tent up
Urban wildlife seen on a 5-day visit to Berlin:-
Two swallows flying around in the pedestrian tunnel leading to the Siegessäule (Victory Monument).
An assortment of small birds helping themselves to leftovers on a plate in the outdoor seating area at a cafe in the Tiergarten.
A pair of pigeons nesting at the bathroom window in the apartment we were staying in! [The wall was well over a foot thick, so there was a good ledge for them to make their nest on.]
Curlews up Ollerbrook Clough and on the Eastern side of Kinder. It was lovely to see them so close and not just hear them.
Sedge Warbler just below Mam Tor on Tuesday evening. Probably not very unusual, but not something I see very often. It was very noisy!
In another escape from the human madness, I got the train up to Garsdale on Saturday and went for a wander on Baugh Fell. Set off up Grisedale (what a wonderful hidden little dale, with resident buzzards) and over faint path to Rawthey Gill and up to West Baugh Tarn. Lovely walking over the two tops and back down to Grisdale and the station. Nearly all the nesting birds have departed - only 2 curlew and 2 plovers on top. Much quieter, but lots of smaller birds - pippets, wheatear, skylarks etc. Highlight was seeing female Hen Harrier on the descent. I'd always thought this would be a boring huge peaty lump, but had a very fine walk - Grisedale and the walk on the plateau were superb, with clear views. Howgills look amazing from there.
Beats politics and no people all day.
Just back from a flying weekend visit to the Cairngorms. Managed 43 (yes, forty three!) Ptarmigans in a day - amazing. Also, 3 Snow Bunting, a Crested Tit, a Scotch Argus butterfly and a couple of Red Squirrels. Oh yes, 6 Munros, 5 Munro Tops and 5 Marilyns as well. All in all a fantastic weekend's walking.
Dozens of both Grey and Commone Seals, unusually almost side by side, pair of White Tailed Eagles and a Juvenile Golden Eagle.
Those sightings required a boat admittedly.
Sounds like a cracking trip Geoff. I've never seen a Ptarmigan or a Crested Tit.
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