Wednesday 9 August 2017

Rodley Nature Reserve

After discovering how easy it is to get to Rodley NR on the bus (I don't always have the car on a weekend when my husband is working and this weekend it was in the garage anyway!) we hopped over there on Saturday morning.

The lagoon was a little quiet, with a few BH Gulls, GC and Little Grebes amongst others with Sand Martins and Swifts overhead.




We found a few toads in the mini beast homes, they were quick to hop off so we didn't disturb them for long.


From the Reedbed hide we were lucky enough to get a brief glimpse of a Kingfisher as it landed for a few seconds on the new landing posts there. Not long after a Water Rail ran across the gully just by it too. I didn't have my camera in my hand for either, typically and they were too quick for photos!

There were a few damselflies around the pond but they didn't settle long, mostly we saw snails and the odd hoverfly! 




Walking down the river walk I could see some guys with a scope on a bird out on the scrubland there, flying in and out of a tree, I watched it through the binoculars and the gentleman very kindly let me look through the scope - a Spotted Flycatcher!

After taking a walk through the hay meadow we sat at a picnic table overlooking the reserve for some lunch. Lovely to sit amongst the butterflies on the surrounding Buddleia (unfortunately my daughter was not impressed, she has issues with butterflies coming within a 10ft radius - slightly challenging!). We saw Peacock, Comma, Small White, Ringlet and Gatekeeper.







Up to the managers garden to watch Bullfinch and Greenfinch at the feeders. Greenfinch are few and far between everywhere I go at the moment. I've seen one in Morley since early spring though that was a juvenile so I suppose that's promising at least. The new hide that's being put up here is looking good, there'll be plenty of viewing spots once it's open. 



A good day out!



8 comments:

  1. Great you can still get out without a car, had thought of going this week as they had been trapping moths, rain put me of. Although it's a nice place to visit, like most places at this time it can be a bit quiet for bird watching. Noticed on Facebook there is good numbers of warblers near wildlife area at far end of Yeadon dam.
    If you are free this weekend the food festival is on at Ilkley, catch the train in.
    Amanda x

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    1. I think they ended up cancelling the moth trapping anyway because of the rain?! Oh yes everywhere is a little quiet right now, still it's worth getting out as you never know! I saw about the Warblers too.

      Ah that sounds fun but this weekend I have a car so we're heading out and about :) x

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  2. Lovely post Pam and good to hear you can reach the reserve easily on public transport - some places can be so difficult without a car.

    Well done on the Spotted Flycatcher - have visited many local churchyards this year but yet to see one :(

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    1. Thanks, they can, i'm a bit limited at times!

      It's my first ever one, Bolton Abbey is good for them but i've never managed to see one there!

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  3. I agree that was a good day out! I have to look up the spotted flycatcher...great you got to see it! Some really impressive butterflies in your post...and that cute little grebe!!

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  4. I've only seen a spotted flycatcher once! You were in the right place at the right time :) Great you can still get out without the car - hope it's back on the road soon.

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    1. Me too, that was my one on Saturday!! It's back on the road now with a bit of a dent in the bank balance though :/

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