Potteric Carr

A couple of Saturdays ago we spent the day at Potteric Carr, another cold and sunny day. We had lovely close encounter with a Roe Deer as we walked through the Beeston Plantation, we just stopped and looked at each for a few moments and then it was off through the woods.

The woods were full of Tits, Goldcrests and Robins.

The sun brought out a few Darters

There was also lots of fungi out including some beautiful Fly Agaric, the fungus in the bottom photo was the size of a dinner plate!

We saw flocks of birds rising up over Huxter Well Marshes as we walked around them including Greylag Geese, Lapwings, Black-headed Gulls, Swans....

We discovered a Marsh Harrier was no doubt the reason for the panicking birds!

Mute Swans

Black-tailed Godwits

It rained as the sun shone whilst we sat in the hides. 

The cattle graze part of the reserve, they're really curious!

My photo doesn't do it justice but these clouds looked amazing

A drake Pintail was with the Shovelers on the lagoon. I've only seen female Pintails before.

We lingered at the hide a little while as it started to get dark to see the start of the thousands of Starlings gathering in the distance, no photos as they were too distant but we watched through the binoculars as more and more joined and they swirled around the Pylons, some have been roosting on the reserve. It's a breathtaking sight to see so many birds move as one. There's a link here to some footage taken the day before by our local news - Starlings or here  

As it started to get dark we had to leave, it's quite a trek back to the entrance from the marshes but worth it to see the Starlings!

St Aidan's

A couple of weeks back we spent the day at St Aidan's. It was cold, sunny, cloudy and dull all at various parts of the day! My husband made use of a new app that tracked how far we walked - 6.2 miles!

A large flock of Rooks kept flying up off the hillside

Wigeon and Coot

Rooks on the hillside

There were lots of Lapwings and Coots, a few Cormorants

Three Goldeneyes just taking off from Lemonroyd Lake, they flew onto the Main Lake

Mute Swans

Robin

Reed Bunting

Grey Heron

This spot seems to belong to the Heron, i've seen several photos from others of it in exactly the same place over the past couple of weeks!

We stayed as it got dusk hoping (along with several others) to see a Short-eared Owl that had been hunting over the hillside the past few days but it didn't appear. We did see a Buzzard, Kestrel and Peregrine as we waited though.

First Frost of the Season

On the 29th the temperature dropped low enough for a frost. I love how it all looks as the sun comes up and everything glows white.

Luckily I was able to have a quick walk in the woods before work so managed a few photos while it was still early, the sun was making short work of the frost though!

If I stay really still they can't see me......

This Robin was singing it's head off

Great Tit

Rodley Nature Reserve

After seeing the Crossbills we called at my parents for lunch and then on to Rodley for a couple of hours, timing it very well as it rained twice and both times we dodged it by being in a hide!

There were lots of Canada and Greylag Geese in the field by the car and a flock of Black-headed Gulls too. A Buzzard was being mobbed by a couple of Crows overhead.

There were Gulls on the lagoon, Black-headed, a few Common and a couple of Herring. Lots of ducks too, we saw Mallard, Teal, Tufted, Wigeon and Gadwell plus Little and Great-crested Grebes. A bird flew low across the water into some reeds - a Water Rail! 

Black-headed Gulls

We counted 7 Jays flying about and there were lots of the usual Tits along side the Willow path, along with Robin, Wren, Pheasant and overhead a Red Kite, which flew around a while, quite low over Tim's field. 

Great Tit

In the reedbeed hide (where we dodged a quick heavy shower) we spoke to some guys who'd also tried for the Crossbills this morning, but it seems after they flew off they didn't put in another appearance. As we sat there I saw something flying low in the distance up the reedbed and thought Kingfisher at first till it got closer, it was a Green Sandpiper!

On the riverside walk I watched a Magpie and a Buzzard have a bit of a tussle, the Buzzard had been sat on the bank at the other side of the river, it flew up into a tree. We warmed up with tea and hot chocolate in the visitors centre and then made our way back to the car to head home.

Greylag and Canada Geese

Chevin Woods

After reading about the Crossbills at the Chevin Woods on Amanda's blog I decided to pay a visit on Sunday.

We got there just after 9 and right away I spotted a guy taking photos of something at the top of the tree - Crossbills and right where they'd been described! We chatted to the guy and watched both males and females at the top of the tree. They were a bit distant for the camera but perfect through the binoculars, it was a gorgeous day and they looked stunning in the sun, a lifer for me. They were there around 20 minutes or so before they were spooked and flew off - 8 altogether.

This Chaffinch called above our heads whilst we watched the Crossbills, probably miffed we weren't paying it any attention!

Lots of sheep in the surrounding fields

The sunlight in between the trees was beautiful, my photos don't do it justice. We walked around a big chunk of the woods.

Where the woods opened out the views across the valley are stunning

A Kestrel flew overhead 

Arncliffe Crag

There were quite a few birds in the trees, Goldcrest, Coal, Great, Blue Tits, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Song Thrush and Bullfinch, none however were willing to pose for a photo. A Red Kite flew over at one point too.

Bullfinch!

It's been years since i've been in these woods I think the last time was probably about twenty years ago and it was at night to watch shooting stars over the valley (I saw two!). It was well worth the visit, I need to make more of an effort to go more often.