Wednesday 3 April 2019

Hometown haunts

While visiting my parents on Saturday I took a walk around Yeadon Dam and Nunroyd Park, places I spent a lot of time at as a child and don't visit enough now!

The weather was good (I know shocking to hear!), the sun was out and it was quite spring like. We were at the dam early enough for it to be fairly quiet still, just the odd dog walker. Someone had dropped seed on the jetty for the ducks. Sparrows, Swans and Gulls were enjoying it too.

Black-headed Gull




Mute Swan



Tufted Duck



One of a pair of Great Crested Grebes


Around the ponds at the back we could hear Chiffchaff, Wrens, Goldfinch and over the airport runway a Kestrel was hovering. 


These three farmyard ducks were chasing Mallards all around the dam


I guess we were the early birds today........


At Nunroyd it had warmed up further and the park was full of birdsong with Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Greenfinch, Goldfinch......Crows were cawing and chasing Woodpigeons, overhead a Red Kite and a Buzzard were circling. 


I'm not sure what this bee is?


Greenfinch


Crows peeling bark off the trees


So starts my yearly series of Warblers shot from underneath as they never get down to eye level!!

Chiffchaff


Bullfinch


Robin


On the pond we saw a few Mallards, a Moorhen, a farmyard duck and the infamous Swans! The pond here is well watched and a Swan pair successfully reared cygnets last year but unfortunately the male Swan died despite the best efforts of the Swan Rescue. The female has found a new mate it seems and I watched them do a lot of synchronised head bobbing on Saturday, they've been seen rebuilding last years nest too.  





A Red Kite followed us out of the park 


You can see a lot more about what can be found in Nunroyd Park on Amanda's blog here

9 comments:

  1. ...that looks like a warm spring day for sure...love your swans and that red kite so aerodynamic in shape!

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    1. Isn't it, I love watching them fly overhead, we get them over the house occasionally.

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  2. It looks a wonderful park for wildlife and you spotted some great birds. Lovely to see the Red Kite :)

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    1. I don't think i'll ever tire of spotting a Kite!

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  3. Great to see the places I visit, and looks like you had a nice day. The swans have started to nest build withe the help of some gifted straw, still not managed to photograph the bullfinch or the chiffchff. I've just done a post on the park, got a Tawny mining bee, but not sure if it is the same as yours. So bad at I'd bees. I spotted two Buzzards hovering over morrisons, we get loads of Red kites but rare to see the Buzzards.
    Great set of photos.
    Amanda xx

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    1. Thank Amanda:) Yes I saw a couple of posts about the swans on Facebook, it's all looking very promising. I was lucky spotting the Bullfinch, it flew in behind me and i'd just turned around to watch the Kite, i'd have missed it otherwise! I'm not good with bees, I think i've figured one out then start doubting myself! Maybe the Buzzards will stick around? x

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  4. Replies
    1. Thanks Nick, it is, I should visit more often!

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  5. I love birds, all of them!! Sweet photos!

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