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

Yeadon Dam & Nunroyd Park

Made the most of a visit to my parents last week with a trip around the dam first, another lovely day and it was busy with dog walkers.

As usual there were plenty of birds waiting to be fed, they were out of luck this morning though.

The top end of the dam is overflowing with grasses and flowers, it's lovely to see and the butterflies and bugs clearly agree. We saw Meadow Brown, Small Tortoiseshell and Small Whites and lots of ladybirds.

Great Willowherb

This rather scruffy looking Magpie was hopping about by the boat house, i'm not sure why it's in such a state?

As we were walking I decided to take us through Nunroyd Park, somewhere I haven't been in years, but after reading posts over on The Quiet Walker I though it was about time I explored. 

We walked through Kirk Lane park to get there, they are building an actual path between the two but as it was mid week and nobody was actually working on it i'm not sure sure when (if) it'll be finished?

There were a lot of Blackbirds in the Rowan trees and quite a few Goldfinch around but they weren't too happy to pose for a photo.

Amongst the thistles and flowers were more Goldfinch and a lot of butterflies, the Small Tortoiseshell was the only one I snapped photos of though.

The flowers here were beautiful as well, I need to make more of an effort with identifying them, I used to know lots as a child out walking with my Dad, but i'm sad to say names escape me now!

Edit, thanks to Amanda for help with the flowers! 

Meadow Cranesbill

Meadowsweet

Himalayan Balsam

There were a lot of Damselflies around and several ducks too.

I was happy I made the effort not to bypass these places for a change.