St Aidan's

We spent a couple of hours walking around on Saturday morning, the weather was glorious, not too hot for walking though I think if we'd stayed later it would have been (for me anyway!).

By the main path towards the reedbeds we were surrounded by Sedge Warblers, Meadow Pipits, Sylark, Goldfinch, Reed Buntings and Linnets. In the reedbeds themselves, more Sedge Warblers, Reed Buntings, Linnets and Reed Warblers.

Meadow Pipit

Reed Bunting

Reed Warbler

Sedge Warbler

Reed Bunting

Linnet

Sedge Wabler

On the water I finally saw two of the Black-necked Grebes which I managed to miss on our last visit! They were distant and soon off into the reeds but I got good enough views.

A couple of Common Terns flew over and just two Swifts. The lack of Swallows, Martins and Swifts was very noticeable, especially compared to last year when we visited around the same time.

There were quite a few chicks on the water, mostly Geese and Coot and one Mallard family.

The paths around the reedbeds were guarded by Black-headed Gulls, they flew off as we approached but settled down again behind us.

My first dragonfly of the year landed on the path in front of us and we saw a moth hidden among the grass. We only saw a handful of butterflies.

Small White

Small China-mark moth?

Common Blue Damselfly

Our time was up.........ok I admit I wanted to be back for the Royal Wedding..........so our time was always going to be limited today but I was hoping for the Grebes and I wasn't disappointed!

Global Big Day

I decided to take part in ebirds Global Big Day again this year. Again it was by public transport, but this year Rodley Nature Reserve instead of Golden Acre.

I started off doing a garden list before we left the house, only 5 species, clearly the birds knew what I was up to.......

My daughter and I set off and we were at Rodley by 9.30. It was a glorious day, lots of sunshine and blue sky. A Chiffchaff greeted us as we walked the road into the reserve, some of the banking had a few Bluebells scattered about and at the bottom my daughter spotted a Whitethroat flying around. It landed briefly in the trees.

From the hides/screens we saw Canada Geese, Cormorant, Little and Great Crested Grebe, Gadwall, Mallard and overhead a large group of Sand Martins, though we didn't see them flying at the wall that's set up for them.

The sun brought out quite a lot of butterflies and along the willow path (and elsewhere) we saw Orange-tip, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Large and Small Whites. We sat a while here watching them fly by and watching Great/Blue Tits and Dunnocks in the trees.

A Moorhen was chasing a Coot around from the Willow Path hide and they disturbed a sleeping Oystercatcher.

We could hear around the reedbeds both Sedge and Reed Warblers, I caught a brief glimpse of a Reed Warbler and Reed Buntings were flying around too.

There were quite a lot of Crows and Magpies around Tim's Field.

The dragonfly ponds were full of tadpoles and snails! Great Tits, Linnet and Goldfinch were flying around the trees there.

A pair of Mallard were curled up by one of the pools 

Stopping for some lunch and a drink we stayed in the visitor centre as the sun was a bit too hot for a picnic table without any shade!

Afterwards we walked around the John Ackroyd meadow, a couple of Swallows were flying around, a Whitethroat was singing in the trees and a Blackcap flew in front of us. The viewing screen part way round was cordoned off due to Blackbirds nesting.

On to the managers garden, it always seems a little odd to see the pumping station so empty of Gulls. We only saw three Gulls all day. At the garden Wrens are nesting in the new part of the hide so that was closed off, it was quiet enough though that we could sit awhile in the other part enjoying the shade. Reed Buntings, Stock Doves, Woodpigeons and Bullfinch visited the feeders, whilst in the surrounding trees we saw a Robin, Wren, Jackdaws and Crows. Suddenly a bird flew down into the hedge from the tree, we hadn't even seen it in the tree.......a Little Owl! A lot of screeching was heard briefly then silence! We stayed in hope it would come back out and after about 20 minutes or so it did but flew across the garden and out of sight in the trees. Pretty cool bird to add to the list!

Another Whitethroat (or the same one) was by the pumping station on the way back past.

The heat was getting to me a bit now (plus I still struggle with my back still when I'm carrying a bag for any length of time) so we decided to head out. It was good to see so many people on the reserve, lots of children too, it was really quite busy as we were leaving early afternoon. A Song Thrush sang us out of the reserve along with the lovely smell of Wild Garlic.

In the end we had 42 Species, I added my two lists to the ebird total. It was a good day and nice to spend the time with my daughter while she's still willing!

Leeds Birdfair

I've been a little lax with posts the past few days, it's not that i've not being doing anything it's just there's not been enough time in the day to post about it!

Saturday was Leeds 2nd Birdfair and we headed over in the morning to check it out. It was already busy with people arriving when we got there around 10 so we decided to walk around the hides first.

A Sedge Warbler was singing outside the lagoon hide, flying about in the grass putting on quite a show!

I could see Great Crested Grebe chicks across the lagoon, they're quite big but the stripes are just still visible. A Cormorant was stood with it's wings spread on one of the islands. A Black Headed Gull flew up from one of the rafts and chased a Heron right off the lagoon, I noticed it had a least one chick on there. In front of the hide a Coot and two chicks were picking at the algae.

In the trees by the willow path Great & Blue Tit youngsters flew about. A Reed Bunting and Robin were on one of the feed tables. 

My daughter spotted several Damselflies as we walked around the reserve, there were quite a few about though not many at the actual dragonfly ponds!

I did however spot a Reed Warbler at the edge of one of the ponds, of course it stayed just enough out of sight I couldn't get a good shot, we stayed and watched till it flew off.

We walked through the hay meadow for the first time in years! We were buzzed by Swallows and Ringlet Butterflies at every turn. I didn't realise there was a viewing screen part way around either, there was not a lot to see but we could hear a Chiffchaff calling. A Large Skipper was hanging on a leaf, the only one we saw all day and a Meadow Brown was hidden in the grass.

On to the visitors centre for a much needed cup of tea and we also got a couple of Canadian molasses cookies that someone had home baked for the fair. I didn't take a photo because I ate them too fast, they were absolutely delicious, I ate my daughters too as she wasn't keen! We wondered around the stalls and had a chat with the local RSPB group with a view to joining. The practicalities of me getting to regular meetings at the other side of Leeds aren't great unfortunately but i'm going to look into it further as the trips are appealing.

I managed to restrain myself and only bought one book from the book stall and my daughter picked out some jam from the Calverley Beekeepers as we got some last year and she loved it. After a couple of jacket potatoes from the food stall, where the people were working flat out serving food we had a walk up to the managers garden.

A detour off round the Poplar field where we saw more Ringlets and several bees.

We sat at the garden for a little while and watched Jackdaws and around a dozen Stock Doves, the most i've ever seen in one go before, possibly some juveniles there? A loud noise signaled the arrival of 3 Jays, I think a couple of youngsters and an adult, the feathers were sticking up on two of the birds heads. 

Unfortunately we had to leave just after lunch, I wanted to stay for the Birdsong walk but we had other plans. Roll on next years!