North Cave Wetlands

One of my favourite places to visit is the Wetlands, we managed to go when it was dull and damp but it was worth it! My husband decided to get a bacon sandwich and cuppa from the Wild Bird Cafe on site before we walked around . The lady there told us a Bittern was on the island so I went onto the platform but it had ducked down out of sight.

There's a Bittern there somewhere!

Lapwings

There were lots of Robins, House Sparrows and Tits around the viewing platform. Before we left the Bittern put it's head up again and we had distant views. We walked on to the East Hide and had a better view of the Bittern, it was still distant and quite hidden but still the best views i've ever had of one! We watched until it flew off into the reeds near the Turret Hide.

Bittern! 

There were a lot of smaller birds in the trees - Tits, Finches Song Thrush, my husband spotted a Treecreeper and a little further along a Marsh Tit was in the tree with a second at the feeders. 

Robin

Treecreeper

Tree Sparrows & Goldfinch

Long-tailed Tit

From the Turret hide we saw lots of flighty Lapwings, a small flock of Redshank and lots of Teal, a couple of Wigeon amongst them, a few Shelduck too and a single Little Egret.

Redshank

Teal

Lapwings

Little Egret

Walking further round we heard a Cetti's Warbler calling in the reeds and there were lots more Teal on the water too.There was a Yorkshire Wildlife Trust event in the Crosslands Hide and it was very busy so we didn't stay there long instead spending a little time watching Cormorants and Oystercatchers from the South Hide. 

It had been drizzling for most of the walk and we were feeling pretty damp and chilly by now so were glad to get back to the car and warm up! 

A very good visit especially seeing the Bittern and the Marsh Tits!

Adel Dam & Golden Acre

Up early on Sunday for a walk around the park before it got too busy. A Goosander was on the main lake at Golden Acre along with Mallard,Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Coot and the stroppy farmyard goose that was pecking shoes last time.

Robin

Tufted Duck

Goosander

We could hear Chiffchaff, Blue Tits, Dunnocks and Robins, there were a few Nuthatch around too.

Nuthatch

Dunnock

This American skunk cabbage grows around the edge of the water and I quite like it, it's managed so it doesn't spread as it's an invasive species.

Onto Adel Dam and we saw more Nuthatches. At the first hide we chatted to a guy already in there, we the first people he'd seen so far this morning. A couple of Mandarin were around with the usual small birds at the feeders. 

Mandarin

From the lake hide we saw quite a few Greylag Geese, Teal,Little Grebe, more Mandarins and overhead a Red Kite and a couple of Buzzards

Greylag Goose

Moorhen

Teal

At the side of the hide where the feeders are a Reed Bunting flew in, i've not seen one here before.

Reed Bunting

Blue Tit

We carried on and walked through the woods stopping for a while to watch a Treecreeper fly around the trees. Further along the path a bird flew up out of the undergrowth - a Woodcock! Then a few minutes later another, again a new bird for me here and a bit of a surprise....although probably more so for the poor birds!

Treecreeper

Patch Update

The first patch bird of the year - a Magpie, heard from the comfort of my bed!

I started off with a couple of walks around the patch on New Years Day (due to late nights, getting up early and getting out for a day of birding is not something that's going to happen in my house anytime soon!). Still I was up and out before anyone in the house stirred and it was a quiet but damp walk around town.

I managed to disturb a Pied Wagtail, which flew off chirping crossly! Overhead I had a flock of 7 Pink-footed Geese, a Sparrowhawk chasing flocks of Feral Pigeons and Starlings, Black-Headed Gulls and Crows. Lots of other birds around too, it was such a dull day though every bird almost looks black and white!

In the park the trees were full of Blackbirds, there was a large flock of Redwings too, but they scattered pretty quickly. Lots of Goldfinch in the treetops, their song accompanied me around the park. 

I saw that the Kingfisher had been spotted again down by the dipping pond in Churwell Woods so in the afternoon I went to have a look. Of course no luck, really there was too many people out for a walk at that time of day. Walking the length of the woods brought plenty of other birds including Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldfinch, Long-tailed Tits and my first Greenfinch in months. 

Then a bird appeared on a tree that i've not seen on the patch before - a Treecreeper! It was running around the trunk and posed beautifully. That made up for the lack of Kingfisher, such a cracking little bird.

Since then i've picked up a few new birds over the past week or so on my walks to work and a couple of short visits to the Woods. The Kingfisher has eluded me and i'm not sure it's been seen again.

It's been a dreary foggy dull wet week this week but every morning about 6.30 i've heard a Robin singing and today despite all the damp fog for the first time in a while I walked to work surrounded by birdsong, the dawn chorus is on it's way!

So far my total is 31 birds, which is a big chunk of my overall total from last year so a good start? We'll see how it goes!

Bolton Abbey

Easter saw us at Bolton Abbey, fairly early as usual to try and avoid the crowds. It was dull and a little chilly but we don't let that stop us!

Best part of the day watching a couple of Goldcrests flit around the branches in the woods near Barden Bridge. Of course they still managed to hide for the most part but I managed a few shots.

This little hut overlooking the river is perfect for a break and is fantastic to sit and watch the birds, which are all quite used to people being around.

We saw Dippers, Mandarins, Grey and Pied Wagtails, Mallards and Goosander on the river.

The sheep were noisy and there were a few lambs about

A few other shots from the day