Showing posts with label green woodpecker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green woodpecker. Show all posts

Wednesday, 25 September 2019

Out and About

Since we've been back from holiday we've only had chance for a couple of hours out here and there, visiting Rodley Nature Reserve and Fairburn Ings. Though at the moment work is busy, stressful and exhausting, which is not inspiring me to do much of anything right now.

A couple of hours at Rodley and it was a beautiful morning, quite peaceful and nice to escape for a little while.




There were lots of Bees and Hoverflies around, some of them were so laden with pollen, it's a wonder they could fly!





Fairburn the following week was not quite as sunny and I didn't take many photos, it was pretty quiet bird wise but it was still a good morning out and we followed it up with Fish and Chips!





The garden is as busy as ever, sitting watching the birds early morning before anyone else is up is my favourite thing, though the days are getting shorter so it's getting to the point i'm up before the birds now!

We've had lots of moths and butterflies in the garden all summer


Large White


Comma


Red Admiral


Our Fuschia looks like it's died off every year but then it comes back bigger than ever


This spider was on this poor bee in record time, spinning it into it's web before eventually carrying it off somewhere, it was fascinating to see.


We've had the odd Sparrowhawk around the garden, i've yet to see one catch anything though!


We always have a few passing Warblers through the garden at this time of year but these past few weeks since August have been the best yet with Willow Warblers and Chiffchaff almost daily and at one point a Whitethroat too, this is only the second one in the garden in all the years we've been here.



Our Magpie family has done well they visit the garden daily now including this beautiful bird below, the photo doesn't capture just how stunning the green on the tail is!


Robin


Goldfinch have done well too, lots of youngsters, I ended up having to put an extra feeder out for them, we've had up to 30 in the garden sometimes. 


We're still having visits from 2 or 3 Hedgehogs every night, 2 of them are very small so we think they are youngsters. At least one of the adult ones seems to sleep behind our shed during the day.
 

Of course we still have a Squirrel though not as often at the moment, which does save on the mess!


I have had a couple of walks in the Woods and parks - of course my walk to work is pretty scenic. There's very much an autumnal feel to everything now, conkers and leaves dropping, a chill early morning and some lovely misty sun too. 


Blackbird sunning itself





Hopefully things at work will ease off over the next few weeks and i'll be out and about a bit more. 

Wednesday, 24 July 2019

St Aidan's

The day after Adel Dam we headed over the St Aidan's. It was a beautiful day and straight off we saw a Green Woodpecker by the dragline and a Great Spotted flew to the feeders by the visitors centre.



We walked down to Bowers lake, dragonflies and butterflies everywhere. By the lake a flock of birds flew in the bushes in front of us - Bearded Tits, after missing the showy one earlier in the year there was no mistaking these, around 6 of them in and out of the reeds following us along the path. Such beautiful little birds!



There were a lot of Common Terns all over the reserve, I could happily watch them diving for fish all day long.


Pochard (thank you David!)





Common Tern


Wren


A Greylag nursery, there were around 20 young geese together


Stonechat


It was a good day for Dragonflies too. I'm not sure all the Id's are correct.

Common Blue


Blue-tailed Damselfly


Common Darter?


Banded Demoiselle


Common Blue


Blue-tailed


And then there were Butterflies............everywhere! In places you were surrounded and it was lovely (really pleased my daughter wasn't with us this time, the hysteria would have been a touch overwhelming!)

Small Skipper


The only Painted Lady we saw and a rather worn one too


Small Skipper


Gatekeeper




A worn Meadow Brown (thanks Louise)


Meadow Brown


Small White



Giant Horntail (?) and Soldier Beetle



Five-spot Burnet Moth


Another good morning!