Sunday 31 May 2015

Friday Stroll

         Had a nice stroll down CBNR on friday on a nice but windy
         afternoon, plenty of bird song which was nice to hear.
         First birds seen were Blue Tits, Great Tits, Nuthatch, Robins
         on the car park feeders, then over the weir bridge was an unknown
         bedraggled and soaked bird (robin?) and a Long Tailed Tit by the
         kissing gate, on to the viewing area and a Jay was just flying off,
         it was seen twice more later in the day, 4 Bullfinch, 2 Coal Tit,
         3 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 1 Dunnock, 2 Wood Pigeon, 2 Robin.
         Over the bridge were 2 Grey Wagtail and a Wren, then down by
         the river were 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiff Chaff and 2 Goosander and a
         couple of Damsel Fly's, down at the lagoon reed bed Sedge & Reed
         warblers were singing like mad but stayed hidden and a Heron on the
         banking  Mistle Thrush and young Blackbirds were seen, on to the
         canal and a Reed Warbler finally showed and then a Whitethroat &
         Willow Warbler, on way back to car park had a Heron flyover & a
         Kingfisher flypast.

         Bumped into a with a cage full of Mallard ducklings and there mother
         that had been hit by a car in Brighouse a few days earlier, she let them
         loose on the canal with fingers crossed for there future, then was talking
         to a gentleman who was disgusted about Cormorants been shot and Otter
         traps being set down at the fishing lake.
         I didn't get out on Saturday because was at York races which turned
         out well.
       










       

Wednesday 27 May 2015

Staveley Nature Reserve

               Paid a visit to Staveley Nature Reserve today and what a cracking
               place it is, I would recommend it to anyone interested in wildlife
               or even if just going for a walk, 2 minutes through the entrance gate
               and there were 2 Roe Deer that didn't get too spooked and then at
               first lagoon there were huggings of Reed Buntings, Warblers of all
               kinds and lots of Sand Martins, Swallows and Swifts, Common Terns
               a few Oystercatchers, Jay, GS Woodpecker, Coots on nests, Mute Swans.
               
               The rest of the reserve had plenty to see as well, all the finches, Robins,
               Blackcaps, Warblers, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Little Ringed Plover, Herons,
               Song Thrush, flyover by 4 Buzzard and 1 Red Kite and a just missed me
               and my mates Merlin, wow it was fast.













Friday 22 May 2015

Wife & I walkabout

           Had a walk around Cromwell NR and Claremount today with Lisa now
           the wind has died down a bit, first bird I seen was a Greater Spotted
           Woodpecker in the car park area and then a Jay and a Heron flyover,
           next we walked up to the weir where there was a female Goosander
           and 2 Canada Geese, 2 Mallard and the bad news is there was also a
           Mink loitering about, then walked around to the viewing area which
           was very quiet but a couple of Bullfinch and a Jay saved it, lots of
           Warblers and Chiff Chaffs singing in the Reed Lagoon and one Tree
           Creeper, walked back by the river and seen 6 Goosander 1 male
           5 female and then 3 Blackcaps up in the trees but too dark for a photo.

           Claremount had a Sparrowhawk flyover, Greenfinch, Chaffinch,Goldfinch,
           Dunnocks, Collared Doves, lots of Jackdaws and Magpies and a Tawny Owl
           in a mates garden box that he put up for them with hope and it payed off.
       
           Wish I'd of got a lot more shots but my eyes were playing up and watering
           all the time so found it hard focusing everything was a blur, bumped in to
           Cath G and we got an invite up to the Isle of Mull, can't wait but just trying
           to get the time.











         

Thursday 14 May 2015

Tour of Local Area's

              Took a trip to CBNR this morning and bumped in to GH, AW, DL
              and had a good natter with Roy in the bird viewing area, it was fairly
              quiet on the bird life front the bonus was a Buzzard high up or was it the
              Marsh Harrier ? thats been seen locally it had the same missing gap in
              it's wing and the Kingfisher flying down river which I've not seen down
              there for a while, and the Field vole popped its head out to say hello.

              1 Buzzard ( Marsh Harrier ?)
              1 Grey Wagtail
              4 Blackcap
              3 Chiff Chaff
              4 Willow Warblers
              10 Canada's and the regular Tits and Finches
              1 LTT, 3 Wren
              2 Coot
              1 male Reed Bunting
              1 Sedge Warbler,  GH got a fine pic of one earlier as well
              and 2 Swift over the cabin area the first I've seen this year in this area.

              Next I had a drive up to Top Withens where I spotted about 20 Golden
              Plover a windswept Little Owl and a Kestrel catching prey but whatever
              it caught it was big which surprised me and then up to Fly Flatts for distant
              view where I seen 2 Oystercatchers and plenty of Canada's sheltering from
              the wild wind.