15th-21st May 2014
All's right with the world!!
Well it will be, I hope. Each year I look forward in particular to the return of the swifts over my house. I note the date on the calendar and the current calendar tells me the dates for the last 6 or 7 years. This year: May 2nd.My other spring essential is a wood warbler in the Bolton Abbey woodlands. That's getting tougher each year...
...wood sandpipers are eluding me this spring so I may have to wait for their return trip south. But one target I am working hard on is to find early purple orchids in Yorkshire. So far I have failed: the orchids we saw at Tophill Low were almost certainly premature northern marsh orchids. They just don't look a bit like early purple orchids. How do I know? Well, read on!
May 15th: First time at Adwick Washlands and
Maltby Low Common
I called at Old Moor and picked up a map explaining how to get to Adwick Washlands. Maybe I'm no good at map-reading but it was much further than I thought. When I did get there there is none of the normal RSPB signage diarrhoea to tell you you have arrived. Obviously the RSPB hasn't given nature a home there yet! Still, it was interesting. I saw a couple of garganey. I failed to see the promised wood sandpiper. I will go again: I saw my first ever banded demoiselle - what a beautiful creature! No photo - no camera with me.
Moving on, I found my way to Maltby Low Common - said to be a site for early purple orchids. I found no sign of any. To access the site you cross a very neglected piece of single track railway line but, as I crossed the bridge, I noticed the rails themselves were shiny. I soon found out why.
In the middle of this photo you may spot a blue flower. This is the now quite rare columbine, aquilegia vulgaris, the colour indicative of a truly wild plant that is one of the described features of this YWT reserve.
I also found some wood anemones, anemone nemorosa.
May 17th: Bolton Abbey and the search for the early purples!
Another fairly early start but because it was Saturday the car park was almost full at Barden Bridge when I arrived. Third trip this year: I am the persistent birder! I set off: west bank to the aqueduct. I spotted a bird on the path ahead. Surprise encounter on a concrete path! A common sandpiper. I saw six!
At the aqueduct I then crossed over to the east bank. I soon saw pied flycatcher...
...and even [which was another nice surprise] a spotted flycatcher.
What I was really hoping for was, of course, wood warblers. I reached the stone shelter and was met by some old friends. I stood stock still. The female walked right up to me and then round my legs making a funny little clucking noise! Eventually the male panicked and they both flew off.
I carried on another few hundred metres past various holly bushes [I have often found the wood warblers not far from a large holly tree. Do they provide shelter and protection, I wonder?] I came across a female redstart.
I set off north back towards Barden. Suddenly I spotted two brightly coloured birds flying round and round a holly tree as if it were a helter skelter. I stopped and watched for about 5 minutes as I was pretty sure nirvana was at hand. A bird appeared nearby. The area was very dark. I took this at 1/60th of a second.
I pushed the ISO up to 1250, something I had never tried before. Not bad. Not a great photo, and rather grainy, but it did what I wanted. All is right with the world again! Wood warblers!
Leaving the wood a crowd had gathered near a bare tree. High up in the top was a young little owl. At least that's what people said. Young owl certainly. I climbed a high bank but couldn't get a clear shot.
Heading back along the eastern path from the aqueduct I watched a fly fisherman. Suddenly from his body language I guessed he might have a catch...
Here it comes.
The plan was to spend the rest of the day venturing further into the Dales to visit 2 sites where research suggested early purple orchids might be found. Both sites are in the Ingleton area. The first site was a thrill. Here's the view including the Settle-Carlisle railway in the middle ground.
I drove past the Ribblehead viaduct.
Many fields held both lambs and nesting oystercatchers. I tried to sneak up on one.
Cuckoo flower [aka milkmaids or Lady's smock] were frequent at the roadside.
Spring defined: a lamb among the primroses!
Views towards Ingleborough and down the valley from my second 'early purple' site.
Here the plants were much more exposed, up near limestone pavement, and were shorter stemmed.
On my way home I stopped for a map check. I spotted a swallow gathering mud. I re-angled the car slightly further back and sat with camera in the car and watched.
A wonderful day, all in all.
May 18th: the Friendly Phalarope
I took the camera even though I expected the bird to be rather distant. Moral: always take the camera - you never know when a more confiding bird is going to turn up! Red-necked phalarope on show!
Walking back I met a 'browncap' and a four-spot chaser. You can probably work out which is which!
May 19th: Potteric Carr and North Cave
Potteric Carr was to open early so birders could see the spotted sandpiper...but alas, the bird had flown. I had to make do with photos of grey plover...
...gossiping with a redshank...
...and a ringed plover and...
...a greenshank, a sedge warbler, a shoveler and a red crested pochard. So all was not lost!
Walking back I spotted a warbler. Out of all the photos in this blog I think these two images give me the most satisfaction. Moustached warbler!!!
I called at North Cave on the way home. A black tern was flying around.
An avocet was guarding its chick. Others were going for a family swim.
I said farewell to the still present phalarope.
May 21st: A Waste of diesel at Covenham Reservoir!
I blame the RAF.
I mean, that's only one explanation. Some said...the terek sandpiper was frightened off either by photographers going over the reservoir wall or by these very noisy aircraft.
There was little else to see. The reservoir was like a mill pond. Great crested grebe taking off...
...ringed plover.
UK 2014 205