Leeshaw

Friday 2nd May a.m.
 A cool start to the day with some cloud & sunny intervals & a temperature of 7°C on arrival
at Leeshaw Reservoir.There was a very vocal Grey Wagtail flying around & landing on the
overhead wires which didn't seem to like my presence.A look into the stream below the
reservoir gave me a Dipper for the first time at this location, it flew away as I looked over the
wall so no chance of a picture.In the surrounding fields were Canadas,Greylags,Pheasant,Mipits,
Lapwings,Curlew & Oystercatcher.Swallows were flying overhead as did a pair of Kestrels on the
water were Greylags with two broods of Goslings 3 & 4 with their proud parents.A Grey Heron
was on the lookout for an easy meal hopefully not the Goslings.A Redshank made an appearance
on the dam wall & at the other end of the track a male Wheatear was on the wall plus a couple of Pied
Wagtails.Whilst looking at the fields on the other side of the reservoir I also saw a Moorhen which was
another first for me at this location.
 I then re-located to the other side of the reservoir at the bottom of Penistone Hill where there were
still c50 Golden Plover in the sheep field.A walk on past the tea rooms towards the reservoir also
gave me Reed Bunting,Chaffinch,Robin & Willow Warbler.There was more Pheasants,Curlew,Mipits
& Lapwings flying around.In another field was a male Wheatear on a muck heap & anther two males
were enjoying some late morning sunshine.I was distracted from the birds for a while when a green
butterfly landed on the path in front of me, I had not seen one of these before.A bit of research when I
got home gave me the ID, it was a Green Hairstreak Butterfly.Not a bad morning with 30 species seen
plus a new Butterfly to watch out for.
N.P.

Redshank

Curlew

Grey Heron

Grey Wagtail

Lapwing

female Pheasant

Greylags showing the way to four Goslings

Greylag with three Goslings

male Wheatear

Green Hairstreak Butterfly

Pheasants

Wheatear

Leeshaw Reservoir