Redcar Tarn

Saturday 28th May a.m.
This morning started with some heavy showers with a strong blustery wind and a
temperature of 10°C. We went back to the Tarn high above Keighley and saw the
birds we have seen previously,40 Mallards,20 Black headed Gulls,16 Tufted Ducks,
10 Sand Martins,8 Swallowes,10 Coots and chicks,4 Canadas,2 Moorhen,2 Lesser
Black-backed Gulls and 2 Mute Swans. There were also a number of farmyard Geese
and Hybred Ducks.


Redcar Tarn Keighley



LBB Gull



Immature LBB Gull




Coot Chick



Black headed Gull



Black headed Gulls and Tufted Ducks

St. Ives

Sunday 22nd May a.m.
  After going up to Redcar Tarn we called in at St. Ives on our way home.Here we
walked round the Coppice pond seeing 40 Mallards,15 Canadas,6 Coots and 3 Moorhen.
There was a Carion Crow cheekily making use of one of the seats around the pond,
there were quite a few fisherman also trying their luck.We then went to the hide seeing
three Mallards and then noticed something on the feeder,to our surprise it was a
Spotted Woodpecker, although on the far side of the feeder. However it quickly flew
away then briefly returned with a second Woodpecker,maybe its mate,they squabbled then
flew off again. A Squirrel perched on the wire trying to get at the bird food,then a
Chaffinch came to the bird table and a Stock Dove came feeding from the ground around
the bird tables. Then another visiter to the bird table,a Nuthatch landed just long enough
for a quick snap,this was our first sighting of this bird. Our bird watching came to an abrupt
end as a dog appeared chasing off the Mallards and Stock Dove.

Carion Crow

Spotted Woodpecker

Chaffinch

Squirrel

Stock Dove

Nuthatch

Redcar Tarn Keighley

Sunday 22nd May a.m.

 This morning there was a strong wind blowing up at the Tarn with some heavy
showers about 8°C, but there was also some sunny intervals. There were the usual
Mallards about 30 a few with chicks at different ages, 16 Tufted,14 Black Headed Gulls,
2 Lesser Black-backed. There were 10 Coots again a couple with chicks on their nests
built with large sticks on the water and 2 Moorhen. There were around 20 birds flying
low over the water feeding on insects,initially we thought they were all Swallowes,but
on closer inspection decided that most of them were Sand Martins. First time we've
seen these very hard to get a snap of with them flying low at great speed and constantly
changing direction. A good start to the day and so we tried our look at St. Ives on the
way home post to follow later.

Female Mallard with her growing chicks

Young Mallard Chicks

Black Headed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Tufted Ducks

Coot with her chicks as the rain starts

Coot Chicks

Swallow

Sand Martin 1

Sand Martin 2

 

Ogden Water

Saturday 21st May a.m.
  This morning we met at Ogden Water for a walk with other BOG members.
It was a cool morning with a fairly strong wind blowing, but it was dry with the
sun shining from time to time, the temperature was about 9°C. We walked along
the side of the reservoir seeing an Oystercatcher fly above the water. We went up
into the woods seeing a Coal Tit, climbing the path upto the Giants Tooth. From
here we got a good view of a Tree Pipit in the top of nearby trees,a Curlew flew over
and towards the windfarm was a Lapwing.
  The ground was burnt in this area after the recent moorland fires, it was good to see
some green toughs of grass regrowing strongly. We moved back down into the woods
seeing a Spotted Flycatcher,Siskin,Blackcap,Willow Warbler,Goldcrest and Mistle
Thrush.We got back down to the reservoir and saw a Orange Tip Butterfly ,Common
Sanpiper on the far bank,Swifts flew over and there was a Wagtail amongst other usual
species.
 When we got back to the car park we then went on another track in the hope of
seeing a Cuckoo and indeed we found one on a concrete post which we think was
a female, it went back into the woods, but then a male Cuckoo appered on the post.
It stayed for quite sometime giving us a good chance to take a distant snap,on the way
back down the track a Jay briefly appeared. Great to see the Cuckoo and some other
birds we saw for the first time.

View upto Giants Tooth

Coal Tit

Orange Tip Butterfly



Pair of Butterflies



Cuckoo

Male Cuckoo



Jay

  

Local walk to Hewenden

Friday 20th May
 Went on a local walk today on the Northern Trail footpath over Hewenden viaduct,
it was sunny with a strong wind about 9°C. There were plenty of birds to see and hear,
around 12 Swifts near the viaduct,10 Swallowes near Hewenden,a couple of
Willow Warblers,5 House Martins in Cullingworth village and various Tits. There
also flew over 6 Canada Geese. 

Hewenden Viaduct

Swift 1

Swift 2

Swallowes

Chaffinch

Willow Warbler



Canada Geese

Garden Colour

Thursday 19th May
It has been a much brighter day today with the some sunshine and the temperature
getting up to 14°C, alot better than the recently poor weather.The garden is
showing some good colour at the moment from the Orange Azalia and Welsh
Poppy with some different shades of Bluebell and Aquilegia.
 We seem to have a resident Thrush which sings loudly in a morning from the
tops of nearby trees.We still have Goldfinches visiting our birdfeeder along
with Bullfinches and others with the Sunflower hearts needing filling regularly.

Azalia

Welsh Poppy

Bluebells

Aquilegia

Thrush

Thrush

Goldfinch

More from Bempton Cliffs

Visit on Sunday 15th May
   Bempton Cliffs proved to be a great spot for birds and also for taking
pictures here are some more.

Bempton Cliffs

Gannets

Razorbills

Herring Gull

Herring Gull

Kittiwake

Kittiwake

Gannets and Guillemots

Gannets

Gannets

Gannet