Low Wood, Keighley

From Monday May 27th a.m.
 On our way back from Redcar Tarn we decided to visit Low Wood an area of woodland
which is a Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve.The track leading here is uneven and so
care is needed in the car but we took our time going down to the small car park near the canal.
This lies near to Riddlesden Golf course with Keighley Golf course on the other side of the canal.
We went into the the woodland along the path towards the Nature Reserve and as we hoped we
were surrounded by a sea of Bluebells, a marvelous sight and smell with their scent filling the air.
We saw a GSW briefly fly past & we think into a hole in a tree, we also heard Chiffchaff singing.
After enjoying our stroll through the Bluebells we went across the canal and walked along for a while
seeing a couple of Chiffchaffs, one posed for us for a while giving us the chance of a few snaps.The air
in places was full of the smell of Garlic as some Ramsons(Wild Garlic) was in full flower.There were
two female Mallards on the water each having chicks 4 & 8.A Moorhen was on the other bank of the
canal & as we walked back to the car a couple of Swifts flew over head.

Chiffchaff

Moorhen

Mallard with eight chicks

Ramsons, Wild Garlic

path through the Bluebells

Low Wood a sea of Bluebells

Chiffchaff

Redcar Tarn

Monday May 27th a.m.
 A trip up to Redcar Tarn with the sun shining again although cooler than yesterday with
a temperature of 10°C on our arrival. Canadas,Greylags,Mallards,Coots,BH Gulls,LBB Gulls,
Rooks & Jackdaws made up the bulk of the birds seen.Both Mallards & Coots had chicks &
the pair of Mute Swans were still present, in tee field next to the Tarn were a couple of Stock 
Doves a first for us at this location.Others included Oystercatcher,Lapwing,Curlew & Meadow
Pipit.When the Mute Swan got too close to one of the Coots nests it was seen off even though
some what of a mis-match.
15 - BH Gull
9 - Canadas
9 - Coot with three nests all with young chicks
2 - Curlew
3 - Greylag
6 - Lapwing
5 - LBB Gulls
c50 - Mallards + chicks
2 - Meadow Pipit
2 - Mute Swan
5 - Oystercatcher
2 - Stock Dove
4 - Swallow
5 - Swift
12 - Tufted Duck
plus others

LBB Gull

Greylag

Stock Dove

Rook

Mallard with chicks

Coot feeding its chicks

Coot seeing off the Mute Swan

LBB Gull

Redcar Tarn

Rodley Nature Reserve

Sunday May 26th a.m.
 After our earlier visit to Yeadon Tarn we moved to Rodley Nature Reserve where the sun
was still shining with a temperature of 14.5°C.A good selection of birds here as usual with
the numbers down as some of the wildfowl has moved away.Things started well as the sun
shone on a Greenfinch in a tree near the car park and a Whitethroat sang at the top of a
distant tree, we also saw our first Sedge Warbler of the year.There were three pairs of
Common Terns which will hopefully breed successfully on the site.Others are ahead of the
game with a pair of Mute Swan having three cygnets & a pair of Oystercatchers also having
a young chick which was great to see.Among others seen were Jay,Grey Heron,Reed Bunting
Little Grebe & Wren.

Greenfinch

Wren

Little Grebe

Common Tern

Mute Swan Cygnets

Oystercatcher chick

Oystercatcher

Oystercatcher with chick

Mute Swan with Cygnets

What a wonderful sight Oystercatcher with chick

Yeadon Tarn

Sunday May 26th a.m.
 Another sunny start to the day with a temperature of 9.5°C on our arrival at Yeadon Tarn,
the numbers of birds were down on usual but still plenty to see.There were several Great
Crested Grebes,Swifts & Swallows were overhead & a Common Tern flew past us.There
were Coots & Mallards with chicks among the other usual species & also a first for us at this
location as we saw & heard a Blackcap.
6 - Canadas
9 - Coot plus chicks
1 - Common Tern
6 - Great Crested Grebe
c50 Mallard plus chicks
1 - Moorhen
10 - Mute Swan
43 - Starling
5 - Swallow
11 - Swift
3 - Tufted Duck
plus other common species

Gt C. Grebe

Blackcap

Moorhen

Coot chick

Yeadon Tarn

Leeming

Saturday May 25th a.m.
 We also visited Leeming Reservoir this morning in the sunshine, as we took a couple of snaps
from above the reservoir we noticed a deer in a field with some horses,not sure if it was a wild
one or not but well worth a snap.There were plenty of birds around at the reservoir with a pair
of Oystercatchers,Common Sandpiper & Redshank. Around the overflow area there were four
Grey Wagtails two of them being youngsters which was good to see.Willow Warblers were in full
voice enjoying the sunshine, there was a male Goosander on the water with Mallards around the
shore one pair with six chicks.We saw 11 Rooks feeding in a nearby field & there were fly overs
of Canadas,Curlew,Swift & Lapwing with Swallows feeding over the water & one posed briefly
on a fence post as we walked round.A Pheasant was also seen along with other more common
species.

Willow Warbler

Grey Wagtail

Grey Wagtail youngster

Deer

male Goosander

Oystercatcher

Oystercatchers

Swallow

Grey Wagtail with its breakfast

Leeming Reservoir

Leeshaw

Saturday May 25th a.m.
  A sunny morning with a temperature of 10.5°C on our arrival at Leeshaw,there were good
numbers of Canadas,Greylags & Lapwings in the surrounding fields some with young.A
Common Sandpiper landed on the dam wall which was joined by a Redshank, the Little Owl
was in its usual spot.A Cormorant flew over the dam wall & into the distance there were also a
good number of Jackdaws feeding in the fields, Mipits & a Pied Wagtail made an appearance.
As we walked along the track along side the reservoir we thought we heard a Cuckoo calling,
this we are happy to confirm now as it was seen & heard by BS later in the day,see his report
on West Yorkshire Birding.Swallows were feeding over the water & the surrounding fields, we
spooked a Curlew as we walked along which took flight,Pheasant & Oystercatchers could be
seen in distant fields & the female Wheatear briefly appeared on the wall at the end of the track.

Redshank

Little Owl

Common Sandpiper

Meadow Pipit

female Wheatear

Lapwing

Redshank & Common Sandpiper