Migrants are arriving!

After 10 days of mild spring like weather we headed up Gunnerside Ghyll Saturday to see whether any of the spring migrants had arrived. Our route took us up the ghyll to Eweleap Scar, back south and east across Merryfield, past Old gang mines, on to Surrender Bridge, further east through Cringley Bottoms, across Barney Beck and west to Hilton, Riddings and on to Low Row for a pint. We finished off by walking along the river back to Gunnerside.
The first bird news of the day was discovery of a rather messy blackbirds nest in the coal house, amazingly constructed on top of the open door. Last year they nested in the same building but I mice or rats got to the eggs which was disappointing - hopefully they may do better this year.
As we progressed up the ghyll it was clear that the Mipits had arrived in big numbers, they seemed to be everywhere! Infact they were just about all we saw for the first hour or so, give or take a grouse or two. It was not until we got into the relative shelter of the area around Old gang Mines that we started to pick up a few more birds. Infact at the mines itself we found the first Wheatear of the year, a male in full breeding colours - looked stonking. Also in the area were 2 Grey Wags, 3/4 Pied Wags and a Stonechat. Up above on the moors were a few lapwings, Curlew and the odd Golden Plover calling.
In the fields and woodland down towards Healaugh there seemed to be alot of song and mistle thrushes around which is always nice to see. On Feetham Pasture we spooked a lone Snipe that I guess may well be looking to breed in the area. After a well earned drink at the Punch Bowl we walked back along the Swale. At Rowleth we chalked up the first Sand Martin of the year, a rather lonesome bird but he did seem to finding enough insects to feed on. On the same strech we also disturbed a pair of female Goosanders and 4 Redshanks that again may well be looking for good nesting sites. The regular pair of Oystercatchers have also arrived back at Isles Bridge. No sign yet of any Sandpipers, nor Ring Ouzel up on the moor - still it is early yet!

Active birdtable!

Thought I would post this video just annoy my Mum who has been complaining about the limited bird action in their garden, despite a very tempting array of different feeders. Although not featuring on this clip the siskins are back in residence in Gunnerside and are paying daily visits to the feeders along with large numbers of greenfinch. Also popping in today were 2 LT Tits feeding on the peanuts. Woodpeckers are pretty active in the dale with both GS Spotted and Greens seen this week. There also seem to be large numbers of song thrushes around with one taking up residence at the top of the telegraph pole in our garden and looking quite interested in our outhouse for posssible nesting???

BTO bird survey - late winter

We take part in the BTO annual bird survey which involves surveying a 4km sq local patch 4 times a year. This year our patch is to the north east of Gunnerside, taking in Barf End, Blades and alot of moorland. You have to visit the area 4 times a year and record what you see. In the spring and summer they also want details of any breeding activity. Winter up there is always going to be a little challenging to find anything much of interest, but anyway we gave it a bash on saturday morning. Predictably the results were not that impressive! Nevertheless it was good to find good numbers of lapwing already up there, about 6 golden plover (already in breeding plumage) and one solitary curlew! Otherwise there were plenty of grouse and not much else. We had heard reports of some twite up there but sadly they proved elusive. Hopefully when we come to survey in spring things will be little more busy with the moorland breeders arriving - fingers crossed!

At last the snow has gone!

Spent the weekend in Lake District brushing up on our winter walking skills, had great fun on Hellvelyn and Old Man Coniston with crampons and ice axe.
Returned on Monday evening to find a snow free Gunnerside and the first signs of spring with daffs begins to poke through and and the first sprouts on our purple sprouting brocolli!!! Enough of winter bring on springtime!!

Goshawk, owl and goose!

Had day off work today and after a morning full of chores I left Leeds at 1pm and headed cross country to Gunnerside. Arrived Nosterfield (near Masham) at about 2pm. Started at the main reserve hide but there was very little of interest around, lots of grey lags, coot, teal and wigeon and a solitary egyptian goose. After half an hour i moved to the quarry hide. There wasn't too much around so I scanned the gulls for anything of interest, two immature great blackbacks and plenty of black heads. As I was looking through scope something flashed in front of it and I heard a screech and a crash. Looking up I very quickly picked up a bundle of feathers about 10 metres in front of the hide. Closer inspection revealed a superb goshawk with a lapwing in its talons! I don't often get to see these beautiful birds but boy are they stunners. Piercing yellow eyes and that vivid eye stripe, really give them an evil look!! I was able to watch him for about 5 mins before he pulled the unfortunate lapwing under a poorly placed lifebouy which obscured my view - fantastic!!!
Fortunately my bird day was still not quite finished because as i came out of Reeth on my way up dale to Gunnerside there was a great Little Owl sitting on the ridge of a barn in the sunshine just up above the swing bridge. Swaledale is a really good place for these little beauties and I never tire of seeing them. Fab few hours!!!

Swinnergill walk

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Two old birds playing in the snow!

Quite sensibly any self respecting feathered friend has departed the moorland tops and flown to sunnier climes. So we left bins at home and headed for the hill tops around Gunnerside to play in the snow. Our Sat route (10 miles) took up near Lady Mary Hut (top end Gunnerside Gill)and on Sun we went Keld way via Swinnergill (12 miles). If I get time later I will add maps for both walks. Both days were quite fantastic walks in snow at least a foot deep and in many places drifts 8 to 10 feet deep, which made the going really hard but the beer at the end all the more deserved! Over the two days of walking we met only 6 people and had the hills essentially to ourselves. In 5 years we have certainly never seen so much snow and locals are hard pressed to recollect snow like this in the last 25 years. I suspect we will be finding patches remaining in sheltered northern gullies well in April and even May. In the garden the bird table has been chaotic with up to 8 blue tits, perhaps as many as 12 blackbirds, loads of chaffinch, goldfinch and sparrows, 3/4 robins, dunnock, greenfinch, GS woodpecker, collared doves, jackdaws, coal tit, great tit and pheasant all paying regular visits. For some reason we are still missing the siskin and redpolls from last year. On the Sunday walk the only bird highlight was the first Swale kingfisher of the year about 1/2 mile up from Ivelet bridge.
PS First drummimg GS Woodpecker heard in village today.