Beautiful Summer Meadow.

Went over to the Stang and Reeth then on to Leyburn yesterday.  Could not believe how quiet it was, very few birds or butterflies.  Flowers too seem few and far between along the verges but we were amazed when we came across this meadow by a stream in one of the villages between Leyburn and Bedale.  It was amazing and a pleasure to see.  Why can't we have more meadows like this around?

 

 

Another lifer out of the blue.

Sunday looked like being another quiet day when we got the call that a Bridled Tern had turned up at Saltholme. We drove down and arrived as an expectant crowd had gathered on the main road outside.

I dashed over to manage a quick couple of glimpses of the bird before it flew off to the N.E. and wasn't seen again, unfortunately Sylvia had missed it while she was getting the scope out of the car!!!!

 

We drove on down into Yorkshire calling in to Woodlands Fishery for Corn Bunting, which are more elusive this year and a trek from here to Wykeham forest to see Turtle Dove which are also keeping distant.

A good day but the Birding is still a struggle these days.................roll on better times.

 

Corn Bunting

Turtle Dove

 

Flowery Times.

Not many bird photos of late but thought I would post some of the flowers we have taken over the past few weeks.  My favourite being the cotton grass which has been excellent this year.

 

Cotton Grass

Marsh Marigolds

 Bog Iris - Catterick

 Ragged Robin - Smardale Gill

 Rock Rose - Smardale Gill

 Tree Pipit - Smardale Gill

 Green Woodpecker - Smardale Gill

 Juvenile Redstart - Smardale Gill

 

 





A quiet time

We haven't been out and about much over the last couple of weeks, catching up on some jobs around the house. When we have been out it's been a bit quiet but that's life........it's been a year since I suffered my heart attack ..........I'm fine now and very pleased that I'm still here to enjoy and share the wonders of nature.

 

Spotted Flycatcher at Swainby

Rabbit

GSW a first for our garden

Lime Hawk Moth in the back garden

4-spot Chaser

 Broad bodied Chasers (male and female)

Small Heath

A short video of Capercaille

Click on link below to watch video of this stunning bird.

http://youtu.be/9FMlrG0_hRE

Pair of Osprey at  the not so famous site giving much better views from a picnic area (and you don't have to watch them through a scope) 

Stunning Whinchat on Osmotherly moor today.

 

 

Pied Flycatchers enjoying the hot sunny weather

 

Aviemore Adventure

Just returned from a few days in Nethey Bridge.  We stayed at a great self catering for two at Balliefurth Farm, just outside of the village.

The weather was not too bad, most days calm with some sunshine some days.  We even managed to get up the mountain on a clear day.  There is still snow which made it very picturesque.

This was my favourite day as we found 3 Ptarmigan and a pair of Dotterel just scanning from the viewing area at the restaurant at the top.

Crested Tits were easy to find and if we had struggled you could always see them on the feeders at the Osprey Centre, if you waited a while they always came.

A Capercaille was showing very near to the road from the village most of the days we were there.

 

Capercaille -



 Crested Tit

 

 Black-throated Diver - Lochindorb

 

 Slavonian Grebe - Loch Ruthven

 

Common Buzzard



 Common Sandpiper

 





Red Kite (tag D9) - Loch Ruthven

Dipper

 Wheatear - the only one we saw all week

 Lesser Redpoll - feeding in cottage garden

 Common Redstart - a lot of them about

Siskin - everywhere

Red Grouse

Common Gull - destroying every Grouse nest in sight.

Short-eared Owl

Osprey on nest - loch Garten

Wood Warbler (a good find)

 Roe Deer

Toad