During the second week of our holiday we spent a few days in the Yorkshire Dales at Grassington and the latter part in Silverdale not very far from the RSPB Leighton Moss reserve (conveniently!).
Our 17th century accommodation nestled on the banks of the Wharf and besides a farmyard goose
and the usual garden birds a Tawny Owl made a couple of appearances causing much consternation to the local Blackbirds but after several efforts of photographing it, I failed!
At nearby Linton, GreyWagtails and Spotted flycatchers were breeding but although Dippers had bred, I failed to find them.
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| Grey Wagtails gathering food. |
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| Spotted Flycatcher gathering food for youngsters. |
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| Spotted Flycatchers |
Really good to see so many Spotflys when here on the South Coast we only see them 'passing through'....and likewise Common Sandpipers!
...and plenty of the 'usual'!
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| Wren...singing his head off! |
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| Long Tailed Tit on lichen. |
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Lots of young Mallards....Cute!
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On the way to Silverdale we stopped at Malham Cove, a traditional site for Peregrines.
...and a spledid male Redstart put in an appearance.
Next stop Silverdale..........and a visit to Leighton Moss
The feeders are always popular mainly because Bullfinches are very fond of them and on each of my 2 or 3 previous visits they have never failed to show up.
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| Male Bullfinch on feeder |
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| Collared Dove |
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| Male Chaffinch | |
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The Black Headed Gull colony was under constant threat from the Lesser Black Backs who seemed to just pick off the youngsters at will.
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| Lesser Black Backed Gull with Black Headed Gull chick... | about to have lunch |
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| A pair of peregrines were present at nearby Warton Crag Nature Reserve but had not bred this year. So all in all an interesting holiday with a few opportunities for birding! |
....and lastly a final visit to Leighton Moss this Avocet proved an easy target just in front of the Morecambe hide
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