Thursday 30 May 2013
YWT North Cliffe Woods - 28 May 2013
A beautiful Bluebell woodland just up the road from North Cave Wetlands - well worth a visit. Stacks of Bluebells, Stitchwort and others seen. Green Woodpecker present along with usual woodland birds, though mid-afternoon visit reduced activity.
Tuesday 28 May 2013
YWT North Cave Wetlands - 28 May 2013
After a quick visit to the delightful North Newbald Becksies it was only a couple of miles drive to one of Yorkshire's Wildlife Trust's premier nature reserves. North Cave Wetlands is already a superb place, but has become even better in the last year with the completion of the spectacular Dryham's Ings overlooked by the superb Crossland's Hide. This made a perfect venue for our picnic. The site was alive with birds. Gangs of Swifts scythed overhead, cutting through buzzing parties of Sand Martins. Whitethroats, Sedge Warblers and Reed Buntings filled the air with song, softening the harsh cries of countless Black-headed Gulls, interspersed with the odd shriek of a Common Tern. On Dryham's Ings, Shoveler and Gadwall loafed among the vegetation, while on the section in front of the new hide, the piping of many Avocets plus the calls of Little Ringed and Ringed Plovers was a joy to behold. Shelducks chaperoned their new humbug-striped ducklings along the channels, while Oystercatchers stood guard over their partners, huddled down on shingle nests.What a tremendous sight, and testament to the vision of Stephen Martin, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and the team of hard-working volunteers.
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| Phase One |
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| Crossland's Hide overlooking Dryham's Ings (Phase 2) |
YWT North Newbald Becksies - 28 May 2013
Late May and we are way behind schedule. It is looking like it might take us two years to do all these nature reserves! What with a full time job, a full time family and trying to do some birding too, this is not proving to be easy! Nevertheless, today we ticked off another couple of sites and enjoyed a second visit to one of the Trust's flagship reserves. I had been up early doing a breeding bird survey in the Lower Derwent Valley in the rain, so it was with relief that the sun came out as we headed east on to the Chalky foothills of the Wolds to our first stop, the slightly oddly named North Newbald Becksies. Heading south off the A1079 towards Newbald, we took the first left signed village centre and in the middle of the village took the road signed Beverley. The small, but lovely nature reserve lies alongside the road just after the main bit of the village ends. The lane is reasonably wide and we pulled up safely on the side of the road.
Over the barbed wire fence, a stream runs parallel to the road, fed by numerous chalk springs which seep out of the undulating ground and into the stream. I hadn't followed the book's advice and had not brought wellies, so hopping over the gate at the western end, I could not get far without getting wet. The nature reserve really is a botanical gem. A carpet of wildflowers spread before me. Of those I could identify, Marsh Marigolds, Water Avens, Cuckoo Flower and Bog Bean were most numerous, with a pretty little white flower left unidentified, along with many flowering sedges and other things. Some large downy leaves were sprouting - I guessed at Greater Willowherb. I would like to come back here with a colleague who can help with the ID, as it is clearly a treasure trove. Willow Warblers called from the large trees on the southern border of the site. Smashing!
Over the barbed wire fence, a stream runs parallel to the road, fed by numerous chalk springs which seep out of the undulating ground and into the stream. I hadn't followed the book's advice and had not brought wellies, so hopping over the gate at the western end, I could not get far without getting wet. The nature reserve really is a botanical gem. A carpet of wildflowers spread before me. Of those I could identify, Marsh Marigolds, Water Avens, Cuckoo Flower and Bog Bean were most numerous, with a pretty little white flower left unidentified, along with many flowering sedges and other things. Some large downy leaves were sprouting - I guessed at Greater Willowherb. I would like to come back here with a colleague who can help with the ID, as it is clearly a treasure trove. Willow Warblers called from the large trees on the southern border of the site. Smashing!
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| The gate at the western end |
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| Water Avens etc |
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| Bog Bean |
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| Looking east from the gate |
Sunday 12 May 2013
YWT Wheldrake Ings - 12 May 2013
I go to Wheldrake Ings quite a lot and normally I report this on my birding blog Birding Dad .
Today however, was quite special as I got a cracking view of an Otter swimming about in front of Pool Hide. After a minute or so, it climbed out on the bank and scampered off through the vegetation towards Swantail. Brilliant! Only the second Otter I have seen at Wheldrake Ings in 30 years of visiting and a much better view than the brief glimpse I had 2 years ago!
Today however, was quite special as I got a cracking view of an Otter swimming about in front of Pool Hide. After a minute or so, it climbed out on the bank and scampered off through the vegetation towards Swantail. Brilliant! Only the second Otter I have seen at Wheldrake Ings in 30 years of visiting and a much better view than the brief glimpse I had 2 years ago!
YWT Hetchell Wood - 12 May 2013
Not quite the balmy Spring weather we enjoyed last weekend! Braving the chilly wind and the rain, we headed off west to Hetchell Wood. This wood is a little tricky to find though we did a recce before Christmas so this time it was straight forward.
The directions in the book are useful if you come from Leeds but otherwise are not too helpful - I will sort this out in the second edition. Coming from the A1(M) Junction 44, take the road to Bramham off the roundabout. Heading north parallel to the A1, go through the traffic lights and past the left turn to Bramham Park. Go past the right turns to Bramham and Tadcaster and then take the next left over the A1 towards Thorner. Follow this for a good mile or so and as the road turns sharply to the left, take the right fork as if going straight on. Follow this road for c2.5 miles until you come to a T junction. Turn left here down Milner Lane and the nature reserve car park is on either side of the road after about 1/3 mile.
Hetchell Wood is simply beautiful at this time of year. The trees around the car park - Blackthorn etc are in full blossom, the Beech and Hazel are bursting with vivid green new leaves and the woodland floor is literally carpeted in Bluebells, Wood Anemones, Wild Garlic, Yellow Archangel and Dog Violets. The meadows have a scattering of Cowslips and there is the odd clump of Primroses. Stunning! We did the full loop of the reserve, enjoying the views from the top of the Millstone Grit crags and then through the two newly-coppiced areas stuffed with wild flowers. It was interesting to note the difference between the coppiced area above the path which seemed to have been done a couple of years ago and was carpeted with flowers enjoying the light, whilst that below the path which must have just been coppiced this winter already has large patches of woodland flowers appearing. The coppice stools had been covered with brash or fenced to prevent deer browsing and this was clearly working well as the Hazel in the older compartment was growing nicely.
Back along the Bardsey Beck, we enjoyed views up to the crags and luminous clumps of gaudy Marsh Marigolds growing in the damp patches in the wet woodland by the beck.
A few birds about though most were only heard. These included a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, yaffling Green Woodpecker, mewing Red Kite and plenty of Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and a Garden Warbler. Nice to see plenty of queen bumblebees buzzing about.
The directions in the book are useful if you come from Leeds but otherwise are not too helpful - I will sort this out in the second edition. Coming from the A1(M) Junction 44, take the road to Bramham off the roundabout. Heading north parallel to the A1, go through the traffic lights and past the left turn to Bramham Park. Go past the right turns to Bramham and Tadcaster and then take the next left over the A1 towards Thorner. Follow this for a good mile or so and as the road turns sharply to the left, take the right fork as if going straight on. Follow this road for c2.5 miles until you come to a T junction. Turn left here down Milner Lane and the nature reserve car park is on either side of the road after about 1/3 mile.
Hetchell Wood is simply beautiful at this time of year. The trees around the car park - Blackthorn etc are in full blossom, the Beech and Hazel are bursting with vivid green new leaves and the woodland floor is literally carpeted in Bluebells, Wood Anemones, Wild Garlic, Yellow Archangel and Dog Violets. The meadows have a scattering of Cowslips and there is the odd clump of Primroses. Stunning! We did the full loop of the reserve, enjoying the views from the top of the Millstone Grit crags and then through the two newly-coppiced areas stuffed with wild flowers. It was interesting to note the difference between the coppiced area above the path which seemed to have been done a couple of years ago and was carpeted with flowers enjoying the light, whilst that below the path which must have just been coppiced this winter already has large patches of woodland flowers appearing. The coppice stools had been covered with brash or fenced to prevent deer browsing and this was clearly working well as the Hazel in the older compartment was growing nicely.
Back along the Bardsey Beck, we enjoyed views up to the crags and luminous clumps of gaudy Marsh Marigolds growing in the damp patches in the wet woodland by the beck.
A few birds about though most were only heard. These included a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, yaffling Green Woodpecker, mewing Red Kite and plenty of Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and a Garden Warbler. Nice to see plenty of queen bumblebees buzzing about.
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| Bluebells mixing it with the Cowslips in the first meadow |
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| Hazel flowers |
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| Yellow Archangel |
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| Hetchell Crags. Where the Millstone Grit meets the Magnesian Limestone. |
Wednesday 8 May 2013
YWT Chafer Wood - 6 May 2013
With two sleeping bairns, we didn't have much chance to explore what appeared to be a beautiful wood. The site was very easy to find. Go north up the only turning in Ebberston off the A170 just east of Pickering and the nature reserve can be found just outside the village.
In lovely Bank Holiday sunshine, I scamperered up the track to King Alfred's Cairn, a small stone shelter which overlooks a sloping meadow littered with Cowslips, Dog Violets and Forget-me-nots. From the top, I enjoyed a stunning view through the tops of the trees and south over the Vale of Pickering.
Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs sang overhead, though the woods were largely quiet in the early afternoon. Back at the car, the kids were still asleep so we drove up the narrow lane, lit with hordes of stunning Primroses on either side.
In lovely Bank Holiday sunshine, I scamperered up the track to King Alfred's Cairn, a small stone shelter which overlooks a sloping meadow littered with Cowslips, Dog Violets and Forget-me-nots. From the top, I enjoyed a stunning view through the tops of the trees and south over the Vale of Pickering.
Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs sang overhead, though the woods were largely quiet in the early afternoon. Back at the car, the kids were still asleep so we drove up the narrow lane, lit with hordes of stunning Primroses on either side.
YWT Harland Mount - 6 May 2013
Bit of a tricky place to find this, but only because I had managed to navigate us on to the wrong road entirely! Once we had found the main A170 Scarborough - Pickering road, it was easy to find. Heading in towards Scarborough we past the Jacob's Mount campsite on our right and then descended a long hill with the wooded slopes of the nature reserve on the right hand side. At the end of the wood, there was a house and just past this House Cliff Lane, where there is room for a few cars on either side of the access track. From here, you can walk up the track/lane and on to a footpath in to the reserve. Turning right up a bracken covered slope, all was quiet apart from the incessant song of the local Willow Warblers. In the heat of the day most wildlife seemed to be resting, but I did see several butterflies including my first Speckled Woods of the year. At the top of the slope is a lovely meadow which has been restored and harbours a dew pond which has been recreated by the Trust. The views across Scarborough town to the Castle and blue sea beyond were fabulous and well worth the climb. Sadly my visit was very brief as the kids had become a little tired due to the heat and so after a little potter, we headed off. Definitely somewhere to visit again a little later in the year and with more time!
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| House Cliff Lane |
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| Where the lane turns into a footpath, you will see this sign...or maybe a newer one! |
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| The terrific view from the top of the Mount |
YWT Burton Riggs - 5 May 2013
Following a lovely walk round Filey Dams in the morning we headed up to Scarborough to Burton Riggs, near Eastfield. Formed when gravel was dug to create the A64, the two lakes, grassland and woodland are a peaceful spot against a backdrop of housing and industrial estates on the edge of Scarborough. The occasional passing train and the hum from the A64 is soon hidden by the breeze rustling in the Willows around the lakes and the songs of Garden Warblers, Blackcaps and Willow Warblers.
The reserve is dead easy to find being just across the A64 roundabout from Morrisons and the Scarborough Building Society office. Like any green space close to urban areas, Burton Riggs does suffer a little from vandalism and misuse. Sadly most structures that have been put up have been destroyed. The new car park funded by Rees Jeffreys Road Fund is excellent, being close to the road, very open and visible and we felt reasonably safe parking there.
It is a short walk down the path through a scrubby area where Orange-tip butterflies flitted and Whitethroats sang their scratchy verses. We had an enjoyable walk around the smaller of the two lakes, where a gang of Tufted Ducks were resting along with a pair of Great Crested Grebes. Little of note was present on the larger lake apart from the local Greylag and Canada Geese- this place is apparently much better in the winter months for wildfowl. We did see a fine Buzzard overhead and snapped some of the Red Campion flowering on a bank (see photo below). We found the surfaced tracks easy to get around and the views over the lakes really nice. The place was being enjoyed by plenty of local people. It is a shame that the minority are causing so much trouble here and spoiling what is a lovely spot in an urban area.
The reserve is dead easy to find being just across the A64 roundabout from Morrisons and the Scarborough Building Society office. Like any green space close to urban areas, Burton Riggs does suffer a little from vandalism and misuse. Sadly most structures that have been put up have been destroyed. The new car park funded by Rees Jeffreys Road Fund is excellent, being close to the road, very open and visible and we felt reasonably safe parking there.
It is a short walk down the path through a scrubby area where Orange-tip butterflies flitted and Whitethroats sang their scratchy verses. We had an enjoyable walk around the smaller of the two lakes, where a gang of Tufted Ducks were resting along with a pair of Great Crested Grebes. Little of note was present on the larger lake apart from the local Greylag and Canada Geese- this place is apparently much better in the winter months for wildfowl. We did see a fine Buzzard overhead and snapped some of the Red Campion flowering on a bank (see photo below). We found the surfaced tracks easy to get around and the views over the lakes really nice. The place was being enjoyed by plenty of local people. It is a shame that the minority are causing so much trouble here and spoiling what is a lovely spot in an urban area.
YWT Filey Dams - 5 May 2013
Spring had arrived at last and we arrived at this little wetland gem on the edge of Filey to be greeted by a riot of vivid colour and a cacophony of birdsong. This lovely little site is looked after brilliantly by the local volunteers from the Filey Brigg Ornithological Group, working with the Trust. Two hides overlook the lagoons and a fine pond dipping platform entertained the kids for ages. It is a short walk around to the second hide, through a small copse where the local Tree Sparrows are making good use of the nestboxes. From the first hide, a few Teal skulked in the reedy edges, from which a freshly-arrived Reed Warbler chuntered its song unseen. A large gang of noisy gulls did what gulls do best, loafing on the island. We headed round to the other hide on the eastern side, via a quick check of the emergent plants, which included horsetail, watermint and other stuff I didn't recognise. The songs of Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Willow Warblers softened the raucous cries of Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. From the second hide, we were treated to close views of a pair of migrant Common Sandpipers. This really is a super site and full credit to the volunteers who keep this place in such great condition.
I think the last time I was here I saw a Hoopoe - it certainly is a place that attracts some exciting vagrants! Access to Filey Dams is dead easy. From the main road into Filey from the coast road, take the left turn down Wharfedale. Keep following the road and eventually you arrive at the small car park - look out for the YWT sign.
I think the last time I was here I saw a Hoopoe - it certainly is a place that attracts some exciting vagrants! Access to Filey Dams is dead easy. From the main road into Filey from the coast road, take the left turn down Wharfedale. Keep following the road and eventually you arrive at the small car park - look out for the YWT sign.
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| View from the first hide. |
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| The eastern pond complete with pond dipping platform and brood of Mallard ducklings |
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| View from the eastern hide |
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| The eastern hide - does it have a name? |
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| A dapper Common Sandpiper. Next stop a stream on the North York Moors perhaps? |
YWT Flamborough Cliffs - 16 April 2013
A quick visit to the stunning chalk grasslands of Flamborough Cliffs to look for a Baikal Teal an extremely rare vagrant duck from East Asia. It had arrived the previous day and was seen on North Marsh which is accessed through the Trust's reserve. Sadly the duck had gone! I will hopefully right a bit more if I get chance to visit again later in the year - but having set foot on the nature reserve, I think I can tick it off the list for the year!
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