I managed to get a few nice sightings at Denso Marston Nature Reserve over the weekend. A Chiffchaff was slowly circling its area and calling so I sat down for a while and waited for it to come round and show itself.
As usual click on an image to see it in the gallery carousel.
The Magpie looked rather menacing as it prepared to fly into the Spider Club Feeding Station. Near the pond spotted a pair of Wood Pigeons lookng comfortable with each other until the one I assume was the male lent in a bit. The other one gave it a quick whack with its wing and turned away. A Wood Pigeon landed near a Stock Dove on the power cables. Another Wood Pigeon joined them and started to sidle up to the other pigeon which didn’t think much to it and flew off. The pigeon them started sidling up to the Stock Dove which thought even less of it and flew off.
I followed a Roe Deer along the river for a while, watching it feed on new leaves from various plants on the other side of the river. It looked around a few times but seemed happy to saunter along until it decided to climb the bank and go out of sight.
On one of the trees near the gate I spotted a few blue beetles – Alder Leaf Beetle – Agelastica alni. One of them looked as though it had a small round hole in its wing cases, curious. On looking closer I could see that a lot of the crevices on the tree were packed with dozens of the beetles. I have yet to get an ID for the tree, it didn’t look right for an Alder, there were no catkins.
During the walk around I heard a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming a couple of times and heard a few calls. The female I spotted near the Spider Club feeding station. A bit later I saw a Woodpecker fly to a tree so I carefully manoeuvred until I could see it. I could see that it was pecking but there was no characteristic drumming sound. I then realised that it was a male and it was pecking a nice round hole in the tree for a nest.
I have never seen a Wren spread its tail like that before. It could be something they do as they start to fly or it could be part of its display. Just before setting off it had been singing loudly. I got several good sightings of a Sparrowhawk but the only photo opportunity was one in the distance being harried by a Corvid.
The view of the Wrose transmitters was taken from the top of the path near the gate onto Otley Road.
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