Another walk around Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits. This time without the chilling wind from the North East. Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird and Blackcap could be heard. Also several others that I could not recognise.
Arachnophobes – there is a Harvestman photo lower down.
Tap on an image to see it in its gallery carousel.
Several groups of Sand Martin could be seen and heard flying over the river and as I got further along the path they could be seen going in and out of the holes in the river bank. On one of the camera groups I am in there have been several interesting images posted showing the flight of a bird – numerous shots superimposed on each other to show the bird’s flight. My shot is actually 1 photo of 3 birds. They are across the other side of the river so the quality when cropped to this degree is not brilliant.
The ducklings were running about feeding all the time but the goslings seemed happy to be drifting down river with their parents.
I know Mandarin Ducks are tree roosting birds but it is still a surprise to see such a bird nesting in a Kestrel nest box. This was taken from behind the cover of leaves but I still think I am being watched.
A Raven flew around the reserve for a few minutes and on several occasions was being harassed by crows. The Raven was a lot bigger but without the crows I might have glanced at it and thought it a crow. It did “cronk” a few times when the crows got too close.
At the down-river part of the reserve there are quite a few Bluebells and, thinking of the camera club, I took a couple of photos in a different style. The one with the dark background is lit by flash. The Lady’s Smock looked a bit lonely on its own.
It is rather difficult to judge but I have posted another photo of the fungus on the fallen tree at the far end of the reserve. I think it might be Dryad’s Saddle – Cerioporus squamosus which can grow to this sort of size, 60cm or so.
I did see several around but this Alder Leaf Beetle was on one of the benches along the path. I have seen loads of these at Denso Marston Nature Reserve this year. Not bad for a beetle that was thought extinct in the UK 20 years ago.
By the lagoon path, between the path and the road I kept looking out for ladybirds but didn’t see any but did spot this Harvestman (? Phalangiidae, Mitopus morio) According to the blurb about these early May is early for them.
The plane is Tui’s G-TAWN, Boeing 737-8K5, approaching Leeds/Bradford Airport.
Flight: TOM70N. From Palma De Mallorca (PMI/LEPA) 10:58 CEST to Leeds (LBA/EGNM) Landed 12:21 BST.
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