Spring on Baildon Moor

Hopefully this Summer will be better than last year’s.

Last Saturday (27 April) I spent longer on Baildon Moor than I had done for a month or two. There was a cold wind but when it dropped or I was sheltered the sun was warming.

I went North West over Glovershaw way and round the edge of the moor going North. Even though I kept to the paths I still disturbed a few Meadow Pipit. It is easy to see how having dogs run around during the nesting season can empty areas of nesting birds. Only one person was letting his dogs run off into the long grass, he was throwing a ball into it for them. All the others kept to the paths and still had plenty of exercise.

I could hear several Skylark and on a couple of occasions saw little fluttery dark shapes up in the sky. Several Lapwing were also wheeling about and giving their eerie call. The first bird I managed to get a decent photo of though was a Curlew that was on a small mound.

And on the way back it was there again

At the top left corner a couple of Pied Wagtails were feeding and either collecting nesting material or collecting long legged insects to feed their young. Probably the former. This was over the other side of the wall were the collapsing shelters are.

Following a path round the edge of the moor up around the 11th Tee there were a couple of Peacock butterflies, one of which was warming itself in the Sun.

A little further round, at the small wooded area, I could hear several Chaffinches and Willow Warblers and managed to get a couple of decent shots of them.

And then on the way back, just before I saw the Curlew again, a Meadow Pipit sat on the wire long enough for me to get a shot. The length of their rear claws is amazing.