Hello again to all, it seems ages since my last post back in August. A lot has happened since then and now but I feel things are back on track, especialy considering the arrival of our first great-grandson 3 weeks ago. An utter joy as we can hand him back at the end of the day, all the good bits but still a good night’s sleep as well. I was active in September but had computer issues meaning I could not post due to file size, then it was quieter in the last 3 months of 2013 as my attention was primarily on some family matters. Hoping to see a full year in 2014, weather permitting.
Rather than write much prose I have decided to do a month at a time showing my favourite or most interesting pics with a more detailed caption to explain what was going on
Since last post
In the days leading up to and directly after the surgery I was mainly observing around the garden area, but with the weather being excellent I could sit out for long periods. I had missed the period for some of my annuals such as Green Hairstreak, and also for my trips for some annual birds in the breeding season that I do not get locally. Whilst other individuals posts were showing good numbers at various places we do not seem to have had anything exceptional here that way, whites seemed very common at times with some days 30 or 40 sightings in the garden but the numbers may not have been that high. As some recognizable individuals turned up repeatedly throughout a day it was nice to have something around nearly all the time but I still think we did not have very high numbers; however much better than some previous years. In addition to the butterflies we had an excellent period for birds with Great Spotted Woodpecker, Bullfinch, Nuthatch and lots of juvenile commoner species back and forth between the gardens. Red Kite were seen on a good number of days from the back garden, it showed what I would normally miss being at work or in the house. In addition to my established buddleia I bought a dwarf one and put that on the paved area near the room window, it attracted more butterflies than the other, both seemed to bloom for a good period this year
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A pair of Bullfinches were regulars at the garden feeders in my garden and next door, they continued to visit well into the autumn, then the sightings of Bullfinches dropped off till January. I managed to shoot quite a few shots of these and usually from around 8 feet or so. They would ignore the fact I was sitting nearby as long as I moved slowly and carefully
I just love Robins, could photograph them all the time. This was one of the garden residents that sometimes approached to within a foot or so as I sat out, there were a few juveniles about as later shots will show. A bird that looks totally different depending on the angle seen and the weather. Back views do no justice to the vived colours seen head on, and summer birds more sleek than the almost circular puffed-up appearance of the winter visitors
Another firm favourite, the Blue Tit. We had both adults and juveniles around. Out front I have another feeding station of just fat-filled coconuts but it attracts some really nice birds, and from the porch window it is only about 8 – 10 feet so almost acts as a hide. The only down-side is the positioning of branches that they like to perch on, I am unwilling to remove them just to make the photos less cluttered. This one obligingly sat on top of the coconut. Some nice feather detail showing in this picture
Well not a rarity but I usually take shots of the local Rabbits when they pose well enough. I had gone out on the 17th to do my local patch and as you enter Walsh Lane a sloping field over a high wall on the left usually holds Rabbits, sometimes in double figures and handy at one spot for photographing, as this one shows. I was well pleased with how this picture came out, the overall colours seem complimentary
A cock Pheasant seems to think that hunkering down means I can no longer see him. A few seem to take this defensive posture instead of racing off across the fields. Taken also on the 17th and about 100 yards further on from the Rabbit, but the grass here has weathered better. There are a few of this distinctive colour pattern of Pheasant here and some are even more flamboyant, Ring-necks however do seem to be the commonest variety
Further on the walk I passed the cattle wallow on Heights Lane – a seep deeply messed up by cattle that had become a largish wet and muddy area. I had earlier posted a shot of a juvenile Lapwing here, but these have moved on and Pied Wagtails were much more common for a few weeks. Visits post autumn has seen very little here so I enjoyed it while it lasted. This is a juvenile bird
The following day the early afternoon sunshine brought a few butterflies into the garden on the buddleias including this Small White, numbers of these are their larger cousin were about equal I would say during the late summer and early autumn period. The occasional Green-veined white would also show up. I still feel whites are amongst the hardest butterflies to get decent shots off, much more skittish than nymphalids even when having a good feed
And talking of nymphalids, a few minutes later this Peacock showed up and continued to show on and off for the rest of the day, never seeming to move that far away from the gardens here. Peacocks are really a delight and common enough to brighten up any day. This one is showing the classic “owl” pose
Later the same day I popped down into the valley to the canal and on to the Bog. Micklethwaite Bridge usually has Black-headed Gulls and Jackdaws as well as the well-fed feral geese and Mallards. This Jackdaw was near the canal where the wildfowl had started moulting, hence all the feathers. A bird seen locally in some good numbers at times and that nest near my home in chimney stacks most years
Here at Micklethwaite Bridge or nearby the wildfowl are joined at times by Mute Swans. Took the opportunity to try and get a head-only shot of a bird swimming on the canal. Later in the year the juveniles will also be around this area as well looking for easy pickings from the numerous people catering to the wildfowl’s insatiable appetite for the humble loaf
Popping down into the Bog area I came across these Small Whites mating. I was really struck by the size difference between these two individuals; one appears only half the size of the other. The Bog area was pretty quiet and I found no remaining skippers there at all
23rd August. The garden is now being visited by a nice-sized flock of mixed-age Goldfinches. Here is a juvenile on the feeders, not yet showing the glorious colours of the adults but still recognizable as a Goldfinch, especially around the wings and tail areas. Greenfinches, Bullfinches and Chaffinches are also showing well but Siskins have moved on for the moment, re-appearing just before Christmas
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25th August. I went up to Whetstone Gate on the moors, parked up and walked back down to the small quarry. Here the sides were resplendent in flowering heather. I was amazed - miles from anywhere and here were a few Painted Lady. I had seen none previously this year and saw none after, I wondered later how many years they may appear up here but not lower down the valley. These were my first since 2009 so I enjoyed them whilst I could, the steep sides of the quarry limited photo opportunities and I was still taking care at that stage not to aggravate the recent surgery so no silly climbing to get better shots
If the Painted Lady were not enough the site also had a few Peacocks, Small Tortoiseshells and Small Coppers. A Peacock undersides here as it fed on the heather. Though not brilliant a picture I really enjoy looking back at, nice pose and some lovely colours
And if the above were not enough for the day I found my first Small Heath ever here with about 3 individuals seen. Regrettably al the shots are obscured in some way by the rough grasses they frequented on the quarry floor. Now I have a location will be returning next year to see if I can improve on the images, this is the same area where I usually come for Green Hairstreak a bit higher on the moors. It was a day to savour with also good sightings and shots of Red Grouse and Wheatear
A second shot of a Peacock taken at the site later on, but with a upperwing view. Never enough pictures of Peacocks in my opinion
26th August. Great Spotted Woodpeckers continue to frequent the garden, with two seen together one day. Most are usually seen out front from the kitchen window, although they will visit the back garden. I occasionally manage to get a few shots without scaring it off as here, a pleasing shot of what is a most unusual and almost exotic visitor to the garden, I now have quite a collection of photos taken in the garden area of this bird, but most are like this one with the odd branch obscuring part the shot, but as mentioned earlier the birds love these as perches, and it has led to shots of Jay, Jackdaw and Magpies at the coconuts
Later that day I walked along the River Aire from Dowley Gap to Cottingley Bridge, very few butterfly species seen but some good number of whites around. The occasional Speckled Wood brightened up the walk, like this one on a riverside bush
Further on I found two Small Coppers around a field fringe; and got some odd looks, as I tried to find a good angle to take a shot, from locals walking their dogs or playing on the grassy areas. Not many seen this year due to limited time out and about so enjoyed these
As the playing fields gave way to a narrower path and vegetation I turned up a few more Speckled Woods. This one looks quite fresh despite the damage to the hind-wing. A butterfly I usually see in good numbers most years except this one. By the time I was fully mobile they all seemed to have gone apart from the odd one
31st August. Walked over the fields and then down to Eldwick Reservoir on what became a day to remember. This Small Tortoiseshell was in the fields enjoying the sun. Low down on the grasses it was elusive to photograph and this was the best of the few taken, not as many this year as last when this field held 20+ one sunny afternoon. It appears to be holding its own locally with a widespread distribution in a variety of habitats
The first of the day’s highlights was this Buzzard by Eldwick Reservoir. It was on the wall around the field opposite and this was taken from about 100m away, I love the shot, most are just shapes as the soar overhead so was glad of the chance to take this in a more presentable pose. It stayed around for twenty minutes and I got one or two more good images before it moved into a tree area
Not 15 minutes later a call from some bushes alerted me to this female Redstart which then conveniently posed on the wall nearby. It is not a Redstart area although they breed not too far away, so this must have been a passage bird moving south. The first (and possibly last) for my local patch. Two cracking birds with good shots taken in 15 minutes, I probably floated home in a daze
But not before another Rabbit shot. This one looks a more mature individual than that posted earlier in the month, but in the same field. The overall appearance seems to shout it is an older animal unless I am just imagining it
We nearly started this retro with a Robin so I decided to finish with one. Taken on the lawn in the back garden as I sat with a cup of coffee reflecting on my Buzzard and Redstart, I say lawn there is not much grass showing here. An adult bird looking for its evening meal
Hope that was of interest and so in the next post we move into September and go further afield. By far the busiest month to recap on, so I may have to split it we will see how it goes when I have got the photos reduced to posting size.