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Moses GateAnother Tuesday, another fine day, and the return of Joan Dobson from holiday to lead a full minibus on a visit to Moses Gate Country Park near Bolton. The first plant of the day, and a first for BEES, was an en route tour of Bolton's recycling plant when our navigator got his radar wrong but that didn't delay our arrival by too many minutes.  A surprisingly well reclaimed industrial site of 750 acres is the habitat for much wildlife and includes the SSSI site of Nob End which produced a great variety of plants and birds.  We recorded four species of orchid (including early marsh which we didn't record last week) in a total of 112 flowering plants (not including the helleborines which were still only in bud) with perhaps the highlights being skullcap and blue-eyed grass.  The habitat was particularly good for warblers and four of these these contributed to a total of 33 birds including cuckoo and yellowhammer - good records as both are scarcer this year.  An accident on the motorway somewhat delayed our return but it was a happy minibus that returned to Bradford after a full and very pleasant day's outing.

Stuart

 

Otley Wetlands, banded demoiselleWe spent the morning at Otley Wetlands, a private site extremely well managed by Wharfedale Nats, where Neville and his wife pointed out the special features of the site. We saw many different plants and birds together with evidence of otters, which are regularly about by very rarely seen, and an enormous amount of damselflies. In Joan's absence, Alice recorded a total of 73 flowering plants. The forecast rain fortunately did not materialise and we enjoyed a very pleasant afternoon having a guided tour of Sun Lane Nature Reserve, Burley-in-Wharfedale, also managed by Wharfedale Nats, with Anne. This reserve is also very well managed and has a very active support group - quite local and well worth a visit if you didn't make this trip. Because soil was imported from different sites when the old village tip was reclaimed, the reserve has a wide variety of different interesting plants. We added a few birds to our list and saw lots more damselflies! Total flower count here was 120 and the total bird count for the day 36. Marilyn Barber and Brian Ellis led this week's trip which was enjoyed by 16 members.
View more photos from the day in the wfv gallery
Stuart

green-veined white butterfly on lady's smockA full minibus conveyed us to the foothills of Ingleborough on a glorious summer's day for today's outing organised very thoroughly as usual by Margaret Rees. Surprisingly, the landlady at the Hill Inn was not keen for us to park the minibus in her car park but after assuring her that we would definitely return to buy some drinks from her, Margaret convinced her to allow us access. The mixed environment of Scar Close which comprises limestone, acidic soil and some marshy areas provides habitats for a diverse range of plants. Exactly 90 species of flowering flowers and ferns were recorded, the highlights of which were baneberry, butterwort, lily of the valley, globe flower, lesser meadow rue, bird's eye primrose, creeping willow, marsh valerian, marsh lousewort and green spleenwort. The tree-sparse habitat does not encourage bird life and few species were recorded, but we were entertained throughout our stay by the delightful singing of willow warblers and skylarks. Butterflies were also thin on the ground with none of the current influx of painted ladies (which one member had seen on the summit of Ingleborough only a few days before) evident. We did spot green-veined whites and Sue took a lovely photo of one which hopefully she will add to this blog. After refreshing ourselves, true to our word, at the Hill Inn we proceeded back to Bradford on a circuitous route via the YWT reserve at Globe Flower Wood where the globe flowers were in full bloom and where we also recorded melancholy thistle and wood cranesbill. An optional toilet/ice cream stop was afforded in Malham (with more opting for ice cream rather than toilets - it was a hot day!) before we finally returned to Bradford after 6.00pm to conclude another very successful day. Stuart

Great Crested Grebe on nestWe were one person short of a full minibus for our visit to the Rother Valley Country Park led by Donald Lightowler. Closure of part of the M62 required that we take the scenic route to our destination. Our walk started along the River Rother where we observed grey wagtails feeding young. The vertical banks of this section of river betrayed its canalisation. The showers were interspersed with welcome, fleeting glimpses of sunshine. We were pleased to note the first damselfly sighting of 2009, possibly a common blue damselfly. After negotiating the path between the lagoon and the fishing lake we stopped for lunch despite the rain. The showers gave way to more persistent and increasingly heavy rain, and our resolve was fading. We headed back to the visitor centre and sought refuge in the café. Many of us were wet through and after leaving the café, the general consensus was to depart earlier than planned. 68 plants in flower were recorded. Our bird tally of 30 would no doubt have been higher if we had explored the woodland area as planned. A highlight for me was seeing a great-crested grebe on a nest.  

Sue (understudy to Stuart our regular, more eloquent blogger!)

 

Upper Teasdale, Spring GentianThis season's extended day out took us to Upper Teesdale where a fine blustery (make that windy!) day allowed ample time to explore the areas of Moor House National Nature Reserve, which included Cow Green Reservoir and Cauldron Snout, and the High Force area.  The altitude (1500ft) meant that most plants were not inclined to put their heads too far above the ground and so some flower recognition was not easy. The wind and the altitude meant also that bird species were limited, but the botanists were especially thrilled with sightings of spring gentian, bird's eye primrose, mountain pansy and moonwort whilst the ornithologically inclined members were over the moon with sightings of a pair of ring ouzels and even more excited when the nest was observed with the female in residence.  The juniper area produced woodcock with young and a fly-past by goosander and RAF Hercules.  Total bird sightings was 36, which considering the altitude and the wind was very good, whilst 46 flowering plants and 7 ferns were recorded.

The day was rounded off with dinner at the Good Beer Guide listed Langdon Beck Hotel, where the Black Sheep was on good form before we returned to Bradford as the clock entered the last hour of an enjoyable day.

The full minibus trip was superbly organised once again by Joan Dobson and Eric Beety.

Please look in the wfv gallery for other photos of the day

Stuart

there are about 200 varieties of dandelion, some of them quite beautiful like this one captured at Staveley today.Joan Dobson and Sue Zajaczkowska led this week's superbly organised outing to Nidderdale which a record number of 22 members enjoyed. Again we seemed to be lucky with the weather as we headed East, away from the Pennine cloud and rain.

The large attendance meant that we needed to take two minibuses - a first for the group.  Some older members did find entry into and egress from the new minibus somewhat vertiginously challenging but this did not seem to spoil their day.

At Cattal we recorded 24 plants in flower, the stars being wild tulips (which unfortunately had mostly gone over*) and early purple orchids.  The highlight for the birders was the group's first sighting this year of swifts as ten or a dozen streezhed** their way around the site.

Staveley sedge warblerStaveley produced another first -the group's first recording of rats feeding underneath the bird feeders - very healthy they looked, too!  52 plants were in flower and reed buntings and sedge warblers, amongst many others, sang to us and their intended.  Sue was disappointed that some birds which she had seen on her recce the day before did not show, but not all species take kindly to having their space invaded by 22 bodies!

Total bird sightings for the day was 41.

* Gone over - botanical name for 'died'

** Streezhing - Tordoff name for the call of swifts from the superbly onomatopoeic Russian name for a swift - Streezh

Stuart

Bluebells in Judy Woods, courtesy of Friends of Judy Woods websiteBrian Ellis and Stuart Tordoff led this week's walk which was local for a change and covered a strenuous circular 5 miles from Shelf via Norwood Green.  Starting at the car park at Bridle Stile we set off down the Calderdale Way to Sun Wood to admire the bluebells.  We then headed back through Shelf Woods to Woodside and lunched in Royds Hall Great Wood which overlooks Jagger Park Wood.  The way was then to Horse Close Bridge (aka Judy Bridge) and Low Wood before climbing to Norwood Green and a short stop at the Wayfarers seats before we returned to Shelf past Ox Heys and North Wood down the 108 steps and past Dean House.

In the absence of Donald, our chief recorder, the bird count was low this week and we struggled to get to 30 species but Joan recorded 65 plants and ferns in flower and we did learn something of the history and the geology of the area.

The forecast rain did not arrive until we had finished our walk which was undertaken by 14 members this week who all seemed to enjoy the day.

Stuart

Star of BethlehemWe were blessed with superb weather again this week when Margaret Rees led 18 members on a varied day out.  We started at West Tanfield where yellow star of Bethlehem was found amongst many other species on the river bank as we listened to a blackcap singing away.  We then decamped to Nosterfield for a brief visit to the superb bird hide where avocets were the star attraction.  We were serenaded by another blackcap as we ate our lunch at the Tarmac site at Nosterfield before progressing to Marfield Wetlands, situated on the Middleham road out of Masham which was a new destination for the group.  Here we had a plesant 3km walk round the site where Mute swans, greylag geese and great crested grebe were all seen sitting on nests.  The day was rounded off with a short refreshment stop in Masham before we headed off back to Bradford.  A total of 46 bird species was recorded as well as 134 plants, 70 of which were in flower.

Stuart

daffodils at SizerghJoan Dobson led a full complement of 20 members to Sizergh where we enjoyed a bright, blustery day when the showers that were about fell elsewhere.  The location allowed the option of anything between a leisurely stroll through the gardens and castle and a decent walk over the fells but it wasn't necessary to walk too far to get  spectacular views over Morecambe Bay, with Arnside Knot and viaduct prominent, the mountains of the Lakes and Ingleborough which all gave excellent views.  The wind kept the bird count low this week, but we did manage to record 35 species in the day, with perhaps close-up views of a pair of buzzards being the highlight.  No hawfinches were spotted and we're beginning to think that this bird must be related to the Yeti - does anyone know anyone that's seen one??   Flowers and ferns totalled 33 with the highlights being brown-backed fern (but see note in comments!) and moschatel (our inexperienced recorder had the former down on the bird list as a brown-backed tern until he was told that such a bird doesn't exist!).  BEES is working hard on the second E of the acronym (for educational) but obviously has some way yet to go!

Stuart

 

A Nice Place to Live, Ledsham/Fairburn Ings, Mar09Gillian & Stuart led this week's trip when 14 members enjoyed a lovely day out when we walked from Ledsham over the fields to RSPB Fairburn Ings, passing a wood with more violets (sweet and early dog) than Joan has ever seen in her life (that really is saying something!) and then we returned by a different field route which passed through a wood with a remakable display of wood anemones and where the first bluebells of Spring were just showing flower.  A record total of 52 bird species was seen or heard and 36 plant species  were recorded as well as comma and orange tip butterfly.  Most of us enjoyed a refreshing drink at the Chequers Inn (who had very kindly allowed us to park our (new) minibus in their carpark) before returning to Bradford.  Watch out for some lovely photos of willow tits taken by Sue who will try to post them on this blog.

Stuart