Mossy Morning

I had an hour to spare before seeing my first client this morning so I decided to drop some seed off at the feeding bins on Rawcliffe Moss. After I did this I had a walk from the feeding track, along the '97' hedge to the plantation and back to the car. It was a cracking morning albeit a little cold with clear skies and a light northeasterly breeze.

The 'big' field in the April sunshine

A number of Lapwings were busying themselves in various stages of their breeding cycle; some displaying and others looking like they were sat on eggs. I had a good count of Brown Hares as I walked round and had a total of eleven, with some in pasture and others in arable areas. Skylarks sang from the arable fields and I had a buck Roe Deer take an interest in me in the big field. I think he couldn't tell from a distance whether I was another deer or not! He kept coming closer and closer until he could see me properly, and then he legged it!






Walking up the '97' hedge I had a single Willow Warbler and when I got up to the plantation I had a further singing four males. Between the '97' hedge and the plantation were five singing Corn Buntings making use of a variety of song perches from tree tops, to fence posts to mole hills!

Walking past the ploughed field opposite Curlew Farm I had five Stock Dove, which is quite a good count, and a pair of Swallows were on the wires close to the farm.

Male and female Swallows

Walking back down the lane to my car I had nine Tree Sparrows between the L Wood and Curlew Wood boxes as well as three Coal Tits flitting along the hedge. Over head at least four Lesser Redpolls went north along with eight Linnets. Back at the car a Great Spot called from Curlew Wood and a Buzzard flew past being mobbed by Crows as usual.

I was early for my second appointment of the day at Tockholes in the West Pennines so I had a short walk through the woodland at Roddlesworth. Migrant-wise it was quiet other than a single singing Willow Warbler. In fact I had very little at all except for a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker and a calling Grey Wagtail.

Roddlesworth

Back home I checked my moth trap, and you've guessed it, six early Greys, four Common Quakers and five Hebrew Characters!