Galgate Day 4

A mixed morning of weather today; I initially dry and clear but soon clouding over and turning to light rain.  Before breakfast Linda pointed out a pair of grey wagtails on  the wall outside to lo ge window and a hare in the field.  This provided me with half an hour's amusement but it didn't result in any successful images as the light was too poor.

Eventually we girded our loins and set off for Dunsop Bridge in the forest of Bowland.  On the way over we were delighted to find a large flock of golden plover, many in handsome breeding plumage.  Our walk took us up the Dunsop Valley, attractive despite the low cloud and rain.  We were pleased to find 5 dippers including 2 pairs, one with a singing  male.  We also heard a yaffling green woodpecker and saw some smart stonechats.  We managed to find an old cowshed to have lunch before heading back down to the car into the rain.  It was pleasant to get  back to the warm cottage and a cup of tea.  After adding today's records to Bird Track it was with wry amusement to note that my list for the year stands at 99!

Galgate Day 3

We woke this morning to sun streaming in our bedroom window and a sharp frost. It was beautiful out, feeling really spring-like despite the frost.  A song thrush was singing and on the lake were 2 male and a female goosander.  I had the unusual experience of a brown hare run up to my feet in the car park before it saw me.

After breakfast and Peter's run we loaded up the car and and were quickly off the  motorway and driving  through Carnforth towards Leighton Moss RSPB reserve. Peter and I enjoyed an excellent couple of hours in the Eric Morecambe and Tim Allen hides overlooking Morecambe Bay and the saltmarsh.  Immediately in front of us were redshank feeding busily  and further out good numbers of black-tailed godwit and avocet.  Wigeon were present, their whistles carrying across the pools.  The evocative calls of curlew were wonderful to hear but the predominant sound was the cacophony from the large colony of black-headed gulls.  Moving to the Tim Allen hide we were fortunate to have closer views of the black-tailed godwits some of which  had already moulted into their handsome, rufous breeding plumage.

Soon it was time to meet up with Heather and Linda at the visitor centre for lunch before heading heading  out again to the Causway  and the distant Lower hides.  The highlights of this walk were the plentiful marsh tits and occasional  cetti's warblers.  The strident song of the cetti's would periodically explode from right next to the path.  We were unable to spot any of these skulking, reddish brown warblers, though, but they were stunning to hear.

Driving home I reflected contentedly on an excellent day.

Brown Hare

Brown Hare

Goosander, male.

Avocet and black-tailed godwit

Avocet

Avocet

Avocet

Black-tailed godwit

Black-tailed godwit

Black-tailed godwit

Bullfinch

Chaffinch

Cormorant

Cormorant

Great black backed gulls

Goosander, female

Goosander, female

Goosander, female

Jay

Marsh Tit

Oystercatcher

Redshank

Shoveler x cinnamon teal

Snipe

Snipe

Wigeon

Galgate Day 1/2

What a beautiful day for our trip to Galgate.  Cloudless skies and pleasant 10C temperature. The journey through the Dales went well with only a stop for pack-up (egg sandwiches, yum) and a visit to Booth's at Ilkley for supplies.  Peter and Lin were already installed when we arrived but we were soon settled in and enjoying a cup of tea.

We woke on Monday morning to grey skies and heavy rain but we are hoping that it will clear up enough to get out.  We finally began to move by late morning and as we were loading the cars we had great views of a male goosander on the lake in front of the cottages.  Pity the weather was so putrid, the photographs were rubbish; maybe it will still be there tomorrow morning when the weather is due to be sunny.  Excitement over, we set of for Heysham and the ancient rock cut graves but first heading for Sunderland Point for some birdwatching as the tide ebbed.  Heather and I had never approached by the tidal causeway before and today under lowering skies and drizzle, with the tide only just clear of the rough, silt coated road, it was a wild place.  Once over we sat on the edge of the village for a while bird watching from the car. We only managed 13 species but it was a relaxing half hour.

By the time we arrived in the old village of Heysham it was raining steadily and bleak to say the least.  The old chapel and rock cut graves on the headland was a wild, dreary scene today, but fascinating nonetheless.  The massed purple crocuses in the churchyard were spectacular and would have made for an excellent image in brighter light.

Time to return to the cottage for lunch after which Heather and I opted to stay in with books and sewing while Peter and Linda went down the the local garden centre.

In the evening Thomas and Katy came round for meal; a wet but pleasant first day.

Redshank in rather gloomy conditions.

Shelduck

A Misty Day on Nine Standards Rigg

 The plan today was to finish up at Thomas's in Lancaster for a meal of the excellent F&C from his local Chippie so we decided on a walk further north.  Perhaps a tad too far north as we finished up with quite a drive up the M6 and then across to Kirkby Stephen to start our trek up Nine Standards Rigg.  We had chosen our route from a Viewranger selection and so parked on the summit of the pass outside Nateby on the road that descends down into Keld and Swaledale.  Although there was some good light to the west our fells were topped with a blanket of cloud.  We had decided on Nine Standards Rigg high on the fellside overlooking Kirkby Stephen and the Eden Valley.  It is actually the summit of Hartley Fell on the boundary of Cumbria and Yorkshire a few miles south east of Kirkby Stephen.  The name comes from nine large cairns on the summit which is on the Wainwright's Coast to Coast walk.  Once nearly 4m tall the Nine Standards once possible marked the boundary between Westmorland and Swaledale.  The origin of the cairns is shrouded in mystery although Wainwright suggests they are ancient and are marked on 18th century maps.  The trig point on the summit marks the watershed divide of England, rivivers flowing either west to the Irish Sea or East to the North Sea.

Parking at the top of the pass gave us a head start with height and we had soon climbed up into the mist.  The final section to the summit ridge involved yomping across tussocky, boggy ground; typical mountain marathon or Munro territory.  Once on the ridge we soon found the trig point and not long afterwards the 'nine stone men' loomed up impressively out of the murk.  After a quick, cold lunch we were soon on out way back down and pleased to have some views again.  In the foreground were the Howgills and beyond them the northern fells of the lakes.  To the north we looked towards Crossfell and Great Dunn Fell.  On the way down, before reaching the car we made a diversion to the small summit of Tailbridge Hill.

We weren't due at Thomas's so called in at Tebay services for a cup of tea; there was a surprising good farm shop and butchery which amused us for a while.  The fish and chips, as usual, were excellent.

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Galgate, Day 3. Leighton Moss.

Another stunning day of weather with cloudless skies.  A hard frost, though, which, in sheltered places, remained all day.  The plan today was for a thorough session at Leighton RSPB reserve and we were soon heading  the short distance up the M6 and then across to Silverdale.  Before lunch we explored Lillian's Pool and then moved on the Grizedale and Jackson's hides.  Lunch was enjoyed sitting in the sun outside the visitor centre and then Peter and I moved on to Eric Morecambe and Tim Allen hides while Heather and Linda headed off for the fleshpots of Arnside.  We completed the day with a brilliant sunset while waiting for the starling murmuration.  Thousands of birds flew in but largely dived straight into the reeds to roost providing only a brief display.  As the numbers of roosting birds increased we could hear a constant low muttering of thousands of birds.  What an incredible experience.

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