Skipton – Soil Hill – Bradshaw

We had a drive out to Skipton today to do some clothes shopping.

Leaving home a Heron flew over towards Soil Hill area soon followed by 2 Geese. 
(21:25 decided that the Geese may be Heron??)
A dead badger was in the road just after the demolished Denholme Velvets building – a sad sight indeed.

Prior to the Skipton shops we had our usual walk up the canal, behind the castle and through the woods. It was a tad disappointing today with no sighting of the Kingfisher or the Dippers that we usually see. Perhaps the Dippers are nesting at present.

Birds:

Nuthatch, 2 Moorhen, 2 Oystercatcher, Singing Song Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit and a few others.

4 Oystercatcher were seen in the fields near Skipton on the journey home.

Soil Hill – Bradshaw 17:10 – 18:25

Sue dropped me at Soil Hill on the way home.

It was quite cold up here, with a strong WSW breeze, which took me a bit by surprise as I had my ‘summer’ kegs on.

First bird I saw was a Heron flying over > ENE.

There were 3 Meadow Pipit and 2 Skylark  knocking about.

A Moorhen and 2 other duck sp on the lower pond - possibly Teal.

A Curlew called from Thornton Moor and a PIPIT landed in the trees that form the fields boundary running down to the lower pond. 
A Meadow Pipit I guess - a bit early for Tree Pipit?

Leaving the hill for Ned Hill Track a Kestrel was hunting, disguised by the Ogden smoke, and as I looked back I saw  a Red Grouse plop down to the south of the hill top.

I retraced my steps to have a look see and maybe get a photo of the Red Grouse but I failed miserable in my hunt – which I abandoned after 10 mins due to the fading light.

There was a small grass fire burning on Ogden, somewhere between the Reservoir House and the Golf Club House by the looks of it.

I was deciding whether I should ring the Fire Brigade but decided that there would be people a lot nearer than I was, who could access the situation better that I could.

Thankfully the decision became redundant as a Fire Engine approached with siren blazing, along Keighley Road.

Taylor Lane held a pretty Skylark, frantically feeding on grass seeds and also a Meadow Pipit.

As I arrived home I could just make out the lights of my executive jet, coming over to land nearby.

Looks like I have an important meeting to attend tomorrow.

2 Geese seen from the car

Cropped and lightened but not very good - Canada's I guess (or maybe Heron!!).

Skipton:

Soil Hill:

Pipit in a tree

You get the picture - not a lot going on, on Soil Hill

There's a Kestrel here somewhere!

It took a while to get the camera to recognise the Skylark in the gloom

Ah! my executive jet is on it's way