Bradshaw & Oats Royd

10:30

Sue took Abigail to Spenboro’ swimming this morning so I managed a couple of hours walk down to Oats Royd and back.

I was hoping for an early Swallow but didn’t see one.

The fields across to Holdsworth are still very wet and the large copse at the end always looks very promising but never seems to dish up the goods!

Today a single Meadow Pipit was in the fields and a Coal Tit was in the copse.

There was a very noisy Wren, shouting at me, from a wall on the way down to Oats Royd and a few more Wren when I got down there.

A Pheasant called and a Heron left the ponds in a hurry.

The top pond has a huge lump of frogspawn – should keep the Heron happy for some time.

Chiffchaff were in good voice with 5 separate sightings –4 singing and 1 sighting of a non-singer.

Chiffchaff pictures were difficult to come by and those of the fifth bird are not very good because it was very dark at the time and the bird was constantly on the move in the small trees.

There were just 4 Mallard and 2 Moorhen on the ponds.

Other birds seen on the trip:-

Pr. Collard Dove, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Long Tailed Tit, Pr. Pied Wagtail and a Mistle Thrush.

A Curlew called from the general direction of Soil Hill and a quick peek at the Ring- Necked Parakeet  site saw it in situ. albeit far off in the trees.

Heron makes its get away

One of 4 singing Chiffchaff

Spot the upside down Long Tailed Tit

3 very poor pics of the non-singing 'Chiffchaff'