√Bolton Abbey

Minus 2 degrees this morning but a glorious sunny start to the day.
We had a run out to Bolton Abbey for a real corker of a winter outing.
We managed to park for Free! in the small parking area opposite the Abbey Tea rooms - our first free parking experience in over 20 years of visiting Bolton Abbey.

A beautiful walk upstream was nicely interrupted by a visit to the Tea Cottage café.
On again, then, towards the Cavendish Pavilion where our normal upriver path was closed for maintenance.
There was a diversion sign pointing to the road so we followed this assuming that we would  soon return to the riverside path.
A pleasant diversion became a bit of a pain as the next opportunity to return to the river was also being maintained.
In fact we had to remain on the road until 'Valley of Desolation" path that drops down to the (Aqueduct?)bridge over the wharf.

We walked back downstream on the other side of the river looking forward to a bargain cream tea at the Cottage Tea Room at £7.50  courtesy of a parking voucher saved from an earlier visit.
We arrived at the Cottage Tea room at 3:15pm to find it closed for the day!
Sue, was not going to miss out on some afternoon sustenance so we hit the road and made it back to the Abbey Tea Room for 3:45pm where a lovely welcome awaited us and some cracking scones with jam and cream!
This café, apparently, is independent of the Estate - this  maybe why it was still open at 3:45pm!

All in all though a brilliant day out.

Don't mention, to Sue though,  the tea time drive home, through Keighley or the 'temporary' traffic lights in Denholme!

Birds:

Some very good winter birds seen here today.

4 Dipper, Common Gull, Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull, Mallard, 7 Mandarin Duck, Stonking KIngfisher.

6 Goosander (3 Drakes), A head scratcher with 2 definite Goosander as well.

3 Heron, 100's Fieldfare, 3 Mistle Thrush, 3 Nuthatch (heard), Cormorant, 2 Kestrel, Pheasant, many Jackdaws, 2 Red Kite, Wren.

Pair of very early? Oystercatcher flew overhead and landed near the 'acqueduct?' bridge.
I did not pick them up when I got to the bridge - a picture would have been good.
I've never seen Oystercatcher in the snow before- didn't pick them out for the camera alas.

a Pr. Geese over then 3 Geese over.

Probably 'large conked' Greylag Geese but I'm going to look at my bird books, hoping for a mega,after I've posted this.

Grey Wagtail - my first this year!

Lapwing overhead and possibly very distant Golden Plover, along with a few other sp.

No woodpecker calls or drumming heard - maybe too cold a day?

Silsden Reservoir:

On the way to Bolton Abbey, a stop to look back at a very distant Silsden reservoir found Canada Geese, Greylag Geese and Tufted Duck in residence.

Also 3 Geese (probably Greylag - have me a bit perplexed).

1:-

This bird cropped from the pic below.

Probably a Goosander from the bird's shape

but some strange colouring, has me beat.

5:-

10:-

15:-

20:-

 

Spot the Pheasant

25:-

30:-

Some distant Geese in flight

Large Conks (Tks to DJS) points me to Greylag

35:-

Three further Geese over.

Distant Lapwing

Silsden Reservoir:-

Probably Greylag - but???