I really thought that I would be able to catch up with myself over July and August but how wrong I was. Life events have pulled me in all kinds of unexpected directions and the old adage “best laid plans” has been mentioned on more than one occasion. Well, we can
Continue readingAfter a slow start to June, a few days of sun and moderate rain really helped the UK’s flora and fauna catch up and, as I write, most birds are either feeding chicks or have fledged their little charges and are thinking about their post breeding moult. Of course some will
Continue readingIt came as no surprise to me to hear the announcement that this spring has so far been the coldest in over 50 years. I think I’ve worn gloves for most of my classes since the start of my spring programme and I’ve even reverted to full winter gear on
Continue readingHello birdwatchers Spring migrants are like buses this year – one minute you can’t find one and then they all come at once! It has been a fantastic couple of weeks in the world of birds. Chiffchaffs and willow warblers are just about getting settled; blackcaps seem to be paired
Continue readingHello birdwatchers What a traumatic spring we’ve had so far for our migrating birds. Both incoming and outgoing birds have struggled to make their habitual journeys to their breeding grounds this year. Bird reports have been unseasonably winter-esk with long-tailed duck, smew, waxwings, redwing, fieldfare and siskins still being seen in
Continue readingHello birdwatchers The sunny skies on Saturday gave us a fantastic start to the month of March when we visited YWT’s Askham Bog followed by the Lower Derwent Valley. The water levels had receded considerably by Saturday morning but, due to time constraints, we stayed on the boardwalk at Askham Bog.
Continue readingHello birdwatchers I’m just back from Start Birding’s annual winter trip to Dumfries and Galloway in south-west Scotland. This year I was joined by 8 lovely people and, once again, we stayed at the wonderful Millbrae House in Rockcliffe owned by Linda and David Birdsall. This stunning countryside is home to thousands of
Continue readingHello birdwatchers What a mixture of weather we’ve had over the last couple of weeks. Snow, hail, gusty winds and rain have really made life difficult for us, never mind our poor birds! Nevertheless, Start Birding has been out and about as usual looking for birds in and around Leeds.
Continue readingHello birdwatchers With the cold weather finally upon us, it is now time to start thinking seriously about our feathered friends out there in your garden, trying to keep warm during the long winter nights. To stay alive in the winter, birds must spend most of their waking hours feeding
Continue readingHello birdwatchers and a happy new year to you all My 2013 bird list started with a fantastic day around the outskirts of Wakefield on the 2nd January. Water levels were high but, luckily, our target birds were at home on deep water – some normally living out to sea. Long-tailed duck and
Continue readingA big thank you to the people who kindly gave up their seats at Adel Dam Nature Reserve today to let my elderly parents sit down and watch the mandarin ducks. It made their day.
Great day at the Leeds Science fair today. Lots of very interested children of all ages!
Spring is in the air and I'm seeing lots of great crested grebe courtship displays on my travels. Chiffchaffs are singing in Leeds and coltsfoot, lesser celendine and common dog violet are in flower.
