Friday birdwatching club: Swillington Ings After optional breakfast from 9am, we’ll head for Swillington Ings to look at the birds on Astley Lake before checking out the nearby woodland between the River Aire and the Aire and Calder Navigation. Birdwatching starts at 10am. We’ll look for lapwing, shelduck, pintail and redpoll.
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Eccup reservoir is the largest stretch of water in Leeds and can, on occasion, attract birds not usually seen inland such as common scoter and great northern diver. We’ll be visiting during the autumn migration and will be checking the water for wildfowl on the move. Barnacle geese have already
Continue readingRSPB Marshside A lovely winter’s day on the Sefton Coast at Southport where we’ll watch thousands of waders on the mudflats and saltmarsh. There will also be plenty of swans, geese and ducks to sort through and raptor action from peregrine falcon and merlin. The saltmarsh may also attract twite, skylark and
Continue readingFriday birdwatching club: Lowther Lake After optional breakfast from 9am, we’ll explore this small lake and adjoining farmland between St Aidan’s and Fairburn Ings. Birdwatching starts at 10am. We’ll look for yellowhammer, reed bunting and water birds on the lake then check out the birds on the River Aire. Contact me
Continue readingTuesday birdwatching club: Hetchell Woods It’s a while since we visited this Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserve. Marsh tit, linnet and grey wagtail will be our target birds for the morning as we walk around the coppiced woodland, stream and sandy heath. Booking essential, £15 per person including refreshments. Transport available
Continue readingNosterfield NR and quarry A winter visit to Nosterfield Nature Reserve and Nosterfield Quarry is bound to produce something interesting. Whether it be flocks of golden plover, hunting peregrine, goldeneye, snipe or a flock of twite you’ll be able to watch in comfort from hides with sheepskin lined benches. £30 per person
Continue readingFriday birdwatching club: Lemonroyd from Methley Join me for optional breakfast from 9am at Rivers Meet Cafe. We’ll then take a walk from Methley to Leventhorpe, starting our birdwatching at 10am. We’ll look for woodland and farmland birds along the path before entering the lock at Lemonroyd. Here we’ll check the navigation
Continue readingTuesday birdwatching club: Bramley and Hawksworth woods This walk takes us to two of the best little woods in Leeds, Bramley Falls and Hawksworth. Now that we have a new railway station at Kirkstall, it’s possible to combine these woods in one circular walk. We’ll look for nuthatch, great spotted woodpecker,
Continue readingWild goose chase at Dumfries and Galloway It’s time for my annual 3 day wildfowl spectacular in south-west Scotland. After stopping off for breakfast at Cross Lanes Cafe, We’ll head off for the Solway and visit the best birdwatching sites in the area such as Powfoot, WWT Caerlaverock and RSPB Mersehead to watch large flocks
Continue readingFriday birdwatching club: St Aidan’s from Methley Join me for breakfast from 9am at Rivers Meet Cafe. We’ll then approach St Aidan’s from Methley, starting our birdwatching at 10am. We’ll look for woodland birds along the path, kingfisher on the River Aire and wetland birds on the lagoons at St Aidan’s.
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