A couple of days ago, I wandered over to Kirkstall Hill, where I immediately recognised the call of a Chiffchaff and caught a quick glimpse before it disappeared but continued to remain in the area. The blackthorn were flowering & birches were full of catkins.
Kirkstall Hill is a small (200m x 150m x 150m ) unimpressive triangular section of west facing greenspace located at the busy crossroads of Kirkstall Lane and Kirkstall Hill. Half of the area is grassland with shrubs, brambles and deciduous trees bordering the remaining area, Hawthorn, Birch, Laurel, Holly, Ivy, Oak, Blackthorn. Kirkstall Hill was the site of an old quarry, owned by Reffitts, a firm of dyers based on Kirkstall Road, (thanks to Andrea for her help). The most notable feature is the view from the hill up along the Aire Valley which is pretty impressive on a clear day.
As well as the Chiffchaff, Goldfinch, Long Tail Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Robin, Blackbird, & Wren were all active in the surrounding trees and shrubs.
The only butterfly in view was this Small Tortoiseshell.
Birch catkins were showing well, you can clearly see the difference between the longer hanging male catkins and the smaller upright female catkins, as the fresh shiny finely toothed leaves are starting to unfurl.
Nice little area to investigate
ReplyDeleteHi Linda, It looked like you had a beautiful day for your walk with lots of good light judging by the great photos.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed catching up with your recent posts and all the lovely photos and thought the display of Daffodils in the churchyard was really stunning!
You are obviously doing some great work in the cemetery. I keep meaning to visit my local one as I know there is some interesting wildlife there particularly in the very old part.
The hedges here are just beginning to show flower buds.
ReplyDeleteSome lovely photos there Linda - I especially like the one of the Small Tortoiseshell (I still haven't managed to see one yet this year!). It looks a nice place to explore with a great view. Best wishes Caroline
ReplyDeleteHello pops, despite the litter its a nice little area, & I hope to find more Skippers & Burnet moths again this year.L x
ReplyDeleteHello SS, thank you very much, Adel Churchyard and Lawnswood Cememtery are lovely spots, both rich in wildlife, historical and visual interest.
Hello John, isn't it lovely to watch the hedgerows come into leaf and bloom.
Hello Caroline, good luck with your first Small Tortoiseshell sighting of the year! Linda