Kirkstall Abbey sightings

During a rare moment this weekend when I wasn't glued to the TV, we wandered down to Kirkstall Abbey. There were Small Tortoiseshell butterflies  (8+) in the herb garden opposite Kirkstall Abbey. 3 Brown Hawkers zipped around the garden, and we found one Banded Demoiselle on waterside vegetation by the River Aire. Earlier in the week we walked around Kirkstall Abbey Park at dusk to test a bat detector and found 6 Pipistrelles by the river, very exciting.

Small White in Kirkstall Abbey Walled Garden

During an early evening stroll down to Kirsktall Abbey walled garden I spotted this Small White (Pieris rapae) land on a. Phlomis (fruticosa?) Jerusalem Sage. I think its a slightly worn male The downy grey leaves provide perfect camouflage for the butterfly at rest. Had I not seen it on the wing I doubt I would have spotted it. 

The flowerheads are in place but the majority of the deep yellow flowers, arranged in whorls, are just starting to emerge.

I returned twenty minutes later to find it had barely moved.

Riverbank views

A few more views down by the banks of the River Aire by Kirkstall Abbey.

 

More Alder catkins, the yellow hanging catkins are the male catkins, to the right are newly emerged female catkins which will eventually grow to the size of the mature female catkins at the bottom left which belong to previous year's growth.

Willows on the River Aire

On the banks of the River Aire next to Kirkstall Abbey a series of willows overhang the riverbank,  the catkins are emerging with the first leaves in an alternate arrangement on long slender stems.

Kirkstall creatures - Banded Demoiselles

Walking along the riverbank by Kirkstall Abbey, I encountered my first Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens). Yipee! On a sunny, south facing bank males and females settled amongst the leaves of tall growing nettles and Himalayan Balsam. The males were easily identifiable, with their dark banded wings and appeared more restless than the females (pictured above) which lack the coloured wing band. The body colouring of the male (below) is a metallic blue green, the females are a metallic green with a bronze coloured tip.

More information about Banded Demoiselles on the Yorkshire Branch of the British Dragonfly Society.

Waxwing and other things at Kirkstall Abbey

Walking along the riverbank by Kirkstall Abbey I heard a familiar trilling in the treetops, and looked up  to see a flock of 20 Waxwing. Up until a couple of months ago I'd never knowingly seen Waxwing but was confident of a sighting having heard reports of flocks appearing in previous years in the urban parks of Leeds to feed on winter berries.

I consider myself lucky to have spotted them in Leeds on 4 separate occasions.  Firstly in January from my bedroom window (15), then half an hour later in the centre of town (50) and then my previous sighting during a coffee run at work (15) in a beech tree beside the Students Union just over a week ago. I'd read that they visit from November to March so I assumed that would be the last opportunity of the year to see them before they head back up to Scandinavia .

Walking on, I spotted them again in the treetops overlooking the rugby pitch, next to a busy Kirstall Road, Kirkstall Abbey is visible in the background.

Looping back down by the River Aire, on the opposite riverbank this Fox strode purposefully throught the grass, stopping to watch us for a few minutes before heading into the scrub. If I happen to see it again it'll be easily identified as it appears to have half a tail.

 

Other wildlife included a couple of Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kestrel, male and female Goosander, Wren, Mistle Thrush, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Blackbird, Robin, Jackdaw, Wood Pigeon, Mallard, Moor Hen and two Treecreeper's going about their business in this riverside willow.

Kirkstall Abbey & the banks of the River Aire

On Saturday afternoon we wandered down to Kirkstall Abbey stopping off at the Abbey House Museum Cafe for a mid-walk lunch which was delicious as ever. The park was uncharacteristically empty, covered with a layer of snow that had fallen in the early hours of Saturday morning.  Following the curved path down towards the river a pair of Pied Wagtail bobbed around thawed patches of ground and 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker flew overhead.

On the River Aire were 6 Goosander, familiar winter visitors to this stretch of the river, a group of 4 upstream and a pair further downstream that eventually joined the main bunch. Whilst gazing along the river, a Kingfisher zipped upstream a metre or so from the near bank.

Suddenly the two Great Spotted Woodpecker re-appeared, noisily chasing each other from tree to tree.

The cold started to kick in so we headed back towards the Abbey, in the branches of a Sycamore a mixed group of small birds were feeding, comprising Blue Tit, Long Tail Tit, Dunnock, Chaffinch and the first time I've seen a Wren in such a group.

A Nuthatch flew into view and landed at the base of this trunk making its way upwards in a spiral motion.

As we were about to leave the park we spotted movement in a Yew tree  situated at the boundary wall next to the gate. We counted approximately 8 birds, a mixed bunch of Thrush and Blackbirds were feeding on the berries, we managed a few pics and quickly left them in peace to continue feeding on the berries, no doubt a welcome source of food in these wintery conditions.

Kirkstall Abbey by the river

Despite a chill in the air I wandered down to Kirkstall Abbey. In the park this Chaffinch perched on the branch of a Sycamore, among the newly emerged lobed leaves and drooping flower panicles.

It kept its Chaffinchy eye on me as I wandered around below, stopping to gaze at clumps of Leucojum aestivum, part of a flower border and quite lovely.

Along this stretch the River Aire , at intervals grow clumps of Ransoms/Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum) with arching, broad green elliptic leaves topped with clusters of white star shaped flowers 6 petals and 6 stamens on a leafless stalk. Although never having tried them myself, both flowers and leaves are edible, Nigel Slater has a wild garlic (and nettle) recipe in today's Observer.

A few metres away two male Blackbirds were engaged in a dramatic stand-off on a fallen White Willow.

Here's the White Willow on the banks of the River Aire, one of two Willows in the area that have collapsed, the original storm damage occurred earlier in the year, but this time it's gone completely. There are plenty of Willow and Elder along this stretch, so I'm sure other plants will benefit from the newly available resources left in its wake.

A good opportunity to get some close ups of White Willow catkins.

Whilst wandering around the Willow I heard an unfamiliar call and glimpsed a pair of Common Tern, (the quality's not great, poor light, fast Tern)

And as one good Tern deserves another.

Rather blurred this one, but moments before it dived suddenly and snaffled a fish, which you can just make out in its beak.

Whilst waiting for the Tern to return (it didn't) this male Goosander flew downstream, at the time I couldn't tell what it was but with the help of a little Photoshop jiggery-pokery you can make out the sawbill and the characteristic markings. Goosander are a familiar sight on this stretch of the Aire in winter, so it was good to still see them around .


I turned my attention to the riverbanks and this umbelliferous plant which made for some interesting pics, if only I'd thought to take a less artsy reference pic I might have had a chance of identifying it, but as usual I didn't, Anthriscus sylvestris maybe?

As I was leaving the park and with the light at its lowest due to the onset of rain I spotted a Jay, it spotted me and made for cover sharpish. Not bad for an impromptu early evening wander.