Visit to Askham Bog, York

Lovely weather in Leeds again today, so we spent a couple of hours on the allotment this morning and heard our first Kirkstall Chiffchaff in the direction of St Stephens Churchyard. Allotment butterflies Small White x 1, Small Tortoiseshell x1 and Peacock x1.

After lunch we decided on a trip to Askham Bog Nature Reserve, York. Peacocks (4) were sunning themselves on the boardwalk

Flying in and out of the vegetation flanking the boardwalk we noticed this Comma which came to rest on Andrea's leg for half a minute or so. I spotted a male Brimstone on the wing at distance and a single Orange Tip flitting through vegetation (which made the first sightings page on the Butterflly Conservation Yorkshire website - yay!)

During our walk around the reserve there was a lot of rustling in the undergrowth mostly heard but not seen until I spotted this mouse. We heard a couple of Chiffchaffs and were pleased to spot one in the treetops above us, a Great Spotted Woodpecker appeared briefly and there were Wrens and Robins aplenty.

On the path leading fromthe reserve, a bank of Lesser Celandine 

Askham Bog

This weekend we enjoyed an afternoon jaunt to Askham Bog near York, the weather was warm and cloudy with bursts of intermittent sunshine. During our first visit in September last year we were lucky enough to observe a Water Vole, today's highlight were two Brimstones (Gonepteryx rhamni), a first for me and I was chuffed to come away with a pic of one. My guess is that this one is a female which have more of a greenish yellow tinge than the males which are bright yellow.

To quote Richard South FES in his book The Butterflies of the British Isles “Probably this insect to which the name “butter-coloured fly” contracted into butterfly, was first given.” The Brimstone lays eggs on the developing leaves of buckthorn and alder, leaves the chrysalis at the end of July, hibernates in evergreen shrubs and trees, appears in February to May.

Throughout the walk we encountered six Peacocks (Nymphalis io) on the wing, the first looked very tatty, although the subsequent Peacocks looked a lot fresher. They all displayed a tendency to follow the wooden walkway, landing on the decked surface nearby to bask in the sunshine, very obliging thank you.

A little less obliging but more profuse 8 or so male Orange Tipped butterflies, ever on the go and deftly evading me at every pass.

This flowering grass was a common sight, and very striking, Citybirding helped me to identify it as Mountain Sedge (Carex montana).

The familiar hammering of a Great Spotted Woodpecker drew our attention to the treetops, and although too obscured for a decent pic we could at least identify it as a male by the distinctive red patch on the back of the head.

As I've said before I really struggle to identify warblers and only managed a dodgy pic of this one in flight.......blink and you'll miss it.

A carpet of Lesser Celandine attracted a host of insects and gave the dappled shade of the banks a springtime zing with its bright buttery yellow flowers.

Snapshots on the way to work

A common bird but in an unlikely place, yesterday morning on my way to work something caught my eye and this pair of Mallards landed in the top corner of Beckett Park. In the pic below they're just underneath the yellow Forsythia bush. An unlikely destination as there's no water nearby, I wonder whether they spotted a water feature in the adjacent garden?




Another wildlife snapshot, on the hedgerow floor next to the playing fields these Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria), the early leaves are high in Vitamin C but I might give them a miss since they're in the most rubbish strewn patch of my walk, I'm making progress in clearing the rubbish by filling a carrier bag now and again.

Rodley Nature Reserve

Rodley Nature Reserve was thronging with visitors, highlights on the wildlife front were 5 Grey Heron at the waters edge & buds and blossom around the Reserve. On the ponds, Cormorants settled on the island, joined waterside by Canada Geese, Tufted Duck, Lapwing, Little Grebe, Coot, Mallard & Reed Bunting amongst the rushes. A whistlestop at the Manager's Garden where Chaffinch, Wren, Robin, Reed Bunting visited the feeders before we refuelled with cuppa at the Visitors Centre.

A blurry Reed Bunting, followed by a less blurry sketch.

Lesser Celandine, Ranunculus ficaria. Like damp shade, deciduous environments. Can be eaten in salads, buds can be pickled & eaten as capers, the early leaves are high in Vitamin C. Leaves are a glossy dark green & heart shaped. The plant is an important source of early nectar.

On the way back stopped for a quick trot around Bramley Falls Park, caught sight of Mistle Thrush, Wren, Blue Tit, Chaffinch.