Kirkstall stroll

A couple of inches of snow fell during the early hours of Sunday morning here in Leeds. Its starting to clear today, so thankfully it won't be around for quite as long as the last lot. On Sunday afternoon, after restocking the bird feeders and clearing snow from the hill outside the house we strolled over to the allotment.

Here the blue-green leaves of daffodils and yellow-green leaves of overwintering onions poked through the snow.

Although the Redwing failed to put in an appearance on the allotment, there were planty of Goldfinch chattering noisily in the back hedgerow. Continuing on we noticed potential Redwing silhouettes in the trees on the patch behind Queenswood Drive. Sure enough the Redwing were gathered, 5 perched in nearby branches and 15-ish joined them from the ground, and another flock of 20 were in the treetops about 100metres away, I wonder how much longer they'll stick around in this area? Also spotted, Nuthatch, Robin, Wren, Mistle Thrush, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Blackbird, oh and a female Kestrel flying South.

Here's one of the Redwing, just to confirm the sighting.

Redwing, Headingley Station Allotments

At lunchtime I wandered back down across Beckett Park to see if there was any sign of the 30 or so Redwing I'd seen on my way to work. The weather was still overcast with a little drizzle. Taking a detour around by the allotments I spotted a few in the trees at the back of the plots. Luckily I had my key to hand & popped into the allotments to get a closer look. To my surprise I flushed about 40 from the plots & they retreated to the safety of the treetops a little distance away. Added to the 15 or so that were already perched in the branches they must have totalled about 55 Redwing, great to see such a number so close to home.


You can just about make out the orange-red flank patch on the bird in flight on the left.

Redwing & Mistle Thrush on Queenswood Rugby Pitch

On the way into work, on the Queenswood rugby pitch there was a mixed flock of approximately 30 Redwing & Mistle Thrush. Overcast with fog & light drizzle meant that the light was poor & I struggled to get any pics of the flock on the grass. I identified a couple of Mistle Thrush at the near posts but the majority in the middle and far end of the field appeared rounder & more compact. Occasionally they'd fly up into the trees bordering the pitch & allotments where I was able to get a better view & identify them as Redwing, Ive included a few pics just to confirm my sightings.

Beckett Park woodland

Today's lunchtime stroll into Beckett Park woodland revealed a group of 8 Redwing, 6 Goldfinch, 5 Long Tailed Tits, 3 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, a Wren, a noisy Jay sat high in a mature Beech tree. The low light resulted in pretty poor shots, but at least I was able to identify the Redwing.

Still a little frosty here in Headingley, this Jelly Ear growing on an Elder was still covered in a fine dusting of frost.


Bracket fungi on a fallen branch.

Fieldfare and Redwing in Park Square

Earlier in the week I mentioned that there was a flock of Fieldfare in Park Square, Leeds City Centre. The birds were feeding on berries in the park and in the trees nearby. On Friday we popped into town to see if they were still there & to hopefully get a better look. Although there were much fewer birds approximately 6 Fieldfare remained, they were accompanied by a couple of Redwing and what we think was a juvenile Mistle Thrush (I'd appreciate feedback on this). A lovely clear sky made for some good pics, it was a delight to spend some time watching these beautiful winter visitors.

Fieldfare and Redwing feed alongside each other.

This is what we thought might be a juvenile Mistle Thrush, attracted by fruit & seed that we scattered on cleared ground to help them along.

Kirkstall Christmas sightings

'On Christmas Day in the morning', well more like early afternoon we wandered down along a stretch of the Kirkstall Valley along the Goitside walk that starts near Morrisons. 'And what was in those ships all three?' No ships today, but as we stood overlooking the goit that runs underneath Bridge Road metres away from the busy crossroad with the A65 we spotted a Kingfisher heading towards us, underneath the bridge & off downstream. Its the first Kingfisher we've seen in Kirkstall & it was fantastic to see it so near to home.

Then we headed downstream, from the bridge at Redcote Lane we spotted 5 overwintering Goosander, two pairs and one single male. Perhaps two of these birds were the pair we saw a couple of weeks ago upstream near the Abbey. Although not a great shot of the bird (bottom left) I do like a context shot now & again so here you get to see Kirkstall/Burley in the background (well it is Christmas). A Grey Heron flew overhead whilst we watched the Goosander.


Between Redcote Bridge & the canal 6 Redwing settled in the treetops, slightly too far away for a decent pic.

Throughout the walk Jay x 1, Blue Tit x 10, Great Tit x 7, Long Tailed Tit x 6 Blackbird x 9, Chaffinch x 3, Magpie x 10, Robin x 6, Moor Hen x 7, Mallard x 12 & squirrels scampered across the frozen canal.

Kirkstall Abbey

A Wren going about its business on the banks of the Aire takes time out to pose for me, how kind!A Redwing (at a distance), one of a pair on open ground by Kirkstall Abbey. A mature bracket fungi on the base of this tree, barely distinguishable from the tree itself.A Moorhen on the Kirkstall Valley Nature Walk