Derwentwater yesterday

After passing the pleasure cruise boats and perhaps some 100 plus Mallard, Greylags Canada's and other sorts, we headed down to a magnificient spot called Friars Crag, (see photo left), on the way passing the memorial stone to John Ruskin (see photo right, click over photo to enlarge). The inscription on the stone says: "The First thing which I remember as an event in life was being taken by my nurse to the brow of Friar's Crag on Derwentwater".

On into the lovely bay of Strandshag which had fine examples of mature oaks, with their trunks covered on their North West Side with familiar local green lichens, the coverage was so complete that it made them look "green" trees on your approach, not unlike the rock colour around here. Those trees offered even more to the interested, inquisitive eye. Most of the trees were showing off their phenomenal complex root structures which criss-crossed in and out fashioning their beauty in pure arterial maze. It made you wonder what anchorage these trees still bore.

After leaving the bay you entered into "Great Wood", and on the right hand side it was a sort of swamped out habitat. On the left there were two large trees with their hefty root system which had become past victims of a storm and had fallen over almost side by side, and water and weed had now established itself within that very area which once occupied those roots. Making a natural pondlike area.

At this point we were to witness nature again at its very best.... it soon become obvious that this spot was a prime breeding area to the local frogs, we saw scores of them all large mature frogs with much variety in their colour markings, there could have been up to one hundred maybe more, some intermingled in the surface weed, some had climbed their partners in mating stance, heads where constantly popping up all over the place, and they all seemed to be calling at once, making it a very special communial choir.. Many had already spawned, this was obvious by the amounts of spawn you could see.

CLICK HERE if you want to watch a small video clip of the Frogs Breeding Pond...

Great Grey Shrike back at Hutton Roof

The Great Grey Shrike has been back on territory around the Trig Point/Ploverlands area since Wednesday.

I went up today and I was not dissapointed, I managed to get some good views as it moved around the Ploverlands area just South/South East of the Trig Point.

Also coming down I had a pair of Willow Tit at the clearing just before ascending the Hutton Crags.. Also Meadow Pipit and Chaffinch where going over..

Addendum:

8th April 2010: I have checked out on most days since (Fri March 10th 2010) and it was still there until about the 27th March 2010 and its not been recorded since.

HERE IS MY RECENT POEM SIMPLY ENTITLED "GREAT GREY SHRIKE"

On Hutton Roof I search for thee,
Up here you are elusive and free.
Sometimes you leave that hawthorn perch,
For beetle, fly or insect search...

It is so grand to sit and watch,
You stop mid air and flutter,
Whilst prey goes past, for you to catch,
No sound of Joy you utter...

Each time I try to get close to you,
Before long your up and away,
You watch over me, like I over you,
Fair distance is kept at bay...

Will you be here tomorrow, my friend,
Or will you have flown the Roof,
Whichever way, I'll wish you well,
Until the next time, Farewell, Farewell.
Bryan Yorke - 2010

Grange Over Sands & Levens

I always knew there were Bowling Greens to the front of Grange Over Sands.... They were far distant memories from 55 years ago when I last trod this very path of the Grange "esplanade". Until today I had forgot about the Tea Rooms, The "Open Air Swimming Baths" (now sadly bordered up and out of bounds for the past 15-20 years), the Tennis Courts, a well stocked Children's play area. And more recently they have added a skateboard facility...

It would have been so easy to have come to Grange and missed this "little gem" quietly tucked away on the town's West side. Dropping down and crossing over the railway track, which leads trains anywhere between Preston in the South and Barrow in the North, this track runs almost parallel to the esplanade and sandwidged between, is bordered with trees, shrubs and many varieties of flowers. Even today there was the vivid blue coloured Iris species.

The Tea Rooms -see photo (now closed for Winter). I was intrigued to read the plaque on these tea rooms - see photo of plaque, stating that the Tea Rooms and Bandstand had been given to the town of Grange by a Helmshore businessman named Harold Porritt J.P. who had fallen in love with the place..

There are many beautiful buildings within Grange, but probably most striking is the Netherwood Hotel which is seen to the right, immediately on entering Grange. Another superb place is the rich ornamental Park which lies next to the Grange Railway Station. Here is a duckpond with all sorts of beautiful ornamental duck and geese species some of which included: Several Red Crested Pochard, Red Breasted Goose, Pochard and many others, see photo here of Hawaiian Goose or Ne Ne

On the way back from Grange, we parked up at Levens Bridge and did the circular walk going up one side of the River Kent and coming back down the other side. On the way passing the Force Falls Fish Pass (see photo) and also following the footpath through Levens and keeping within the boundaries of the canopied Avenue of Ancient Oaks. Soon we came upon the large party of dark phased Fallow Deer which reside in the park. Also further down the way we came across the herd of Wild Goats.

Burton In Kendal & Dalton - Snow photos from yesterday...

(Click over photo to enlarge)
Yesterday was great for taking a few snowy photos, so had a walk through Burton, then up the footpath at the Square, going up alongside the old Royal Pub, turning right at the top and making way SE to nearby Dalton Hall.  Then up the small lane to the village of Dalton, coming back via Vicarage Lane.

1) First photo is just after leaving the main road (just after Dalton Hall and heading up the lane towards Dalton Village.
2) The photo top right is of the older buildings at Dalton.

3) Just could not resist this sheep in the grounds of Dalton Hall.

4) Above right is Clawthorpe with Farleton taken from Vicarage Lane.

5) Hutton House almost opposite the Kings on the Main Street in Burton. They say that Bonnie Prince Charlie spent the night here..

6) Taken on the top behind Mowbray Drive and shows Arnside Knott in the distance.
7 and 8) Vicarage Lane.

9) This photo is just has you enter Burton almost opposite Burton House

A short video of Leighton's Roosting Starlings from last Saturday 12th December 2009

And here's another very short video just seconds before going down to roost again from "Island Mere" Leighton, on Saturday 12th December 2009.

Please click here to view

Gait Barrows - Friday 4th December 2009

Here is a selection of photos taken yesterday at Gait Barrows. 1) Forestry Management 2) above - Fungi resembling climbing stones 3) upper right - Fruit Berries of Spindlewood.  4) middle left - Gait Barrows Cairn to mark the opening of the Nature Reserve.  5) middle right - Staircase  6) Bottom left - Pavement view looking towards Arnside Knott. 7) bottom right - close up view of pavement.  Click over photos to enlarge...

Hutton Roof via Dalton Crags

It was a fair old day so had a walk up Dalton Crags on Hutton Roof and went maybe some 300 yards further than the Trig Point, before returning the same route. I looked everywhere for the Great Grey Shrike (last reported seen on 30th November 2009), but today was not the day. Had a pair of Mistle Thrushes, and could hear Golden Plover (whether overhead or coming from the Ploverlands direction, I am not sure.
On way down met up with 3 other birders from Bradford. I already knew one of these guys from a meet up earlier in the year at Gait Barrows, they to where looking for the "Shrike", combining it with a day out at Leighton Moss.

Heathwaite & Arnside Tower 30th Nov 2009

Arnside Knott taking in the splendid views, went via Heathwaite, slight detour to Arnside Tower and then back via the Knott...

Photo top left: of the junction of footpaths to the Tower and to the Knott.

top right: A very large fungi growth or something which maybe 2ft in diameter gripping the main trunk of this Birch.

Centre left: Looking across from Heathwaite Arnside, across the Bay.

Centre right: Arnside Tower

Bottom left: Heathwaite looking across the Bay with sun setting

Botom right: Heathwaite....


We finished off by going to watch the Starlings come in to roost at Leighton Moss.  It seemed the ideal position parked alongside the road across from the "Island Mere" closeby where the Egrets come to roost.  It was so good I filed the photos on the next blog....

Starling roost at Leighton on Nov 30th 2009 and leaving roost on Dec 1st (estimated 50,000)

Tonight was a spectacular sight for anyone who was at the side of the road on the open area which overlooks the Egrets roost.

The Starlings were forming up right from the word go and most of the activity was at this top end. Some spectacular "plumes" which probably estimated some 10-15 thousand birds would come low and right over the road, this happened on two occasions.

Probable conservative estimate would be for about 30-40,000 birds present in tonights roost. (Please click over photos to enlarge)

Above we have two more Starling roost photos but from this morning showing them leaving the roost at approx 0747-0750hrs on a very frosty morning 1st Dec 2009.  My estimation after seeing them this morning is probably in excess of 50,000......

GRASMERE & WORDSWORTH - October 2009

We enjoyed visiting Grasmere, the home of "Wordsworth".  Our first port of call was a visit to the Wordsworth graves at St Oswalds Churchyard. Here on the right is a photo of William's grave (Click over photos to enlarge). If you want to look at the other "Wordsworth family graves please click here. Thankfully it managed to keep fine, and before leaving the Churchyard,  we paid a visit to the beautiful little church to say a prayer, and have a look around. (Click over links to see more photos)

You could not go into the Churchyard without first noticing the World famous "Gingerbread Shop", this little building which was once the School where Wordsworth taught...

After a stroll through the main street past the Red Lion and the Wordsworth Hotels, we set tracks for "Dove Cottage" which was probably about a good 15 minute walk or so, but not much further. Nowadays the whole area around "Dove Cottage" is a mighty complex, with large Museum area, catering and many other facilities.

We spent very little time here, and decided to have walk around the full perimeter of the Grasmere Water.  It took maybe one and a half hours.  We enjoyed the walk very much and we thought we might even give it another bash sometime over the Christmas period. On the way round we met up with Mute Swans, lots of Mallard and even some male and female Tufted Duck and also a very tame Robin which allowed me to take a photo..also there was a large Rowan with a built in shelter.

We finished off at a very pleasant little cafe which sold lots of rare authentic teas from all over World and also had boats for hire.

Whilst at the Cafe, they were lots of Mallard (see photo below) and lots of pretty tame Jackdaws.

The Dog Lichen (right) - Peltigera species was found at several places growing on the walls at the top end of Grasmere water.