The Tawny Owls are back!

Last night when working in the garden at dusk (10pm!) I heard a familiar half-squeak, half-hoot coming from the big ash in the corner. Looking up I could see an owl fledgling, wings tucked, staring back at me.
I had seen the adult bird around once or twice recently & wondered whether any chicks would be seen soon.

As last year, two chicks. Fluffy, & fluttering from branch to branch, quietly "hooting". (Photos are from last year)

Caving - I don't fancy that!

To coincide with Ingleton's OvergroundUnderground festival (www.ogug.co.uk) we were invited to a free caving "taster", by Pam & Dave at Yorkshire Dales Guides. I've said "yes" to it, I tell Di; "You go" she says. Well it looks as if she enjoyed it!

We met with 6 others at their base near Stainforth, changed into caving gear, then drove to Selside & after a 15min waddle in wellies, past Alum Pot, we descended into Long Churn.

Dave soon put us at our ease, laughing & joking, but explaining what we were seeing & explaining the signs to watch out for too.

Time passed rapidly. After 2½hours we emerged into the evening light, having had a thoroughly enjoyable time. Back to the car & change into something dry (you do have to enjoy being a bit wet!) & off to the pub.

Dave & Pam are offering introductory & intermediate caving trips on Monday evenings until the end of August, see  www.yorkshiredalesguides.co.uk

Newby Moor

Walking quietly across the area of golden grass, low moorland, in the valley below, within a couple of hours I saw:
One Sika deer, 3 hares, 2 rabbits (only!), 2 kestrels, 2 buzzards, 2 hedgehogs curled up, a swallow, countless curlews with their haunting, warbling call;
an Emperor Moth;
grey willow, gorse - in flower, a wonderful sight, wild raspberries, marsh marigolds, cowslips & several other plants I couldn't identify.

Lambing time

The fields are full of lambs, varying in age from a few days to about a month. Some of the older ones form groups that go charging around the field edges as if they were in the Grand National, but then stop, look round & charge back in the opposite direction. We aren't allowed to call them "cute"; the word is "bonny". Judge for yourselves.
Don't you think that the sheep top right look like computer-generated sheep? They're pedigree Texels from a farm in  the valley below us. Middle right & bottom left are Dalesbred (with the tear-drops on the nose) from Bleak Bank farm, surrounding us.

Forest of Bowland Festival

The wild & sparsely-populated area to the south of us, the Forest of Bowland, celebrates its wildlife with a festival of walks & talks each year & I went on one last week - "In search of Sky Dancers", looking for Hen Harriers. These are, or were, heavily persecuted as one of their favourite prey animals is grouse chicks (and other small birds)! Now, the principal landowners, of which United Utilities is one, and the RSPB are working together to try  to pull these magnificent birds back from the brink.

We didn't see any Hen Harriers - they are very rare. But we did see Merlin, Ring Ouzel (also quite rare), Winchat (sparrow-sized with russet-brown chest), Reed Bunting, Willow Warbler. Also a pair of Emperor Moth.

For anyone interested in the Forest of Bowland Festival, see http://www.forestofbowland.com/ There are almost weekly wildlife walks & many cultural activities too

April showers

A 'nostalgic' month - we've actually had "April Showers". Some very dramatic with snow or hail & some with intensely-coloured rainbows.

March - Spring!

This morning it was a pair of pigeons sitting on the greenhouse roof, making lovey-dovey! Yesterday a pair of rabbits emerged from the hedgerow just below us & chased madly, round & round in the field.

Lambs, just one or two, are being seen in the fields and Ian, one of the farmers in Clapham showed his first born calf of the year in a field, just down the lane.
Diane's bees have been flying, the snowdrops are going over, daffs, crocuses and some tulips are open & the elder bushes are beginning to sprout, holding the promise of elderflower cordial & champagne in a few months time!

Birds are tweeting - we heard our first curlew on Feb25th again, just as last year. The wren is looking for nest sites. Blue & great tits, goldfinches, chaffinches & greenfinches, robins, blackbirds, thrushes & dunnocks are all looking lively around the garden. Everything, including us, is emerging from winter hibernation.