A decent forecast for today,saw Tracey and myself heading over to one of our favourite areas in the Yorkshire Dales for the day,the following is a selection of photos and a short write up of what we saw.
We started the visit by parking just across from the Priory grounds and then headed along the lovely River Wharfe,passed the stepping stones,up to Cavendish Pavillion and then on into Stridd Woods SSSI in a loop and back to the car.
In all it was about 8 or 9 miles and obviously takes in some stunning riverside scenery and is a cracking place for birds and wildlife.
Highlights from the avian world included 8 singing male Pied Flycatcher,considerably down on previous years,but we have never visited this early,it has usually been 2 or 3 weeks later and into May,so birds are still arriving no doubt.
Another prominent species,was Common Sandpiper and today we saw the largest number we have seen on the walk to date,this included 10 birds,with a group of 5 chasing and displaying along the river,near the Priory grounds,a real joy to watch.
Mandarin Numbers were quite good also,with 9 drakes and a female being logged along with 4 singing male Redstart(Including a bird which showed very nicely near the aquaduct),2 Dipper,Red Kite,Green Woodpecker,6 each of both Grey Wagtail and Willow Warbler and finally 2 drake Goosander.
We also saw our first Mallard ducklings of the new breeding season,with broods of 4,3,5,9 and 4 certainly having the aww factor.
Wildflowers were certainly beginning to come into their own as well,carpeting the woodland floor and included Bluebells,Wood Anemone,Dog's Mercury and the first Ramsons were just beginning to break out as well.
This really is a special place,not just for it's historic priory,but for any of my readers who love wildlife and birds it is certainly worth a visit for sure and this is my favourite river by far,with some amazing stretches between Grassington and here.
So another lovely visit to this brilliant site,we travelled home happy after our lovely day out.
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| The Ruins Of Bolton Priory. |
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| The River Wharfe,From Cavendish Pavillion. |
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| The Famous Stridd. |
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| Red Kite Overhead. |
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| The Aquaduct,Just Along The River From Bardon Tower. |
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| Bluebells Carpeting The Woodland Floor. |
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| A Fountain Dedicated To The Cavendish Family. |
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| Bolton Priory And Its Partial Ruins. |
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