Day 2,Yorkshire Dales - Malhamdale & Burnsall To Linton Falls,Tuesday 6th September 2022.

We had planned today to walk one of our favourite circular walks at Malham taking in the impressive scenery of Janet's Foss,Gordale Scar and Malham Cove,but unfortunately the weather threw a spanner in the works and it peed down while we were at Malham Cove.

We did manage some decent bird sightings along the walk though,which included 2 singing male Dippers and 2 other birds,3 Grey Wagtail,2 Raven,Peregrine and a lovely juvenile Stonechat near Janet's Foss.

After some well earned lunch after our soaking,i dropped Tracey and Clara back at the cottage,i quickly got changed and then i drove over to Burnsall and walked up to Linton Falls and back.

The walk along this stretch of the Wharfe,is my favourite riverside walk i've ever done,with some truly stunning scenery and usually some nice birds.

Today was no exception as i managed to see 4 Spotted Flycatcher,1 Little Egret,a whopping 19 Goosander,1 singing male Dipper,2 Kingfisher and 2 Green Woodpecker to name but a few.

The following are a selection of photo's from the day.

Burnsall

Male Dipper,Burnsall.

Goosander's,Hebden.

Linton Falls

Juvenile Spotted Flycatcher.

Male Green Woodpecker.

Hebden Suspension Bridge.

Loupe Scar.

Little Egret & Goosander,Burnsall.

Malham Cove.

Gordale Scar.

Horse Leech,Gordale Scar.

Janet's Foss.

Galloway Cow,Very Cute.

Day One - Yorkshire Dales - Muker To Keld Circular - Monday 5th September 2022.

 Three days away,primarily walking in the stunning Yorkshire Dales,using a lovely cottage at Skirethorns,Threshfield as a base,saw us starting proceedings by carrying out one of our favourite walks in Upper Swaledale.

After parking up in the lovely little village of Muker,we paid for our parking for the day and we were off.

It soon became apparant after arriving at the river,that it was very low,in fact it is the lowest i have ever seen it in all our visits over the years.

The walk was very enjoyable as always with the waterfalls adding some added interest,although a little less water in them today,but still great to see.

It is such an interesting landscape with the old Lead mine at Swinner Gill,the ruins of Crackpot Hall and various Lathe barns dotted about,revealing the areas industrial and farming past.

Bird wise it was very quiet,with only a handfull of Siskins and a Common Buzzard seen.

The following are my favourite photos from the day.

Crackpot Hall.

Kisdon Force,Keld.

East Gill Force,Keld.

Keld.

Swinner Gill.

Swinner Gill.

Swinner Gill.

Rampsholme Bridge.

Muker.

Messingham Sand Quarries Birds & Insects,Sunday 28th August 2022.

 A good forecast today and another spare day due to Mrs R working,saw me visiting this gem of a reserve and enjoying another productive visit.

I managed to find some nice birds and insects,with a personal first for here,a female Long-winged Conehead.

This species seems to be spreading at a rapid rate through the country along with its congeners,Roesel's-bush Cricket & Short-winged Conehead.

Another nice find,was another rapidly colonising species,the stunning Hoverfly Volucella zonaria.These really are whoppers and are such stunning insects and even sound like a Hornet in flight,making their adopted English name Hornet-mimic Hoverfly certainly ring true.

Bird wise highlights went to another juvenile Wood Sandpiper and 6 Green Sandpiper,the reserve is really looking good for waders at the moment,with the lowest water levels i have ever seen here.

The following are my favourite photos from this cracking reserve.

Green-shield Bug

Larinioides cornutas

Comma

Volucella Zonaria

Female Long-winged Conehead,A Possible First Record For The Reserve.

Really Low Water Levels

Speckled Wood.