Walshaw Dean Reservoir Walk - including Pallid Harrier sighting

 A fantastic morning yesterday, walking with my daughter on the Pennine moors where I really belong. East Yorkshire is lovely in its own way, but I was born amid the Pennines and spent most of my formative years roaming the hills with my best mate Dave. They were great days, character and physical strength building.

 

The weather was perfect, warm, dry and sunny with a slight cooling breeze. A route around the three upland reservoirs at Walshaw Dean was ahead of us and we were looking forward to it. 

First birds seen were Lapwing, Oystercatcher and Redshank, with Curlews calling as well. A good start.

One of many Lapwings

 

Curlew using a sheep for shade

 Alongside the Lower reservoir we came across a Common Toad at the side of the path, followed by a Common Frog in a stream just a little further along. 

Photos by Steph.

Common Toad

Common Frog

On the reservoir a few Swallows flew over and four Common Sandpipers were making themselves heard. Greylag Geese and Canada Geese were all over the place, which are additions to the wildlife list since I was last up here over 10 years ago.

 

Red Grouse was my target bird for the day, which was nailed on really as the reservoirs are on a grouse moor. They were heard most of the morning with their repeated go-back call.

Red Grouse in a classic pose on a dry stone wall

Another expected bird was Stonechat which arrived when we reached the Upper reservoir, just after our first stop for a drink and snack. A nice male showing well.

 

Stonechat

 In the same small tree as the Stonechat (there aren't many trees up there) was a WIllow Warbler - we had about six of them throughout the morning.

Willow Warbler

Then, the best part of the morning as far as wildlife sightings go, a harrier appeared on the opposite side of the reservoir. Through the bins it looked like a male Hen Harrier, but a pale one with black wing tips not just right (see later). I took many, many photos. I've seen several Hen Harriers up on the moors, mainly ring tails and only two full adult males before. It circled over the moor and was with us for about 10 minutes, drifting between mid distance and distant.

 

Male Pallid Harrier (see text)

Male Pallid Harrier

All photos above are of male Pallid Harrier

I was very happy indeed at seeing what I thought was a Hen Harrier, even more so as it was a male. However, when I got home and started reviewing the photos, my feeling that it was a wee bit off became stronger, so I checked the id and compared it to other possible harriers and reckoned it could be a Pallid Harrier (which I'd never seen). So I sent a couple of pics to friends for their opinion.

Long story short - it was confirmed as a male Pallid Harrier!  A great find and so enjoyable to have such good views.

Although nothing could surpass this sighting, finding a Black Redstart just 15 minutes later would have been the  highlight of the morning, but it was second best to the harrier 😂

Black Redstart

Black Redstart

The morning had just zoomed by. Fine weather, blue skies and blue water, the company of my daughter, fine wildlife - who could ask for more!?

Photos by Steph

The temperature reached 20 degrees at the end of our memorable walk, but it was comfortable with the light westerly breeze. I can't wait for our next walk 😊

Migrants Arriving

 A grand morning, sunny and dry but the chilly Easterly wind persists and keeps the temperature down to just about double figures.

My first two WIllow Warblers of the year popped up today at Wassand Wood, both singing and showing well.

Willow Warbler

We've had one or two Blackcaps at the Mere but today I had eight, all singing and showing pretty clearly.

Blackcap

In the set aside a few Reed Buntings were feeding quietly, keeping themselves to themselves. Only one bird singing though, further aloing the footpath.

Reed Bunting

Yesterday I saw my second Small Tortoiseshell butterfly of the year, basking in the sun on KP close to a patch of flowering Ground Ivy.

Small Tortoiseshell

Ground Ivy

Also from KP were four Pintail, distant but beautiful to see.

Pintail

 Blackthorn blossom is coming into flower in the hedgerows - easily told from hawthorn at this time of year because blackthorn flowers before its leaves come out, whereas hawthorn flowers after its leaves have appeared. Hawthorn's other common name is whitethorn: both shrubs probably get their names from the colour of their bark, although blackthorn is dark rather than black and whitethorn is a bit paler rather than white.

Leafless blackthorn blossom (Prunus spinosa)

Blackthorn is a very strong wood and is the traditional wood that shillelaghs are made from.

Non, Je ne regrette rien

 No Edith, I do not regret seeing two Egrets this morning 😉

 

First, a Little Egret flew south over Southorpe Road. It was past me before I got onto it, so the pics are of a receding bird.

 

Little Egret southbound

Then when I got to the hide a Great White Egret took off from the reed bed to the right of the hide, circled, got moved on by a Greylag Goose and landed back in the same spot for a few seconds before flying off east. This is the third day running I've seen a GWE at the Mere but the first time I managed to get pics.

Great White Egret from Decoy Hide

Landed on the north side, didn't like it

 

Landed at the west end, got moved on by a Greylag Goose

Tried the west "corner", not happy

Came back to the hide reed bed, almost too close!

Close up crop of the above photo

On Tuesday morning I saw a Barn Owl land in a tree, so I carefully approached hoping its senses were turned off. No such luck, of course it knew I was there all the time.

Barn Owl

That's close enough - I'm off

 

The number of ducks at the Mere is dwindling fast as they leave for their summer haunts. There are still a few Goldeneye and Tufties left though.

Tufted Ducks over the Mere

I had two singing Blackcaps this morning over at Wassand, following a single singing bird on 28 March. The first bird could have been an over-wintering bird starting to sing, but I reckon today's were proper migrants just arrived.

 

Four Sand Martins on 25 March are my only other migrants so far, apart from the omnipresent Chiff Chaffs of course.