Clara Vale & Far Pastures

 A few images from last month at Clara Vale & Far Pastures (I’m still way behind).

Moorhen with one of its chicks.

Roe Buck.

My first Swallows of the year on Barlow Fell.

Blackcap.

Red Kite.

One of two Little Grebe.

The second Little Grebe.

Gadwall.

Wallington Hall

 A drive out to the National Trust property, Wallington Hall at the beginning of the month to have a walk around the gardens. The weather was beautiful and it proved to be a very enjoyable day out.

Goldcrest skulking about in the shadows.

My first Greenfinch for a long time.

Dark-edged Bee-fly.

Green-veined White Butterfly.

A well-worn Peacock Butterfly.

Buff-tailed Bumble Bee.

One Moorhen did not like the one being too close to its mate.

Little Grebe.

A Roe Deer wandering through the gardens. 

Over the border…

 …into Northumberland at the start of (I can’t believe it) last month. I haven’t been up to Northumberland in ages so to put that right my wife and I had a drive up to see what we could see. Some birds were very distant (so big crop) some were quite close but it was just nice to be out and about watching them. Oh, and we had a very nice lunch up there in the Widdrington Inn.

A very light Snipe in among the hundred or so that were there. I have never seen so many together.

One having a stretch of the wings.

Little Grebe coming in to land. Once again, I have never seen so many in one place.

It then stretched its wings.

Fly away Teal.

Curlew.

Something spooked these Pochard

However, they soon came back and settled down.

A distant Little Egret.

An even more distant male Hen Harrier (honestly there is one there) with a Crow.

The male was hunting over the fields.

As was this distant Ringtail.

An equally very distant Marsh Harrier was also hunting over the same fields.

A couple of Buzzards were a little closer.