A sunny, cool day with a light North Easterly wind. I head to Willerby Carr and Wood Lane via the Setting Dyke. I'm keen to see ancient woodland flowers at Wood Lane. I have no luck with Water Voles in the dyke.
Greenfinch singing from one of the mature oaks by the Setting Dyke.
The entrance to Children's Wood.
Willerby Carr Farm.
I meet a local naturalist at Wood Lane, and while we talk, a skein of Pink-footed Geese flies over north to their Icelandic breeding grounds. It feels late to see them migrating!
Pink-footed Geese.
Nor the best focus, but this is one of two Chiffchaffs with nest material seen at Wood Lane today.
Teal and horses. About 14 Teal still left on the flushes at the farm.
Wood Lane.
Bluebells at Wood Lane
Wood Anemone.
Wood Anemone.
Greater Stitchwort, widespread along the lane and in bloom now.
It is warm in the shelter of sun-facing hedges, and butterflies are out, with Speckled Wood, Peacock, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White and Brimstones seen, all but Small White in some numbers, particularly Brimstone. More Dark-edged bee flies that I can record too. The cool easterly breeze meant there was plenty of basking, even the usually elusive male Brimstones!
Comma.
Peacock.
Speckled Wood.
Small Tortoiseshell.
Brimstone.
Brimstone
Small White.
A cluster of 16 Spot Ladybirds becoming active, this is just one section of the cluster. I've only seen one before at Alkborough Flats, the species appears to be expanding north.
Dark-edged Bee fly on Blackthorn.
The alarm cries of a pair of Herring Gulls alerted me to this Buzzard, the only raptor of the day.
I had an impromptu walk to Snuff Mill Lane this morning to try and see the local hairstreaks. Both White-letter and Purple Hairstreak have been recorded in recent weeks in a short stretch of the lane, so I thought I would give them a try.
The weather was cloudy, but very warm, and there were a surprising number of active butterflies on the way so I did several lists. It was nice for a change to have the skippers roosting on flowers or grass stems, which allows for much faster checking. No Essex Skippers today.
View of the Setting Dyke path.
The Setting Dyke was running very low, with the level the lowest I've seen. Has it been dry before?
A family of ducks had to walk on the ballast under the train line.
Young Robing having a bath on the dyke.
And a watchful Robin nearby.
The nettles at the sides of the dike were covered on Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars. A wasp came over and grabbed one
Young Dunnock with a moth.
Young Greenfinch.
Gatekeeper.
Nursery Web spider guarding her nursery.
'Children's Wood' is another 'railway triangle' a woodland with the Scarborough line on the west, the Setting Dyke on the south, and the houses off Cropton road on the east.
The entrance to Children's wood
A path through the woods.
As you emerge on the north side of the wood, there is a cycle path parallel to the railway line. There is a strip of semi-natural vegetation and large trees where many Ringlets and Green-Veined Whites were active. Finally, at the end of the path, on the boundary of the city, the path disappears amongst a wilderness, the first field of the area I know as Snuff Mill Ln fields. This particular field is flooded in the winter, and the path is overgrown with brambles and nettles. I know it is not long to a rise and clear path, and I persevere.
A large stand of Meadow Sweet
Gatekeeper.
This Holly Blue was collecting salts by the edge of the Priory Cemetery pond.
The railway pond is bone dry.
Nice to see a Reed Bunting singing from tree at Snuff Mill main field.
Main field.
Another calm Small Skipper.
I saw this ladybird, although it has 7 spots it looks too long for a 7spot, resembles more an 11 spot
I finally get to the railway line and have a long look for White-letter Hairstreaks on the elm just west of the line. No movement other than bees. Helpfully, a Speckled Wood patrols the tree up and down, I wonder if it would have enticed a WLH to chase it, but no luck.
Speckled Wood.
Elm leaves.
I see my 1st pristine new generation Peacock, but too fast for photos. On the way back I check the oak that holds the Purple Hairstreak population. I am not very optimistic, but two silvery tiny butterflies fly around the branches, Purple Hairstreaks! I lose track of them and no photos for me, but still a nice sighting for the day.
A frosty, sunny morning, I decide to take advantage of the crunchy ground and take on a walk that would be uncomfortable in milder weather because of the mud. I walked across the avenues, St Ninian's Walk and Murrayfield Road to the Setting Dyke, then walked across Children's Wood, crossed the railway line on the pedestrial bridge and finally got to Willerby Carr Dyke and community orchard.
One of the most notable thing on the way was a meeting of crows, the noise called my attention from afar, I thought they might be mobbing a raptor, but no. They were all arranged atop a tree, calling, fanning their tails and the variety of their calls was amazing. I took two videos before carrying on.
On the corner, before taking the pedestrian bridge, I watch a large drainage pond on the corner of the playing fields. It is completely frozen.
I watch a Mistle Thrush sallying to pick the remaining berries of an orange-berried rowan. It was here when I last visited on the 1st of December. I haven't seen rowans with berries in a long while, so the Mistle Thrush strategy of chasing all other birds away to keep the berries to itself has worked. It also has a crab apple with some fruits still, and a large birch tree as a refuge.
Rowan still in berry.
The owner of the rowan.
One of a pair of Jackdaws at Priory Road.
The view of fields at the Willerby Carr area.
The Willerby Carr Dyke, frozen on this end.
Redwing.
I spot something red at the base of a hedge, It is a sleeping fox! I flush some woodpigeons and the fox raises its head and looks in my direction. After a few moments, it continues its nap in the sun.
This Magpie passing by a Grey Heron first...
...and by the fox later.
After a walk by the community orchard, with singing Robins, Greenfinches and a Song Thrush as soundscape, I start to walk back.
Magpie.
Singing Robin.
A cat basking in the sun.
The south end of the Willerby Carr dyke wasn't totally frozen.
