Pied Wagtails

Wednesday, 10th October 2001, West Yorkshire

This Month Rocks History Workshop Links Home Page

THIS MORNING the valley side field has been harrowed. The larger birds, such as crows and gulls, that we saw yesterday have moved on and today 30 Pied Wagtails are picking their way over the field.

Trout in the Calder

We're chatting to a dog walker who tells us that Wakefield Anglers have now taken charge of a stretch of the Calder below Horbury Bridge. It's a sign that the quality of the water is steadily improving. One angler reports that he has caught the first Trout from the river and he's now hoping that, in due course, he'll be the one that catches the first salmon when they, hopefully, return.

Sparrows

Two dozen House Sparrows are the first takers for our re-stocked bird table. While some are pecking at the peanuts, seed hopper and fat ball, others are taking it easy, soaking up the sun as they sit on the ledge at the bottom of our patio window, catnapping with their heads tucked snuggly into their fluffed up back feathers. One advantage of being in a flock is that there's always someone who's keeping an eye out for predators.

Richard Bell,
wildlife illustrator
E-mail; 'richard@willowisland.co.uk'

Next page Previous page This day last year This month Nature Diary Home Page