Emley Moor
Richard Bell’s Wild West Yorkshire nature diary, Monday, 28th, December 2009, page
1 of 2
It’s been great to take a break, celebrate the mid-winter festival and catch up with
family and friends but I’m ready to get back to work on ‘Robin Hood’ now. I joined
my friends John and David for a perfect Boxing Day morning birding at Anglers Country
Park lake and Haw Park woodlands. Highlights of the 30 birds we spotted included
bullfinch, goldeneye and goosander but my lasting memory will be of the snowy woods
with blue skies seen through the tall canopy of the Corsican Pines and larches.
It didn’t feel cold but it wasn’t the weather for lingering in hides so I didn’t
get chance to draw as we kept moving through the perfect Boxing Day landscape.
ON CHRISTMAS DAY I drew this view looking west south-west across the Calder Valley
from Carl and Susan’s house in Horbury towards the Emley Moor mast. This was 3.45
p.m. and already sunset but the days are getting longer by 2 minutes every day and
I’m thrilled to think that it won’t be too long before Barbara and I are tramping
around some of that countryside again.
