The sun was shining, and it was a clear calm morning so I just had to spend some time up in the fells of Bowland. I usually take my bike up the valley as it's a nice easy ride and the return journey is a breeze downhill! However not today - it was going to have to be a three mile yomp up and then back again.
I met Casper in the car park - he'd had the same idea - and we took a leisurely walk alongside the stream - a nuthatch was calling repeatedly but apart from a pair of buzzards over the hillside there was little else. After a mile and a half we came across Mark Breaks and Alan Holmes and soon we had more Buzzards, Kesterl, Peregrine and Sparrowhawk.
We decided to wander up top the Eagle Owl site. Opinions are mixed about these birds - we don't know where they've come from but they've been in the area a number of years now. The worry has been that they'll disturb the other birds of prey, especially the nationally important Hen Harriers. Anyway, they're afforded protection like any other nesting bird for now.
There were yet more BoP's - three Hen Harriers took to the sky and the male did a single loop of his sky-dance. Impressive, though rather distant. After that it was back to the car - my hip was aching when I got back - a reminder to take the bike next time.
I met Casper in the car park - he'd had the same idea - and we took a leisurely walk alongside the stream - a nuthatch was calling repeatedly but apart from a pair of buzzards over the hillside there was little else. After a mile and a half we came across Mark Breaks and Alan Holmes and soon we had more Buzzards, Kesterl, Peregrine and Sparrowhawk.
We decided to wander up top the Eagle Owl site. Opinions are mixed about these birds - we don't know where they've come from but they've been in the area a number of years now. The worry has been that they'll disturb the other birds of prey, especially the nationally important Hen Harriers. Anyway, they're afforded protection like any other nesting bird for now.
There were yet more BoP's - three Hen Harriers took to the sky and the male did a single loop of his sky-dance. Impressive, though rather distant. After that it was back to the car - my hip was aching when I got back - a reminder to take the bike next time.
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