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Some fabulous fungi at Fairburn |
Hey everyone, today's post 394 and I have been to a couple of places recently which I haven't written about yet so I thought I'd make up for that today. The weekend before last I went to a reserve that's a favourite of mine, RSPB Fairburn Ings and this weekend I had a stroll around a reserve that's new to me, Yorkshire Wildlife Trusts Strensall Common.
So what were they like and what did I see?
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About the best my camera could do with the
displaying Grebes! |
Fairburn Ings - I'd been planning to get here the week before but that didn't work out as I wasn't feeling very well, a shame as I heard there was a Spoonbill and a Smew there that week. The reserve had been flooded as well so we didn't know how much was open but as I read that the Smew was still about I was keen to go and have a look for it.
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At the entrance to Strensall Common |
Well I went and the reserve didn't look like it had been flooded, only one path was still closed. Our family had a lovely walk round but I wasn't lucky enough to find the Smew this time. I saw plenty of other birds though. On the feeders were the Tree Sparrows, Great Tits, Greenfinches, Chaffinches and as we walked round we saw a Treecreeper. On the Lakes there were Goosanders, Oystercatchers, Tufted Ducks, Goldeneyes and Swans.
The highlight though this time was watching a pair of Great Crested Grebes doing their courtship display, bobbing and shaking their heads. It was lovely to watch but I only managed a couple of ropey photos as they were on the far side of the lake. I missed out last year seeing one of these birds with its young being carried on the parent's back so I'll be looking out for that this year!
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Reeds, heath and copses, lovely habitats |
Strenall Common - this reserve had lots of heather on it, which isn't that unusual where I live being close to the North York Moors but what made this different was that it was in the Vale of York, so quite low down. When I looked it up it is part of a big area of lowland heath which is internationally important!
Dad, Esme and I had a lovely walk round the common while Mum was visiting a friend in York. It had lots of interesting habitats. There was plenty of heathland of course, some nice patches of wet woodland, reedy areas and lovely copses of silver birch.
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Wet woodland, the Beech leaves and ferns were
lovely in the sunshine. |
It looks like a place that will be great in the summer months and there was evidence of mammals about even at this time of year. I didn't see much here other than Chaffinches and Longtailed Tits in the trees but I'll have to try and get back in a few months as I'm sure there are a lot of dragonflies waiting to emerge. Apparently it's good for Common Lizards too which I really like.
I did a mini clean as well as I found an old helium balloon there as well as a few bottles and cans so I collected a few up as I went round and put them in the bin at home.
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A dead Helium balloon, picked this up so it wouldn't
harm any wildlife! |
Well that's been it for a couple of weeks, it's a busy patch so I've not been out and about quite as much. Should be getting out and about a bit more soon especially as it's been nice enough to get a walk in the bit of light still around at teatime now!
Hope you enjoyed,
Z.
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