Turtle doves in Yorkshire
Following my 6 mile walk along the speyside way last weekend, my husband and I plan to do a four-six mile walk each weekend. Not knowing where to walk, a friend recomended the walks that feature in the York evening press.We do not get the paper, so I decided to look on their web site. They list all the previous walks with directions and a printable map.
Not wanting to be out all day I chose a walk about half an hour away at Barmby on the Marsh near to Howden. The route started at the tidal barrage amenity site and followed the river derwent along the bank. (the following is from memory as I did not write my sightings down as I didn't expect to see a lot) Housemartins were building a nest at the barrage site, swallows and swifts were catching insects. A great spotted woodpecker flew into the trees next to the carpark. young starling grouped together in the bushes along the bank waiting for the grown ups to feed them. sparrows, goldfinches and greenfinches were feeding on the dandilion seeds in the field to the right. as we walked along pied wagtail, rooks, crows magpies and wood pideons could be seen.
on the river were the odd mallard and moorhen. Reed buntings and Sedge warblers were observed singing from the hawthorn bushes. After approx a third of the way we left the river bank and turned right on to a flat track dividing the fields. Bright yellowhammers sat in the hedgerow, shylarks sang in the sky.Lapwings, grey and redlegged partridge were seen in the fields, collared doves flew over head.
We crossed the road bearing right and then left down the side of the old railway station(which looked like a new house) they had pot bellied pigs and ginea fowl in the garden.The road now became a track which was heading towards the river ouse. A yellow wagtail sat on the overhead wires and was singing. We approached the riverbank and through the squeezer gate on the right, scaning the shrubby trees along the river bank I spotted a pair of turtle dove sat in one of the nearer ones. as we moved on to follow the riverbank to the right the doves flew off across the river. A great site indeed.
The river made a sweeping bend to the right, cattle grazed the grass but as we walked they started to run ahead of us. Leaving the cows behind we climbed a stile and continued along the bank, passing though a couple of gardens as we headed back to the car.
A very pleasant and rewarding walk. We got into the car and headed home. As we were leaving the village I saw a bird sat on the overhead wires, not being able to positively ID it I stopped the car got the bins from the boot and was now looking at a corn bunting singing its head off.
Leaving the bunting we headed home, what a lovely sunday morning.
forgot blackbird, kestrel and heron
