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Rigg Lane. Littledale Road. Cragg Cottage. Ottergear Viaduct. Birk Bank.
Sunday 28th April
Mild. Sunny.
11.00 to 14.00
3 miles. 200 feet climbing
3 hours
Parked on Rigg Lane car park then a party of 7 set off by walking north along the lane looking and listening in all the fields and gates. Had heard a Cuckoo but never located it.
At the junction turned right onto Littledale Road then right down to Cragg Cottage. Crossed the infant River Conder then climbed onto Birk Bank.
I remembered that a Cuckoo had flown right over our heads here a few years ago and slightly later in the year.
Climbed up to a gate and had lunch.
Turned right down over a gorge at Ottergear Viaduct. Continued along the path over Birk Bank with lots of scree to the left and eventually back to the car park.
All the party decided to drive up Littledale as far as possible as it was so beautiful a day.
Spring had arrived with the warm sun and all the birds were singing. This is the best time of the year to learn birdsong.
Thank you Owen for some of the pics.
Mallard 5+
Pheasant 5+
Peacock 5 (4 female 1 male)
Red Grouse h
Common Buzzard 1
Kestrel (female)
Oystercatcher 1(at the end of the valley)
Lapwing 5+
Curlew 5+
Swallow 4+
Black Headed Gull 5+
Lesser Black Backed Gull 2
Wood Pigeon 5+
Cuckoo h
Carrion Crow 10+
Magpie 2
Rook 2 (at the end of the valley)
Blue Tit 2
Great Tit 1
Chiff Chaff h
Willow Warbler h (several)
Blackcap 1
Wren 1
Robin 1
Blackbird 2
Song Thrush 2
Mistle Thrush 2
Dunnock 1
Meadow Pipit 5+
Goldfinch 5+
Chaffinch 1
Linnet 1
h=heard only
Sunday 28th April
Mild. Sunny.
11.00 to 14.00
3 miles. 200 feet climbing
3 hours
Parked on Rigg Lane car park then a party of 7 set off by walking north along the lane looking and listening in all the fields and gates. Had heard a Cuckoo but never located it.
At the junction turned right onto Littledale Road then right down to Cragg Cottage. Crossed the infant River Conder then climbed onto Birk Bank.
I remembered that a Cuckoo had flown right over our heads here a few years ago and slightly later in the year.
Climbed up to a gate and had lunch.
Turned right down over a gorge at Ottergear Viaduct. Continued along the path over Birk Bank with lots of scree to the left and eventually back to the car park.
All the party decided to drive up Littledale as far as possible as it was so beautiful a day.
Spring had arrived with the warm sun and all the birds were singing. This is the best time of the year to learn birdsong.
Thank you Owen for some of the pics.
Mallard 5+
Pheasant 5+
Peacock 5 (4 female 1 male)
Red Grouse h
Common Buzzard 1
Kestrel (female)
Oystercatcher 1(at the end of the valley)
Lapwing 5+
Curlew 5+
Swallow 4+
Black Headed Gull 5+
Lesser Black Backed Gull 2
Wood Pigeon 5+
Cuckoo h
Carrion Crow 10+
Magpie 2
Rook 2 (at the end of the valley)
Blue Tit 2
Great Tit 1
Chiff Chaff h
Willow Warbler h (several)
Blackcap 1
Wren 1
Robin 1
Blackbird 2
Song Thrush 2
Mistle Thrush 2
Dunnock 1
Meadow Pipit 5+
Goldfinch 5+
Chaffinch 1
Linnet 1
h=heard only