Venus, Jupiter, our moon, Whooper Swans, Teal and Dunnock
Venus(top), Jupiter and the moon- as seen on 25th March
Two more evenings of beautiful configurations of the moon Venus and Jupiter. Whilst enjoying the sight I listened to migrating Teal and a flock of Whooper Swans. Also a sudden burst of full song in darkness from a Dunnock in our garden hedge.
Swifts receive their annual welcome in Jerusalem
The Swifts are back in the walls of Jerusalem where they have bred for hundreds of years. Swifts nesting further south arrive much earlier than those in the north. This short clip shows the annual welcoming ceremony which brings many people together to share the Swifts of Jerusalem. Click here.
Here in North Yorkshire we won’t be expecting the first Swifts until the last few days of April. I am already preparing, installing a camera into the nest box where this partial albino bird nested last year. I hope to be able to show the nesting progress of this bird as the season unfolds.
Partial albino Swift- photo copyright Jonathan Pomroy 2011
Partial albino Swift- photo copyright Jonathan Pomroy 2011
Red Grouse
Cock Red Grouse- Great Fryup Dale
I am going to sketch grouse again this morning. The males are extremely showy on the moors. I even had one following the car as I drove slowly along a moorland road- window down impersonating a male Red Grouse, it takes all sorts! Their calls “go back, go back” along with the sound of Curlew, Lapwing, Golden Plovers, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks make up the glorious chorus of northern moors in March.
MOTHer’s day- 18th March
Plume Moth- 18th March
Oak Beauty moth- 18th March
Two interesting moths by the light this morning. A gorgeous brown patterned Oak Beauty moth and a beautiful and strange plume moth. The Oak Beauty is an early moth, flying from late February to April. This one with feathered antennae is a male. The larvae feed on many types of tree including oak, hazel and alder. The plume moth is species Emmelina monodactyla, whose larvae feed on bindweeds. This very delicate moth has survived the winter in hibernation.
Whooper Swans at night
On Friday night I was outside at 9.30pm listening to at least four male Tawny Owls when I heard Whooper Swans in the distance. They were on course to come right over us and the magical trumpeting sound of their calls amplified as they did so. The previous night I had heard Pink- footed Geese also migrating north on the way back to their breeding grounds. The Whoopers had probably come from Norfolk on their journey back to Iceland.
Whooper Swan- watercolour in sketchbook
Moon , Venus and Jupiter
The last few evenings have seen beautiful configurations of some of the brightest objects in the sky. Tonight they are in diagonal- from top to bottom, moon, Jupiter and Venus. I listened to the last Blackbird song of the day and heard the first calls of Tawny Owls watching the beautiful formation of planets and moon in a deep blue sky.
But perhaps the best evening was that of the 25th when the slimest new moon lay on its back with the two planets in close proximity. On the night of 12th/ 13th March Venus and Jupiter will be only three degrees apart in the twilight sky and should make a beautiful sight if skies are clear. For Nasa’s explanation see here.
Moon, Jupiter and Venus- 28th February, 7.26pm
Not so warm here!
Cladonia lichen- photogragh copyright Jonathan Pomroy 2012
Cladonia lichen- photogragh copyright Jonathan Pomroy 2012
Whilst a large part of the country basked in unusually warm February temperatures, in this part of North Yorkshire we missed out. 12 celsius was the best we managed here whilst other parts of the country saw more than 18 celsius.
On the moor it felt decidedly chilly in a strong south westerly breeze. But I did hear the first male Golden Plovers way up above calling their plaintive “peeeoo” song. Some Lapwings were also displaying, it won’t be long before the Curlews are back!
Crossbills were very vocal and at least one was seen carrying nest material. Their song is both rich and far carrying and when several are singing in the same vicinity the resulting sound is surprisingly exotic though the temperature is not. I had some lovely views of Crossbills descending to drink. They have to do this very frequently as their diet of pine seeds is very dry.
I found these beautiful Cladonia lichens on old pine stumps. Look how the water has gathered on the cups. There is so much that is beautiful out there, but sometimes you have to get right down at ground level to see it- wet knees a small price to pay!
Winter thrushes suffering
Fieldfare(left)and Redwing puffed up in snow- watercolour in sketchbook
I sketched a Fieldfare and a Redwing today, both of whom seemed to be in trouble. Today the Redwings were exceptionally tame, feeding on roadside verges. This Redwing was extremely puffed up. The Fielfare seemed to be in very bad shape indeed, not moving when others were feeding around it. Today the temperature has again not climbed above freezing, even the dusting of snow settled on branches yesterday evening is preserved unthawed.
Redwing in snow
Redwing in snow- watercolour in sketchbook
This study of a Redwing was completed this afternoon. It is now snowing hard again after a couple of hours of freezing rain. The snow is settling readily on top of that which remains from a fall of five inches or so last Sunday. The Redwings continue to feed in the field of sheep along with a few Fieldfares and a flock of two hundred or so Starlings.
Woodcock in snow
Woodcock in snow- watercolour in sketchbook
The recent snow and very cold temperatures have forced Woodcock out into the open again. I saw three yesterday in exactly the same area I saw them in December 2010. Although of course this means the Woodcock are pushed to find enough food to survive, for me it means another rare opportunity to see this elusive woodland wader out in the open. Redwings are becoming very tame. They feed amongst sheep in the field near our house, taking advantage of the areas of snow cleared by sheep finding grass to eat. This morning these normally shy thrushes were feeding within twenty feet of where I stood.
