SPRING SPECIAL

Spring is here...in all it's glory.  The best season of the year for many people as nature wakes up from it's winter slumber.  For someone like me who is interested in all things nature, this is a great time of year and I've certainly been making the most of it so far.  Regular afternoon and evening trips are made to my local Reserve down by the river but trips have been made to Bempton Cliffs, Rutland Water and the local Rodley wildlife reserve.  More about Rodley later. 

The night skies continue to be interesting and we were treated to a Super Moon on the evening of the 5th May.  The first picture on this post is of the Super Moon taken from my backgarden on my now trusty PanasonicLumix FZ48!

Had a great weekend with Eddie two weeks ago when he came to pick James up for his Year long summer holiday.  Students eh..not a bad job if you can get it..what it is they do again??  Apart from the 4 month summer holiday they have (yup, break up in May go back September) they have months off at Christmas and Easter..SLAGS!  Filthy beasts they are too, having seen the filthy littter strewn cesspit they live in and created by them, i'd line them all up against the wall and threaten them with  incessant' Open university' Re-runs until they've cleaned their s**t up. Anyway, we had a good afternoon drinking in Headingley along with a cast of thousands including numerous super heroes, Rod hull and EMU, Captain Caveman, diving suits and furry animals et all, yup, they like their fancy dress!

Eddies saying of the day..."someones sat there mate!" lol 

After finally persuding him to have a little flutter on the Play off final, to make things ,more interesting, we had £1 bets on such things as first shot on goal, first corner, first booking, half time score, full time score, first shot on target...I lost. 

Anyway, I'm rambling...here's the Spring Special (part 1 ) pictures..

the Super Moon of 5/6th May - it was a third bigger in size and 33% brighter

back at Bempton and one of the local residents - a Kittiwake. Most people will just assume its a 'Gull'
Bemptons most prollific birds are Gannets, Kittiwakes, Guillemots and Razorbills

A Razorbill - now look at the guillemot below.  They are very difficult to seperate when viewing with the unaided eye

A Guillemot at Bempton..

Here's an illusive bird I captured at Rutland Water - a Yellow hammer

same bird...off hiding in the bushes!

Still at Rutland...A Greater Spottted Woodpecker at Lyndon

This amused..again at Rutland, an Egyptian Goose high in a tree!

Ahh Spring is definately here ...Hawthorn (or is Blackthorn??) down at the Reserve

As the song goes .."Spring is in the air..everywhere  i look around"

A common sight to all of us, a Grey squirrel.  This one is enjoying the fruits of his winter larder in
Golden Acre park

A Blue Tit singing in Middleton woods Ilkley

hmmm..a bit loud that!

A Song Thrush and chicks on the nest at the Reserve...

A hungry chick and mother ...may have noticed me!

Mother and Father exercising the 'children' at Rodley Reserve, Leeds

A meadow full of buttercups at the Baildon Reserve

just enjoying traditional pleasure down by the river at the Baildon reserve..the 'Terrace' residents
My neighbours Andy and Lisa and children Mel, Charlotte and Adam

This Sunday and Ollie me, Des, Sharon Sophie and Chloe go fishing!  Baildon Reserve.

"Dad, dad, have you got me, have you got me?", while Sharon concentrates hard..

Ollie has taken Des, Sophie and Chloe to the bridege to show them a secret Geocache.
.here they are waving to Sharon and myself

"Waaaaave!"

Father and Son enjoying time together

Dedication to the art...here I am at the reserve at 9:30pm checking out the evenings movements

Rodley reserve - a spectacular place and well kept secret.  A view from one of the hides over one of  the Lagoons

Rodley, another hide another Lagoon.  It's a fabulous place with field, river, woodland and lake habitats

One of our more spectacular summer visitors...a Lapwing

The Lapwing....look at the colours on the wing!

Last night, the moon from my garden..as spectacular as ever
A clear view here of the Sea of Tranquility and the Apollo 11 landing site