Uplands

Little Lough

Chartners and Fallowlees lough

Steng Moss

Buzzards at Fairnley

Summit of Windy Gyle

I have not been around the local patches recently as I have spent days off in the Northumberland uplands. Apart from visiting universities I have been up at Barrowburn walking up the border ridge between Mozie Law and Windy Gyle and back to Barrowburn via Rowhope burn. Not much birdlife but there were Ravens and Wild Goats along the border. Back at Barrowburn it is nice to call in at the Barrowburn farmhouse tea room for bacon sandwiches and home made cakes. The tea room is believed to be the remotest in England. I have accessed all areas of Harwood forest on bike but again apart from Buzzards and Crossbills the birdlife is sparse. The interior of the forest is largely clear felled making areas like Chartners farmhouse and Fallowlees lough looking very isolated. Every bit of water including all the puddles are full of Frog's spawn and the forestry commission have created new ponds in the forest at Tutehill moss and between Tod Knowe and Chartners. At Little lough a male Goshawk flew East and back into the forest. Half an hour later near Chartners lough I saw a male Goshawk again over the tree tops but this may have been the same individual. These are the only Goshawk sightings I have had here this winter and spring.