Golden

It had been a while since I’d had a walk on the high moors and the fine weather seemed a good opportunity.

I headed out via Sconce Lane and Old Wood Lane recording butterflies along the way - mainly Orange-tip and Peacock. Joining Hawksworth Moor at Intake Gate I started up the hill, checking occasional bilberry patches for Green Hairstreak but only finding one or two at that point. I did see my first Small Copper of the year though, and a couple of hares. A Kestrel was harassing Lapwing nests and a couple of Red Kite circled.

Crossing the fence onto Burley Moor I arrived at Great Skirtful of Stones, from where I could hear a Cuckoo calling down in Burley Woodhead, and then followed the boundary fence south west to Horncliffe Well. This is where I started to receive the attentions of Curlew and Golden Plover (main image) as I walked through their breeding territories.

Joining Bingley Moor it was a down hill walk back toward home. This is where I saw the most Green Hairstreak that I’d seen all day, easy to spot on the brown heather where they appeared to be perched in a group ready to roost.

On the homeward leg now, the field below Weecher had five Brown Hare (extra) and I also saw my first Wall butterfly of the year, basking on the wall in the evening sun. Back onto Baildon Moor, Stonechat and Whitethroat (extra) were perched on the bracken tops, and then one more Wall butterfly at Moorside. 

Lots of interest, but very sore knees.