Arnfield Low Moor

Arnfield Valley
Originally uploaded by Brenden Preece.

I went for a walk yesterday, up Old Road, through the Quarry and up over Arnfield Low Moor. There was little birdlife to be seen, the spring seems to be lagging about 2 or 3 weeks behind an average year. A few meadow pipits a skylark or two...a solitary wheatear. But I only came across one red grouse and this moor used to be thick with them. I will come back in couple of weeks to see if things have picked up at all. I dropped own into Arnfield Valley hearing a Buzzard calling. I failed to locate it amongst the pine trees. It was the wrong time of day to catch a Buzzard soaring. Many years ago my tutor in the
WEA birdwatching group used to tell us that the best time of day to see birds of prey is 12 noon ...on the dot. This is because earlier than that they are out hunting and feeding, at noon they have time on their hands to loaf around in the thermals. As a theory it seems to work for me. Anyway after failing to see the Buzzard I walked down past the shooting butts and back along the lane to home.


A spot of reading later in the afternoon. I am absorbed in 'Findings' by Kathleen Jamie. You know they say you can't judge a book by it's cover. Well I can sometimes. I found this book in Borders and very nearly bought it because of its cover. I didn't though, I reserved it from our local library. It is a perfect blend of travel and nature writing. The author is a poet and writes about rural Scotland in a quiet poetic style. She writes about things that resonate with me personally, such as finding whales bones and bird skulls on remote beaches, on watching salmon leaping up a waterfall and listening to corncrakes in the Hebrides. Oh yes and she writes about J.A.Baker's book "The Peregrine" one of my all time favourite books. Kathleen Jamie should blog, she writes so effortlessly. Maybe she does but I cant find it. I can thoroughly recommend "Findings" you can read the publishers information about it here

Crossgates Farm

Crossgates Farm
Originally uploaded by Brenden Preece.

Another post about the planned By-Pass. Looking at the plans (see link in previous post) the road will go straight through the point where I was standing taking this photograph. I say will, because as time goes on, I think I am becoming resigned to the fact that the planned road is likely to go ahead.