Wildlife

I have always been passionate about wildlife and conservation and when not photographing people I can often be found out in the countryside and on nature reserves. Though we have of course lost species, we are lucky to still have such a diversity of birds, butterflies and insects in the British countryside. Many species are still under threat, but it is heartening to have met so many like minded people when out and about photographing the natural world.

You can contact me on 07866 316577 or via e-mail at info@mauricephotos.co.uk

TO GO STRAIGHT TO DETAILS OF PHOTOGRAPHY COURSES AND TO SEE SOME OF MY FAVOURITE IMAGES PLEASE CLICK HERE AND SCROLL DOWN

Some wildlife links:
Michael Flowers birdwatching classes and walks
Yorkshire Butterfly Conservation
Yorkshire Dragonflies
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
Yorkshire Nature Triangle
Yorkshire Mammal Group
East Yorkshire Birding Forum
Birdguides
Tophill Low Nature Reserve
Yorkshire Red Kites
North Cave Wetlands Nature Reserve
The Wild Bird Cafe - North Cave Wetlands
Paull Holme Strays sightings
Potteric Carr Nature Reserve
Hull Valley Wildlife Group
Spurn Bird Observatory
Mike Robinson Bird Photos
Vince Cowell Photography
Steve Mulligan Bird Photography
David Ware - Wolds Birding
Paul Ashton East Yorkshire Wildlife
Wold Ranger
Beetle Boy's Bio Blog
Rory Selvey (age 13) Wildlife Photography
Kill the Badger Cull
The Brown Hairstreak Blog
Africa Gomez Bugblog
Zilch - eliminating litter
Keep Britain Tidy
Plantlife
Buglife

Next Photo Event dates to be announced...

Saturday 6 July 2013

Brockadale - excellent Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Reserve

brocka3634
Is Bill Oddie right, do Banded Demos remind you of fairies?

Brockadale near Pontefract is a little tricky to find, but well worth it when you do. The main part of the reserve is hillside and meadow carpeted with wild flowers and orchids. Standing in the middle of the wild flower meadowland, you could almost have stepped back in time to a greener and wilder England. We need more of this good stuff! These flowery slopes have never been ploughed though. This is my favourite kind of reserve and it reminds me of some of the hidden away chalk and wild flower reserves I have visited down in Hampshire and Wiltshire - last vestiges of some of our rarest butterflies. There are no hides here just paths winding through steep-sided meadow and woodland down to the River Went which bisects the reserve at the bottom of the magnesian limestone rock valley.  I spent quite a lot of time by the slow flowing river "going to town" photographically on the Banded Demoiselle population. I have never seen so many males in one place before, though females seemed to be outnumbered by around fifteen to one making the males' display flights even more competitive. Males were constantly involved in aerial dogfights and should a bronze green female appear she was pursued by, well everyone! There were good numbers of Marbled White and Dark Green Fritillary butterflies, plus Common Blues, Brimstone, Brown Argus, day flying Burnet and Chimney Sweeper moths. Orange Tips were still flying too, but then it has been a funny year.  Bird wise the usual warblers were present plus I had good views and hearings of Jay, a rarity here in East Yorkshire. Yellowhammers were calling for a little bit of bread and no cheese all around the reserve too.  I saw stoats along the stream and heard various plops into the water, Water Vole? There was also one very loud splash so unless they have crocodiles I can't explain it!  Dog walking is permitted (on leads during the breeding season) so the occasional dog poop left by "responsible" owners is the only slight negative. Ask any dog owner and they will all tell you how "responsible" they are! I only found one abandoned bagged up poop - a type of madness I will never understand - so, all in all, not a major problem at Brockadale.

To sum up, Brockadale is the perfect reserve for a complete immersion in natural nature as natural as you are going to get it and just off junction 33 of the M62. If you need to recharge your green batteries, this is the place. There is currently a Yorkshire Wildlife Trust appeal to purchase a piece of land to join up and further improve Brockadale, details can be found on the website here.

_DSC3873
 Tricky to show what it is like, best have a visit for yourself


brockmale3633
male large red damselfly


brocka3840
male banded demoiselle


brocka3780
male banded demoiselle


brocka3788
Roger, Roger.....Bogey at 12 o'clock 


brocka3725
more male banded demoiselles


_DSC3631
a horse 


brock3623
five spot burnet moth


brocka3727
male banded demoiselles


brocka3756
male banded demoiselle


brocka3698
is it art, is it out of focus? :)


brocka3655
you guessed it!


brock3630
brown argus


brocka3871
and finally a bumble bee


No comments:

Post a Comment