After meeting at Ripon City Golf Club, where we were later to have lunch, we car-shared to the west gate at Fountains Abbey which is a known haunt of Hawfinches. They appear at this location most winters in varying numbers and feed on the young growth at the tips of the Yew trees. From our position next to the wall outside the Abbey we were hoping to pick up a sighting of them. Three Peregrine Falcons entertained us while we waited. One conveniently perched on the top of Huby’s Tower and gave great views through a telescope. Very shortly three Hawfinches flew directly over us and disappeared into the trees, giving only brief views. But there was another good view, again through a telescope, from a vantage point as we walked up the hill away from the gate. Buzzards and Red Kites were sharing the same air space over the ridge above the Abbey.
Colin’s next destination was Harper Hill. En route we stopped to watch a Barn Owl hunting at High Skelding. At Harper Hill we saw a small flock of Red Grouse flying low and a skein of Pink footed Geese flying high. Again we saw Red Kites. At this point the sky was clearing and the sun had started to break through. We descended to Dallowgill and turned right, then left, scanning for more owls. We stopped to watch two Barn Owls hunting on land adjacent to the land owned by keen birders, Ian and Caroline Tattersfield. With eleven pairs of binoculars pointing in his direction, we didn’t go unnoticed by Ian, who has very kindly supplied us with a picture of one of the Barn Owls which quartered over his land and sat on the wall just behind his house. Apparently this is a favourite place for it. Descending to the lower moors at Brimham Rocks the light by now was spectacular, but we were to be thwarted in our quest for a Short-eared Owl. It was time to return to Ripon where 21 of us were booked in for Christmas lunch which, as ever, was excellent. We wondered if we had just enough time to catch the Starling murmuration at Ripon City Wetlands but on arrival at Nicholson’s lagoon it was apparent that only the last few were dropping in to the roost. A splendid young male Peregrine flew over at close range, so the day ended as it had begun; this individual was probably from Ripon Cathedral.
And finally, just to keep the raptor theme going a Tawny Owl hooted just next to us on the tow path. A wonderful day out, thanks to Colin Slator for leading, Muff for arranging the meal and Ian for his picture.
