Strait Hey and Mankinholes

It was a brilliant morning today, sunny but cool in the breeze so off over Strait Hey to look for the first Wheatear arrivals. Strait Hey is about a 1.5 miles East of Mankinholes and is reached from my house by walking down into a wooded clough, over the stream then up a farm track past more woods. Despite the sun there weren't that many birds about, not even a GS Woodpecker.

There was a grand view looking back from the top of Strait Hey towards Todmorden, with snow on the hills over towards Pendle Hill -

Todmorden in right of photo, Mankinholes is to the left

A Curlew and a Skylark were singing on Edge End Moor and as I approached the Pennine Way a few Meadow Pipits started appearing, one of which was parachuting and singing. Another 2 Curlews were singing on Erringden Moor which made my morning really as there is nothing finer than seeing and hearing Curlews singing on a bright Spring morning in God's Own County.

Just over the moor I could see my route along the bottom of Stoodley Pike -

Stoodley Pike with a dusting of snow

No early Wheatears but there were plenty of Mipits as I continued towards Mankinholes and Lee Dam. At the dam a small party of Blue and Great Tits were feeding in the trees and a Goldcrest appeared at last - my first of the year would you believe! A Robin was singing from the top of a fir tree and it made a splendid photo -

Robin in full flow

Back home through Mankinholes and I checked the walls for Little Owls - there they were as usual :)

2 Little Owls