Wildlife at Pry House Farm

This pink & white ball is a nest of newly hatched Barn Owlets.  Chris came upon them purely by accident.  It was an exciting find.

 

A few weeks later we visited them again.  Their heart-shaped faces are captivating and almost hypnotic.  We decided it would be wise not to disturb them again and since then they have left the nesting sight.  It was an exciting discovery and a privilege to see them at such close quarters.

 

We have had several pairs of Oyster Catchers breeding in the pastures by the river.  They are a solid, stocky bird and their bright orange beaks make them easy to spot. I love to see them flying low over the pastures and watch them 'tip their wings' like Spitfire pilots to display a flash of pure, solid white. 

Six young ducks on the river below Pry House.

 

I almost trod on these gorgeous little chicks when walking by the river!  At first I thought they were Curlew chicks because of their long beaks but now I think they are Snipe.  Such beautiful markings.

Swaledale in Bloom

The last of the hay meadows have been mown ending the 'Year of the Buttercup' but dozens of other wild flowers can be seen on roadsides, river banks, in hedgerows, on the moors and in the case of the picture above, on our garage roof!

Pink Dog Rose

I love the vivid pink of wild Foxgloves flowering against the stone walls

A battalion of Knapweed flowers along the roadside to Keld 

Harebells nod their heads in the light breeze; one of my favourites.

Meadow Vetchling

Meadowsweet

Clover

Knapweed and Meadowsweet flower in profusion under the scar, close to Wainswath Falls

 

Wood crane's-bill

White Dog Rose

Speedwell

and finally high on the fells Bog Cotton continues to flower like fallen snow.

A quad bike adventure to the top of Great Shunner Fell

At the very top of Great Shunner Fell
2327 feet abover sea level.

Looking back at Pry House Farm from Blackburn on Angram Common

                                                                           
                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Our objective ~  Great Shunner Fell

We went with our friends Gary and Katherine from Birkdale

A lone walker on the Pennine Way

The views were fabulous. 
As we travelled over the fells we could see
Tan Hill Inn, Muker, the Buttertubs Pass, Hawes and the road through the Mallerstang valley.  It might not be Everest but it is 'The top of our World.'  

We picniced at the summit and I posed in my 'Lost Sheep in Yellow Jerseys' t-shirt.  Plenty sheep up here but none wearing yellow!! 

The weather was perfect and the sky spectacular.

We all had the time of our lives and I can't wait for the next one.

Hay Time ~ Vintage and Modern

The 'old uns' are always best!

Chris mowing with his vintage 1948 Grey Fergie.

Old fashioned small bales efficiently made with modern machinery helped along by some of the best hay-time weather we have had for many years.