Blackcaps

A postscript to the Bird Walk.

This morning the blackcaps were all around. Two very melifluous ones on the sheltered (east) side of the wild woods. Summer now can't be far away.

From Above

Wimble Holme Hill is higher than Blacka Moor so a treck up there gives a different perspective as well as a breezier feel. At times buzzards can be seen patrolling the sky. On the level top the erosion caused by obsessive motor bikers and other mechanised users is bad in places but not as awful as on the slopes where ruts have filled with water to create a new and alien landscape. At this point the byway of Moss Road remains acceptable and hopefully free from danger of ill conceived "improvement".

Cyclists Who Look

Some cyclists do look around. A touring group of Geordies were passing through. It made their afternoon to see the deer in one of their favourite grazing spots.

Bird Walk

Spring is the time that birds on Blacka take centre stage. With that in mind we joined the organised morning Bird Walk with Jim Clark whose ability to pick out and identify various species from the slightest sound is remarkable. He also has a good judgement of the relative musical merits of different birds which I've not always found with twitchers. I've always had more time for the small songbirds than larger characters like grouse whose vocal expressions can be tedious. But each I suppose has its place in the sound world and natural orchestra that can be heard on a good day at this time of year. After all a good jazz group has the genuine improvisers on the front line, the robins and blackbirds, supported by the more predictable cuckoos and jackdaws comparable to bass and drums with various calls in between. The perfect natural musical experience in an ideal woodland acoustic is a quest for this season.

On Sunday we heard and/or saw garden warbler, grasshopper warbler, tree pipit, stonechat, reed bunting and many others. But no blackcaps - until Monday morning when two appeared a little lower down.

Whitelow Lane

Some of the best views looking up to Blacka can be had from Whitelow Lane. It's as quiet a road as can be found around here and should be quieter still. The Dore Village Society wanted it to be made an officially designated 'Quiet Lane' with a speed limit of 20 mph. For some reason this was turned down by the council. Perhaps somebody objected. There are plenty of people who like speeding through short cuts. There's a desperate need for many of the minor roads to be protected so that people can again feel safe strolling down them and cyclists too.

The local farms are somewhat confusing. There's Whitelow Farm and New Whitelow Farm and simply Whitelow, three different establishments. The one nearest to Hathersage Road seems to have been taken over by non traditional rural operations - storing caravans and sundry things using heavy goods vehicles: not a pretty site at all and a pity that something can't be done to improve its appearance. It's in such a marvellous setting.

Boredom

Bluebells

Approaching from the Shorts Lane entrance in Spring means a pleasant, sheltered walk beside the stream and a chance to enjoy the bluebells.

There's also stitchwort and lesser celandine and even some early cow parsley making sure that they celebrate May Day at the right time rather than wait for the official holiday on Monday.