Upper Teesdale

Todays Breeding Bird Survey in the North Pennines produced Black Grouse and Short-eared Owl amongst other things, and following the survey I headed home via Upper Teesdale. It was a glorious day, but the Spring Gentians are now completely over. I climbed Cronkley Fell, Widdybank Fell and had a look along the banks of the Tees and could only find two Gentians, both shriveled remnants of their former glory. Birds on Cronkley Fell included two Ring Ouzels.

Cow Green reservoir - "Hindsight is a lazy vision, but successive generations will condemn in amazement the desecration of this natural area which is arguably the most imprtant botanical site in England." So wrote Sylvia Arnold in her book "Wild Flowers of the Yorkshire Dales". It's hard to disagree.....

The summit of Cronkley Fell.

The River Tees with Widdybank Fell.

The insectivorous Common Butterwort with Bird's-eye Primrose behind. Interesting to think that this plant uses insects for pollination and also eats them!

Spring Sandwort on Cronkley Fell

Hoary Rockrose on Cronkley Fell. This is a rare relation of the Common Rockrose, and is found mainly in North Wales, where I've seen it best on the Great Orme at Llandudno. It's a very rare plant in England, and on Cronkley Fell it is at its most northerly site in the UK.

I've seen more than my fair share of breeding Golden Plover recently, and here is another near the summit of Cronkley Fell.

I've seen a few of these as well - Red Grouse, this one also on Cronkley Fell.