TREECREEPER THE HIGHLIGHT ON A QUIET DAY @ HIGH BATTS
On Sunday I decided to head to High Batts Nature Reserve, a members only reserve just north of Ripon on the banks of the River Ure. Yearly membership for this reserve is just £11. There are three hides on site, one raised up overlooking a pond with the other two on the river bank. During the Summer months this reserve can be quiet but it is still a very good spot for seeing Kingfishers.
It was a cloudy but fairly bright day when I arrived at the reserve and I headed for the Upper Pond Hide. Nearly all the feeders are located just in front of this hide with a couple off to the right. In the trees to the right of the hide a group of Blue Tits and Great Tits were visiting the feeders as well as the ones in front of the hide.
A pair of Grey Herons flew towards the hide with one dropping into the pond and the other continuing on and flying over the hide towards the River. There were several Moorhens who suddenly moved to the other end of the pond at the Herons arrival. A group of Long Tailed Tits then arrived at the feeders along with a Marsh Tit, Tree Sparrows and Chaffinches with Blackbirds picking up the scraps on the ground. During the half hour I spent at the hide a Great Spotted Woodpecker made several visits to a large tree in front of the hide inching its way down to the feeder and then flying off after a quick peck at the feeder.
I made my way to the River Hide which was very quiet apart from a few Wood Pigeons flying back and forth over the river. Just before I left to walk up to the Hotel Hide a Buzzard flew low along the river before rising up and departing over the trees towards Ripon. During my walk up to the Hotel Hide a flock of more than 20 Greylag Geese flew over making a lot of noise.
The Hotel Hide was just as quiet as the River Hide upon my arrival but after a couple of minutes a Dipper flew past at a rate of knots up the river and a few minutes later flew just as fast back down the river. Just before I was about to head back down to the River Hide a Cormorant flew in and landed on the river.
Returning to the River Hide a female Kingfisher flew to the perch in front of the hide for a couple of seconds before flying off and making several flypasts up and down the river. A minute or so later a Marsh Tit then perched on the Kingfisher branch before moving on to the fallen willow tree which is half submerged in the River Ure. On a moss covered tree trunk to the right of the hide a Treecreeper arrived and made its way up the trunk allowing me to get a few good pictures.
After watching the Treecreeper for a minute or so I made my back to the Upper Pond Hide where the Great Spotted Woodpecker was still making regular visits to the same tree in front of the hide. The female Kingfisher then made a second appearance hopping from perch to perch before it was then scared off by a Chaffinch landing beside it.
I have attached a few of my photos and my full sightings list for my visit.
