Today, braving the cold wintery showers with occasional sunshine, a walk around the lakes and woodland at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park was rewarded with some wonderful wildlife sightings, including two stoats at first oblivious to my presence whilst chasing each other along a woodland path. Birds included kestrel, goosander and grey heron high up in their nests feeding their fast developing young. Just like me, a male tufted duck had no alternative but to sit out a passing heavy shower of sleet. In contrast, and only a start time afterwards, the sun appeared attracting orange tip and green-veined white butterflies to the woodland glades. I managed a photo of green-veined white on bluebells while other woodland flowers included wood-sorrel and yellow archangel.
tufted duck in the rain
green-veined white on bluebell
I’m a reasonably observant person ,but despite walking my dog in Wakefield park I have never seen a frog or toad or tadpole in the lake. Also I’ve never seen a dragonfly or damsel fly ,does anyone know why?
Hi Mick
I’m guessing the reason would be fish! Fish are voracious predators and eat tadpoles, larvae and spawn and can completely eradicate all forms of amphibians and insects from a garden pond, so I’m guessing it’s probably much the same in Wakefield Park