Tag Archives: Nostell Priory

An apple a day helps to keep the hunger away for winter birds

Posted on January 5, 2021 by Roger Gaynor

Some wildlife followers may see winter as a season of relative emptiness and in some ways a time that is almost unused by nature itself.  To others the return of falling snow and ice over the past few days may … Continue reading →

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Swan skirmish at Nostell Priory

Posted on March 21, 2018 by Roger Gaynor

Yesterday, Sunday 18 March, during another arctic blast I witnessed a male mute swan, known as a cob, chase off an unwelcome visitor to the lower lake at Nostell Priory.  The newcomer was no doubt seen as being too close … Continue reading →

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Ringlet butterflies at Nostell Priory

Posted on June 29, 2017 by Roger Gaynor

Last week Wakefield enjoyed a mini heat wave, which was encouraging for our local butterflies.  This week we have seen an abrupt and very wet change in our weather with any sunshine in short supply; a real dampener for any … Continue reading →

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Butterflies at Engine Wood, Nostell Priory

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Roger Gaynor

On the edge of a large nettle bed close to Engine Wood I watched a male small tortoiseshell butterfly establish a courtship territory. It was basking in the morning sunshine and suddenly taking flight high into the sky to investigate … Continue reading →

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Autumn colours, fungi and goosander at Nostell Priory

Posted on November 13, 2016 by John Gardner

Nostell Priory seems to be proving popular with WNS members just now with Roger heading there last Friday and bunping into Barbara and Richard, and us there today also bumping into Barbara and Richard! I suspect we will make it … Continue reading →

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Mating mallard at Nostell Priory

Posted on November 11, 2016 by Roger Gaynor

At the last indoor meeting Richard and Barbara mentioned they had recently watched the courting and mating behaviour of mallard ducks, including them bobbing  their heads up and down.  We wondered if this was normal for this time of year.  … Continue reading →

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March bluebells at Nostell Priory

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Roger Gaynor

Images of some spectacularly early bluebells in flower, together with flowering dog’s mercury, and a feeding small tortoiseshell butterfly taken on 17 March at the Nostell Priory estate woodlands help to show how some of our wildlife are responding to … Continue reading →

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Wildlife sightings from Nostell Priory

Posted on March 13, 2016 by Roger Gaynor

Pauline’s report on 16 February of the area’s first flowering colt’s-foot of the year encouraged a visit to a good spot for this plant on my regular walks around the Nostell Priory estate.  I saw the first flowers here much … Continue reading →

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Snowdrops on show at Nostell

Posted on January 20, 2014 by Roger Gaynor

I guess most of us are agreed that so far this January it has either been too wet or too windy to really enjoy getting out to enjoy our local wildlife.  However, a brief sunny spell on Monday 20 January 2014 … Continue reading →

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