Oystercatchers

I'd planned to go over to Ilkley Moor last night and do some hill-reps but it was a lovely evening so I went for another walk by the river instead (I'll do the reps on Thursday now). After parking by the cricket ground near Bolton Bridge I walked across to the 'old bridge' and there was just enough light for me to get to the priory ruins and back (what people refer to regularly as Bolton Abbey was actually a priory)

The second I arrived at the old bridge I saw a dipper and around halfway between there and the ruins there was a flock of 41 oystercatchers preparing to roost together on the river bank. I've got a great affection for these noisey waders and often hear them at home when the weather's good and the windows are open in early summer

On the way back down the river I saw three goosander plus three bats. One of the bats was the size of a snipe (I thought for a second that's what it was on first sight) but sadly my bat id skills are non-existent, so I've no idea what species they were

The sand martins that spend the summer in Wharfedale haven't arrived yet but it cannot be long now, and there was a real feel of spring in the air on my forty minute or so riverside jaunt!