Washburn Valley
| Location: North of Otley between
Wharfedale and Nidderdale, the Washburn Valley encompasses several
habitats including pasture land, coniferous and deciduous woodland,
reservoirs, rivers and streams, marshland and
moorlands. There are a number of key sites which
are worth visiting:
Lindley Wood, Swinsty, Fewston, Thruscross and John O'
Gaunt's Reservoirs.
Each reservoir contains different habitats supporting a broad
range of species. Wildfowl, including Tufted Duck, Pochard, Teal
and more unusual species such as Shoveler, Pintail, Gadwell and
Garganey are present during the winter. Jay,
Treecreeper, Goldcrest and many other species breed
in woodland areas surrounding the reservoir and waders such as
Common Sandpiper, Lapwing, Curlew and Redshank frequent on the
water margins.
Timble Ings Wood.
Predominately coniferous but with wide rides and open spaces
with wetland features, resident birds include Bullfinch,
Woodcock and Redpoll. Following clearance work currently underway,
it is hoped that nightjar will become a more common sighting,
although small numbers are recorded here at
present. You may be lucky enough to spot Hen Harrier or Red
Kite on the moors adjacent to the wood.
Denton Moor. Lapwing,
Snipe and Curlew are common during spring and summer, as
are Red Grouse, Meadow Pipits, Skylark and
Kestrel. More unusual sightings have included
Buzzard, whose population in the AONB is growing, and Short Eeared
Owl.
For more information on good sites and species why not
purchase Peter Riley's highly informative book "A guide to the
Birds of the Washburn Valley". Details of how to
purchase the book can be found on the main Nidderdale
AONB website.
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