After our first few sharp frosts, it’s definitely looking much more autumnal here now. On the bird front, we’ve now had the first flush of fieldfares and redwings passing through the Reserve, and the first few goldeneye have recently appeared on the Tarn. Last week there was a notable westward passage of jackdaws passing over Geltsdale through what’s known as the ‘Tyne Gap’. Movement seemed to be strongest in the mornings, with up to 900 an hour noted. The birds were mainly using the rising air columns of thermals as stepping stones to the west. Quite a spectacle! Some passage passerines are still turning up, with ring ouzels, chiff chaffs, goldcrests and a wheatear all seen in the past week. Blackgrouse are still prominent around the trails, and other good recent sightings include a male hen harrier, merlin and short-eared owl.
On Monday Geltsdale staff teamed up with the North Pennines AONB (under the expert guidance of Andy McLay) to search for waxcap on the Reserve. These distinctive and often colourful fungi are good indicators of unimproved ancient grassland. During the course of the morning we found 14 species, including the Pink (a Cumbria BAP species - see photo), the Parrot, the Crimson and the Honey waxcaps. Seventeen species is apparently the benchmark to mark the site as being of National Importance, so another visit or two could well bring Geltsdale to fungal prominence!