During a recent trip north to the stunning Malham Cove, I came (almost) face-to-face with one of nature's best fliers - the peregrine falcon.
Peregrines are famous for their aerial prowess - and for making a home on Malham's lofty limestone cliffs.
With the help of RSPB volunteers and a powerful scope or two, we were able to get clear shots of a pair of falcons living the high life and, even better, watch as they sliced through the air in search of prey.
Peregrines have nested at Malham - in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales - since 1993, and are now an integral part of a visit to the spectacular horseshoe-shaped formation.
Hit hard by illegal killing by gamekeepers and landowners, they've seen a recent upsurge thanks to better legal protection and control of pesticides, and are now a much more common sight in our skies.
As an exiled northerner based at The Lodge, I'm proud of the great work the RSPB is doing in my home county of Yorkshire and across the north-east.
Whatever floats your boat, we've got it all on our northern reserves. Whether it's a clifftop stroll, a wander through ancient woodland, or a mooch through purple-tipped moorland, there's something and somewhere you're bound to be interested in.
Here are five of my favourite northern haunts. All are well worth a visit.
RSPB Dearne Valley - Old Moor
Located right at the heart of the Dearne Valley, Old Moor is a great place to explore.
In the winter, the reserve is an important stopping off point for geese, ducks, swans - and thousands of golden plover.
But there's plenty to see whatever time of year it is - and young families will love the reserve's fantastic adventure playground.
RSPB Fairburn Ings
Recent sightings at this northern gem include cuckoo, black tern and spoonbill.
The reserve's heronry is also bearing fruit right now, with great views of cormorant and heron chicks as well as little egret nests.
RSPB Blacktoft Sands
The tidal reedbed at this East Yorkshire reserve is the largest in England and teeming with life. It supports over 270 different species of bird, including the marsh harrier, which are a common sight during the summer months.
RSPB Bempton Cliffs
Bempton is one of the best places to hear and see seabirds in the UK - with some 250,000 flocking to the cliffs between Bempton and the equally impressive Flamborough Head.
Don't worry if you don't have a head for heights - there are six safe viewing platforms from where you can watch the action unfold.
RSPB Coquet Island
Coquet Island is a reserve about a mile off the coast of Amble, Northumberland.
Several thousand nesting Sandwich, Arctic and common terns accompany rare roseate terns in May, June and July, and thousands of puffins, now under serious threat, occupy the main part of the island.