What to see in winter

The trees have dropped their leaves and look bare but this just makes the birds easier to see. We have our resident birds all year round like blackbirds, blue tits and greater spotted woodpecker. If you keep a closer eye out though you will see winter visitors escaping the extremes near the arctic circle, like fieldfare that flock in large numbers and waxwings feeding on the red hawthorn berries along hedgerows. In the riverside fields you'll see black headed gulls, without their distinctive black head they only have during breading season, pat on the ground to bring worms to the surface.

Along the banks of the River Wharfe as you walk the Dales Way you can find evidence of otters. Unfortunately this will probably be the most you will see of them as they’re more of a nocturnal creature and will be hidden away in a holt through the day. When it comes to tracking animals, mud will tell you a lot about what animals and birds there are in the area, even if you don’t get the chance to see them.

At this time of year our upland farmers have finished their sheep sales in Hawes and Skipton and move onto planning next year’s lambing time. They put the tups into the fields with the ewes and from November onwards you’ll see ewes with different coloured bottoms. The final colour on the ewes bottom will show when she got pregnant and tell the farmer when the lamb will be born in spring.

Then with spring just around the corner the plant life will start to stir. You’ll notice on the roadside between Buckden and Kettlewell the snowdrops and daffodils will begin pushing up through the ground as the snow and the ice withdraw.