Luddenden Valley 24/10/09.
Autumn Walk in a Secret Valley.
The recent outing of the Rochdale Field Naturalists’ Society was to Luddenden Valley in Calderdale. Commencing the walk from Jerusalem Farm Car Park, where initial sightings of large flocks of Fieldfares were seen, the Group wandered down to Wade Bridge over Luddenden Brook, spotting the grey and white feathery remains of a Wood Pigeon which suggested an earlier meal for a hungry raptor, perhaps a female Sparrow Hawk. The members continued into the woodland alongside the pleasantly gurgling brook and were soon engrossed in a study of a wide variety of Fungi. During the day interesting specimens of Earth Balls, Hedgehog Fungus and Ugly Milk Cap were recorded. The maple and beech trees were resplendent in their yellow and golden autumn dress. Unfortunately, rain during the morning was making birdlife scarce, although Jays were glimpsed searching out acorns for their winter store.
After a short lunch break, the way climbed out of the woodland by The Hullet.
Luckily, the weather was now improving, and there were expansive views across the valley with shafts of weak sunlight filtering through scudding clouds, reminiscent of an April day. Flocks of Fieldfares, a hundred strong, swirled in the sky, their underwings reflecting silver flashes in the sunlight. A most unusual effect! Later, a Kestrel, being mobbed by a Carrion Crow, flew overhead, and a Mistle Thrush perched on a telegraph wire. Several more Carrion Crows were watched as they twisted and turned, in the now blustery wind.
As the walk continued, Holly and Rowan berries glowed scarlet in the sun light. At the old Methodist Graveyard at Throstle Bower a further search for interesting Fungi was made. Here also, a poignant reminder of our industrial past, a gravestone denoted the deaths of seven orphan girls, whose ages ranged from twelve to seventeen years, who had died while employed in a local mill.
Dropping down from Throstle Bower back to Luddenden Brook, and then returning through Spa Wood, groups of Blue Tits and Great Tits were seen flitting among the treetops. Goldfinches, Chaffinches and Robins were also in evidence. Further along the route, three Roe Deer were feeding on the edge of the woodland, and two pheasants were strutting through the adjacent field.
On completing the walk, the final observation was a Sparrowhawk hunting at tree top level for a late afternoon meal.