a brick in the wall

A Brick in the Wall

next day nature diary previous day back Wild West Yorkshire Nature Diary,
Friday 18th February 2000


Nature Diary     Rocks     History     Gallery     Links     Home Page    
riverside thorns THE BLUE PATCH moves on and a rain shower makes its way down the valley.

'. . and now, the news for goats . . .' Across the river, the white goat is in it's winter quarters; a stable. It looks out over the stable door, framed in the doorway like an announcer on a widescreen television. Come to think of it, it's probably more interesting than anything you could watch on widescreen television.

the sparrowhawk's ledges No sign of the Sparrowhawk on its ledge today, just a single downy grey feather stuck to a cobweb. I notice that one of the bricks bears the stamp 'CRAVEN'. a brick in the wallIn the medieval period, when certain disputes were settled with a fight to the death, 'to cry craven' meant to acknowledge defeat. In a contest using batons, the accused had either to kill his adversary or fight until sundown, in which case he would be acquitted.

The Craven District is a mountain limestone area in the Pennine Dales.

pussy willow

Sallow or Pussy Willow, has the scientific name Salix caprea, the 'goat willow'. It's bud scales have opened and the furry white catkins are beginning to show.

mute swans On the flooded field a pair of Mallards are swimming between the clumps of rushes, while on the open water a Coot proceeds in menacing fashion, head down level with the water, like a miniature nuclear submarine cruising along. A pair of Mute Swans are preening peacefully on the canal. Twelve Mistle Thrushes are perching on the power lines nearby.

mistle thrushes

Richard Bell
Richard Bell,
wildlife illustrator

E-mail; 'richard@daelnet.co.uk'

  
Next day    Previous day   Nature Diary   Wild West Yorkshire home page