Hardcastle Crags 30/3/08

A nice walk through the Crags this morning as far as Gibson Mill and back to the car park. It was actually spring like in the crags this morning with plenty of Lesser Celandine and Dogs Mercury in flower in the warm sunshine. We had at least 3 Nuthatches, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Pecker, Blue, Great and Coal Tits, flock of Goldcrest and Long Tailed tits in the conifers, several Blackbirds and one Song Thrush, lots of Chaffinch. No Dippers this morning as the river was in spate. We also had our first Toad of the year, unfortunately squashed flat on the track :-((

Anyone know yet why the trees have been felled aroubd Gibson Mill ?