More Morton Magic #6: Yaffling Yaffingale
This is the 6th of a 17-cache series which will take you on a wonderful 6km looping trail up the deep Morton valley through Sunnydale and The Glen passing historical farm and residential buildings, industrial ruins, mill ponds and weirs, rich deciduous and pine woodlands, a reservoir, waterfall, low moorland, farm fields and then back down an old track and flower-festooned path into the village.
The cache, a small camo-taped screw-capped pot, is hidden on the northern edge of Sunnydale (the deep valley) just off this upper-level side trail which passes through lovely (potentially) sun-dappled woodland and links the top of the steps to the east of the reservoir with the jeep track to Glen Farm.
Directions: from #5 make your way along the jeep tracks up to the top of the dam wall then take the footpath across this and up the steps. From here head SW on the side-footpath along the top of the valley and edge of the woods to the cache location.
Whilst the first 5 caches of the series focused on local religion, history, ruins and the beck, the rest will focus more on the wonderful natural history of the area . . .
Sunnydale has been identified by the birding group in Bradford as a good birding location in the area with their summary reading as follows [material in brackets added]:
'Sunnydale is situated just above East Morton village and is an attractive area for walking [and birding!]. From the reservoir, and from where Morton Beck originates, Grey Wagtail and Dipper can be seen often right down to where the beck meets the River Aire.
The reservoir holds Mallard, Grey Heron and Goosander but is liable to [periodic] disturbance from fishermen. [On the day of my visit there was a large group of greylag goose on the lake].
However there is a wood surrounding the water and this holds a good variety of species such as – Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Sparrowhawk, Bullfinch, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Tree creeper, Siskin, Redpoll, finches including at times Brambling, plus Jay and thrushes.
The path takes you above the wood and onto the edge of the moors at Bradup, where Little Owl, Linnet, and Red-Legged Partridge can be seen as well as large numbers of Stock Dove. Grey Partridge and Kestrel may also be spotted and, if lucky, Short-Eared Owl hunting the moorland fringes.
The European green woodpecker (Picus viridis) is a large green woodpecker with a bright red crown and a black moustache. Males have a red centre to the moustache stripe which is absent in females. It is resident across much of Europe and the western Palearctic. Of the3 subspecies, the one found here is P. v. viridis. Its laughing cry is one of the defining sounds of British woodland.
Its scientific name is derived from the Latin picus, meaning 'woodpecker', and viridis meaning 'green. 'Yaffle' was among its many English folk names relating to its laughing call. It is also known as laughing Betsey, yaffingale, yappingale and Jack Eikle. Other names, including rain-bird, weather cock and wet bird, suggest its supposed ability to bring on rain.
It spends much of its time feeding on ants on the ground and does not often 'drum' on trees like other woodpecker species.
It is the largest of the 3 woodpeckers found in the UK at 30–36 cm long with a 45–51 cm wingspan. It has a heavy-looking body, short tail and a strong, long bill. Males and females are similar but in males the moustachial stripe has a red centre - in females its is solid black.
Though its vivid green and red plumage is particularly striking, it is shy and wary being more often heard than seen, drawing attention with its loud calls known as yaffling (listen here. Its flight is undulating, with 3–4 wingbeats followed by a short glide when the wings are held by the body.
Old deciduous trees for nesting, and nearby feeding grounds with plenty of ants, are essential and it is usually found in semi-open landscapes with small woodlands, hedges, scattered old trees, edges of forests [such as en route to GZ] and floodplain forests. Suitable habitats for foraging include grassland, heaths, plantations, orchards and lawns.
Its nesting hole is larger but similar to those of the other woodpeckers. It may be a few feet above the
ground or at the top of a tall tree; oaks, beeches, willows and fruit trees are the preferred nest trees in western and central Europe, and aspens in the north. Some tree holes are used for breeding for more than 10 years, but not necessarily by the same pair.
A single brood of 4-6 white eggs is incubated for 19–20 days after the last is laid by both parents taking shifts of 1.5- 2.5 hours. Chicks are naked and altricial at hatching and fledge after 21–24 days.
It feeds mainly on ants of the genera Lasius and Formica for which it spends much of its time foraging on the ground, though other insects and small reptiles may also be eaten. The bird's distinctive, elongated, cylindrical droppings often consist entirely of ant remains. At ant nests, it probes into the ground and licks up adult ants and their larvae. They have extraordinarily long and sticky tongues that wrap to the back of their head. It will often forage in short grazed or mown permanent grasslands where the availability of ant nests is high.
In culture: 'Professor Yaffle', the wooden bookend character in the 1974 children's animation series Bagpuss, was based loosely upon the green woodpecker.
It has been used on postage stamps from several countries. It is used in merchandising of a popular cider. It was the totem of the Italic tribe of the Picentes, and is on the coat of arms and flag of the Italian region of the Marches.
See here for more info on this striking and highly specialised bird.
See short videos here (wood-pecking) and here (foraging on a lawn). It also features in a well-presented wild-life video here (from 4:58)