What an amazing start to summertime.  I went up to the Tarn first thing to blow away the cobwebs after a 60th birthday bash last night.  The water was a mirror reflecting the hills and azure blue sky.  The margins had a skim of ice which gave the impression of a cracked and frosted frame.  A heron stood on the duck wall and eyed me with deep suspicion. He (or she) will have trouble with our fat trout.  The stone loach and emerging frogs that inhabit the swampy ground at the foot of the Tarn are likely to be the menu.

The swans seem to be starting a nest close in to the cross wall at the far side of the Tarn.  If they do nest here then it may well prove possible to protect the nest this year by throwing a fence out and back to the wall, encircling the nest site, but leaving access to the water.  We shall see.

The air was crystal clear with no hint of haze and Selside stood out in sharp detail across the valley.  Looking north Whernside loomed large with details picked out in clear relief.  There are two Canada geese in residence at Turn Dub,  Whether they too will nest is uncertain.  A few years ago a paid did nest near the Dub and raised a dozen goslings.  I was surprised to learn last night that these wild geese make good eating.  The meat is very gamy with a hint of liver.  It's dark, but apparently very tasty if cooked very slowly.  Not like the recipe for badger where you joint your badger, put it in a pot with veg, add stock and a stone.  Cook for 12 hours then throw away the badger and eat the veg and the stone.

The river is in almost perfect condition having dropped its colour, but retained good flow after the recent rain.  It's a bit too cold to encourage our trout to free feed freely as it needs to be around 10 degrees for optimum feeding and the temperature this morning in the water was nearer 6 degrees.  However, the sun is making its presence felt and without the wind of the past few days the water should warm slowly.  The forecast for the week is for much more settled and warmer conditions so look forward to some ideal fishing conditions.

Ian