RICH Bunce Walking Photographer is a professional photographer based in Burley-in-Wharfedale with a real love of the outdoors. He regularly leads Photo Walk Workshops in Yorkshire and across the UK. On June 4 he'll be leading a Wildlife Masterclass walk on Ilkley Moor and here he takes us through what participants are likely to see.

RIGHT now, there is more drama occurring on Ilkley Moor than in an episode of Game of Thrones. You might not notice it from a distance but if you know where to look, you may just catch a spectacle that would astound even the likes of Sir David Attenborough.

Much of the action starts with the ground nesting birds. The moor is prime breeding ground for thousands of birds and a magnitude of species. Curlew, Lapwing, Oyster Catchers, Snipe, Red Shank and of course Red Grouse all breed here. This prolific environment must seem like an 'all you can eat buffet' for local predators.

Red Kites increase their presence during this time of year, looking out for young and vulnerable chicks. They can often be seen circling overhead, cruising the moor before elegantly swooping down to grab their take-away meal. Once spotted by the protective Lapwing and Curlew parents, the aerial display that ensues would turn even the most daring stunt pilots green. As well as assaults from the air, weasels and stoats are a formidable threat from the ground too. When walking the moor it's well worth keeping an eye on the path further ahead, as you could be rewarded with a fleeting glimpse of these cute but ruthless killers.

There are smaller birds who like to make their home on the moor at this time too. Meadow Pipits, Sky Larks and Wheatear nest in the grassy areas, while Warblers and ChiffChaffs can be seen along the moor's borders, often around the sporadic patches of gorse. The more interesting threat to these birds is the Cuckoo.

With numbers in serious decline, the wondrous sound of this African migrant should not be taken for granted. If you're lucky you might even see a Cuckoo, as once noticed, they're usually mobbed by any and all birds in the locality.

The success of the Cuckoos on Ilkley Moor relies on the varied supply of hairy caterpillars found here. Cuckoos are specialists when it come to these caterpillars, that most other birds would find unpalatable or even poisonous. Despite the birds' best efforts, there are a spectacular array of moths and butterflies that emerge from the moor. It would be impossible, or maybe rather tedious, to list them all but maybe one of the most iconic is the Green Hairstreak. Rather unremarkable in flight and no bigger than a thumbnail, when this drab moth-like butterfly lands, the change in appearance couldn't be starker. Once grounded (typically on a patch of bilberry or heather), the Green Hairstreak reveals its extraordinary green, two-tone wings that would out-shimmer Dame Edna's entire wardrobe!

The tarns, reservoirs and becks are pivotal to all wildlife surviving on the moor and they form the cornerstone of this unique and intricate ecosystem. Once a year, Ilkley's tarns host epic scenes of 'underwater love' as frogs, toads and newts all race to find a mate. While this event may have already passed, the evidence of such liaisons will remain for quite some time. But there's more to these tarns than just tadpoles and baby newts. If you observe the water closely enough you might just catch a Three Spined Stickleback with bright blue eyes, glowing red in its broodiness. Or even a nymph, emerging from the depths to morph into an exquisite dragon fly.

Once the toads, frogs and newts have evacuated the local waters they can often be found hiding in the nearby bracken. A better place to see them in action though is on the main paths of a sultry summer's night when they come out in great numbers to hunt.

Another seemingly prehistoric creature that inhabits the moor is the Common (or not so commonly seen) Lizard. The best place to catch this elusive reptile is on on the rocks in early morning or evening as it soaks up the sun's energy.

Unavoidably, I have missed and skimmed over bucket loads of species and behaviour that can be witnessed on our unique, beloved moorland but those surprises and experiences are just a walk away.

For more information visit www.walkingphotographertours.co.uk.