Alpine dip, Bonelli bonus

Twitch to Gibraltar Point this morning with Mark for an Alpine Accentor found there yesterday evening, no sign of it today though but upon arrival we were informed a Bonelli’s Warbler sp had just been found for a bit of recompense, a very vocal but active bird we chased it around for a bit eventually getting some reasonable views, I tend to favour it being a Western, also a couple of Cuckoo’s flying around plus Wood Sandpiper and Spoonbill on Tennyson Sands and a good show of Butterflies included Green Hairstreak. With nothing more reported in the area and the fact a Bluethroat was showing at Filey we decided to cut our losses and head back into Yorkshire, early afternoon found us looking for the Bluethroat but it wasn’t what you would call showy, just popping out for a few seconds then diving back into cover although it did eventually perch up on a fence post for a minute or two. We then headed for home to beat the holiday traffic for one but also to catch up with the phenomenal passage of Marsh Terns from today, there had been a fair few through the LDV and six Black Terns were lingering at North Duffield Carrs late afternoon, fairly distant but a joy to watch, the first Spring birds I’ve seen for a while. 

"Western" Bonelli's Warbler

plus Spoonbill

and Wood Sandpiper

Green Hairstreak posed

Filey red spot Bluethroat

a couple of the distant Black Terns at North Duffield Carrs