Bolton Abbey Woods

Annual trip to the woods last Sunday, seemingly quiet at first but all the usual stuff seen including several pairs of Pied Flycatchers, a few Mandarin on the river, a pair of Redstarts feeding along the path and at least one Wood Warbler singing, just missed Spotted Flycatchers, a few Red Kites were seen near Harrogate on the way.

  

Mixed Bag

An afternoon trip up onto the Moors last Sunday starting at the Pearl Bordered Fritillary site, several were on the wing but were very active nevertheless I managed to get a few shots, Bransdale was next and it was good to see Ring Ouzels at both sites, an adult male with two juvs at the first site, surprisingly no Whinchats on show though.

best I could manage of an underwing shot

looking after her brood

Out with Pete Watson on Bank Holiday Monday but with a bad weather forecast and nothing much around we decided to just potter around Blacktoft Sands and North Cave Wetlands, just the usual fare really, Cetti’s Warblers and Marsh Harriers showed well at Blacktoft, a pair of adult Mediterranean Gulls at North Cave plus a Red Kite on the way home was the best of it.

Temminck's Stint

Not feeling too good this weekend after the latest chemo session so just made a quick trip out to Thornwick Pools at Flamborough Sunday day to photograph a Temminck’s Stint which was showing well, fairly quiet otherwise but a bit of info from another birder sent me on to South Landing in search of roosting Tawny Owls, found the nest tree and saw the head of a youngster but no adults on show this afternoon.

incoming

the only other waders were a couple of Little Ringed Plovers which were giving the Stint short shrift

smart little bird amazing how small they are

A few more year ticks

A free morning yesterday (Saturday) so I took the opportunity to go up onto the Moors and Danby Beacon in particular where a pair of Dotterel had been found the other day, a popular staging post for them in recent years, I often find them a most confiding species except when they're in the middle of Pea Fields and this pair were no exeption.

female

and male

also a few of these around to be expected

Today I had hoped for better after overnight rain and decided Teesside would be as good as anywhere but it ended up a rather quiet and steady day although I did manage to year tick Cuckoo on Seaton Common, Little Terns at Crimdon Dene and a pair of Turtle Doves at Sutton Bank on the way home.

Wheatear at Crimdon

plus lots of Little Terns

Blackcap at Saltholme

Turtle Doves remained unsettled, too many people about

Mid-week Stilt at Blacktoft

An afternoon dash to Blacktoft Sands after a Hospital appointment on Wednesday morning upon hearing news a courting pair of Black Winged Stilts had been discovered there that morning, still present when I got there although being out in front of Ousefleet Hide they were fairly distant for photography, still nice to catch up with, there has been a few around this Spring but mainly down South.

also a few of these little beauties around