Wings!

Including a duke, a big red damsel, a skipper, an orange-tipless and I call in on Mr Montagu again!

Blacktoft on Sunday 17th  was cool and breezy but that seems to be the norm this spring. Temperatures a bit below average but, if I'm honest, overall the birding has been pretty good. Just some of the regulars have eluded me so far. Main culprits: green woodpecker and grey partridge!

Not to worry. Here's a good spot from Sunday. As I drove down the 'bumpy road' across the fields to Whitgift church I stopped Tiggy to look at some birds on wires across the road. A yellowhammer flew off. This one didn't.

Corn Bunting

Keys-a-rattling!

Corn Bunting

At Blacktoft gadwalls and marsh harrier mix!

Gadwall

Gadwall... and shelduck coming straight at the hide.

Gadwall Shelduck

Later a sedge warbler was picking at the cow parsley outside the hide.

Sedge Warbler Sedge Warbler Sedge Warbler Sedge Warbler

On Monday 18th I went up to South Gare to see a little stint on the beach. Easily found from the car park in the scope but much more difficult once I was down on the beach level with the many sanderlings, dunlin and probably at least 60 ringed plovers. I gave up and then found the stint again as soon as I was able to look down on the birds from the car park through the scope and pick out the smaller bird with those white tramlines down its back. Needless to say, no photos.

Next I walked round Castle Eden Dene - a tiring walk with a few climbs but magnificent woodland. Not many birds: blackcaps and nuthatches the best sightings. A single stem of white bluebell amidst all the millions of bluebells in this huge site makes me think this was no garden reject but a genuine mutation.

White Bluebell

The primroses were on the white side but this is part of the normal colour range for wild primroses.

White Primrose

I wandered to Dorman's Pool but it was too windy for the warblers to show. Swifts screamed overhead. I decided to try a few flight shots.

Swift

Swift Swift

Perhaps the best...

Swift

On the 20th I spotted this female locally. It's an orange-tip butterfly.  Orange-tip female

Friday 22nd took me to Blacktoft for the afternoon. A bittern in flight was nice but the highlight was a better view of the male Montagu's harrier. marsh harriers got in on the act too!

Marsh Harrier Montagu's Harrier

Look at those long wings.

Montagu's Harrier Montagu's Harrier

May 23rd - second walk at Bolton Abbey. Still no sign of a wood warbler but some nice things. Four spotted flycatchers seen. None photographed. Common sandpiper.

Common Sandpiper

Pied fly.

Pied Flycatcher Pied Flycatcher

Dipper. Dipper

Grey wagtail in the dark tanglewood by the river.

Grey Wagtail

A fledgling nuthatch hovered in front of my face begging for food. Here it is.

Nuthatch

I saw a few treecreepers.

Treecreeper

I spent some time watching a very pale, greyish warbler. A pallid willow warbler I reckon.

Willow Warbler Willow Warbler Willow Warbler

I drove north to Bowesfield Marsh. This jackdaw was quite tame.

Jackdaw

At Dorman's large red damselflies and dingy skippers were on show!

Large Red Damselfly Dingy Skipper Dingy Skipper

Along with mating common blues.

Common Blue

A common tern was fishing at Saltholme.

Common Tern

Shangri-la

I drove to Shangri-la on the 24th May and climbed the mountain till I reached the gateway to the magical kingdom. Hawnby

A path leads just slightly uphill into the primroses.

Hawnby

I met his highness the Duke there. The Duke of Burgundy, I mean.

Duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy

A meadow pipit provided an escort as I left and made my way back down.

Meadow Pipit