It's Bumper Bundle time!

Starting on May 5th with a double walk in the Bolton Abbey area. I soon met up with the birds I expected to see on the river...

Common sandpiper Common Sandpiper Grey wagtail Grey Wagtail Grey heron - looking almost like a plastic replica!

Heron

Up into the woods I came across a puzzled song thrush who just sat and stared at me.

Song Thrush

Target bird number one: pied flycatchers in good number.

Pied Flycatcher Pied Flycatcher Pied Flycatcher

I came upon a friendly female pied flycatcher.

Pied Flycatcher Pied Flycatcher I saw a few redstarts but they were not posing for me. This is a smart male but it was taken into the sunlight. Redstart

Although others had wood warbler that day I failed to find any. No-one else had seen spotted flycatcher - I was even told it was too early yet by one self-confessed expert. So here's the early bird. Spotted Flycatcher Spotted Flycatcher

Mandarins came very close.

Mandarin Mandarin Mandarin The females are subtly attractive.

Mandarin The male retreated to the trees.

Mandarin Mandarin

One grey wagtail perched in a tree next to me...

Grey Wagtail Grey Wagtail

...another was on a rock in mid-stream.

Grey Wagtail I frightened a foraging squirrel.

Grey Squirrel Mrs Mallard took her ducklings for a bubble bath!

Mallard

Butterburs were flowering on the west bank...[they get rid of migraine apparently] Butterbur

...along with bluebells. Bluebells

I had a go at photographing the sand martins. Here's one I was quite pleased with.

Sand Martin Later that day I dropped in to Crimdon Beach to see if the little terns were back. A sea fret meant it seemed very cold and dismal. Sanderlings were out for a jog. Sanderling Sanderling

Sanderling

Little terns - first of several visits.

Little Tern Little Tern Little Tern

Sunday May 8th just an hour free to go to Swillington Ings. Black necked grebes looked well in the sunlight. Black-necked Grebe Black-necked Grebe Black-necked Grebe

A female orange tip [no orange tips on the female so it's often overlooked] was on the cuckoo flower - its normal food plant.

Orange-tip

A reed bunting was singing merrily competing with a reed warbler about ten feet away. Here are both of them.

Reed Bunting

Reed Warbler

The warbler kept diving back into a gorse bush but soon reappeared to sing.

Reed Warbler Reed Warbler

I was reminded how suddenly spring arrives and how quickly it can be over...

Dandelion

May 9th: whiskered terns at Saltholme were the excuse to head up to the Hartlepool area. Not easy to photograph - note the dark underparts... Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern Whiskered Tern Whiskered Tern ...and in this shot the short tail shows fairly clearly.

Whiskered Tern

At Phil Stead hide a tree sparrow was sunning itself...

Tree Sparrow

...and a garganey showed briefly before disappearing in the weeds... Garganey ...a common tern was taking a break. Common Tern At Dorman's I can never resist the sedge warblers.

Sedge Warbler Sedge Warbler Sedge Warbler

Seaton Common was quiet apart from some distant curlews. They used to keep linnets as cage birds - this one's just on a fence!

Linnet

Then back to Crimdon Dene! Little Terns

Little Tern

Little Tern

May 11th I began the day at North Cave where I saw a wood sandpiper. Then I went to Filey as a stop-off on my way to Scaling Dam. Carr Naze was busy with sand martins. I lay in the grass near a fence they favoured...

Sedge Warbler

Sand Martin Sand Martin

Eventually they flew off and a meadow pipit took over. Meadow Pipit

Scaling Dam's new hide afforded views of a common sandpiper among the gulls. How small is that!!

Common Sandpiper I decided to walk up the glen from the wonderfully-named Boghouse Lane. Stonechats, three cuckoo sightings and my target: green hairstreak.

Green Hairstreak

Green Hairstreak

Thursday 12th May Barry and I headed for Saltholme. Whiskered tern, black tern for starters and then on to Crimdon so Barry could see the little terns. Cowslips were in flower...

Cowslips

...and skylarks singing overhead. Skylark

Ringed plover on Crimdon Beach Sanderling Summer sanderlings still jogging. Nice light!

Sanderling Sanderling Rare flight shot of Barry's cap blowing away in the wind. Barry hotfooting after it! Barry's Cap Obligatory little terns again! Little Tern Little Tern A pied wagtail explored the dried up beck... Pied Wagtail

...and a [buff-breasted] meadow pipit watched us from the grassy bank. Meadow Pipit

As we left Crimdon we spotted a few early purple orchids.

Early Purples

In the afternoon we went on a walk somewhere not far from the Bilsdale transmitter which was visible above the clouds. Crossing the moors Barry spotted some golden plover in a field of sheep. Stopping to take a quick photo the sheep all came running excitedly towards us. Result: golden plover exit stage left! Golden Plover

Bilsdale Mast A wheatear  brightened our stroll. Wheatear

We were on our walk to a Duke of Burgundy site. Barry spotted our first of the year. More followed in the sheltered ride.

Duke of Burgundy

Duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy A couple of dingy skippers were seen too.

Dingy Skipper Dingy Skipper On the way home we called briefly to see if turtle doves had been seen this year up Sutton Bank. We were told no, nothing definite. This was follwed 10 minutes later by this email...

Hi Chris,

 You must be something of a lucky charm – confirmed turtle dove sighting about 10 minutes ago!  Nice to see you again!

 Chris

 Visitor Centre Assistant Sutton Bank National Park Centre Sutton Bank Thirsk YO7 2EH

...and then by this...

Turtle Dove article

I also saw my photos in the 2016 North York Moors guide... Turtle Dove article

Friday 13th a quick trip to Danby Beacon for dotterel. They were a long way from the road - others had better views on other days but I was content to see them in the damp misty conditions. Record shot - not quite what I call a cuckoo shot! Dotterel

Monday 16th May - a drive down the A1 to Twyford Wood in Lincolnshire to hunt the grizzled skipper. Hunt the Butterfly Conservation area was the main problem. No signs or clues. Eventually after wandering along roads and runways [the woods hide an old WWII airfield] I met a man with bins and a camera and so I got there in the end.

The only sign is when you actually are already there!! Twyford Wood BC

I found the 'Sanctuary' and a dingy skipper...

Dingy Skipper

...and then my lifer butterfly - grizzled skippers. They're tiny chaps. Some pose very nicely. Grizzled Skipper Grizzled Skipper

A trip to Gait Barrows NNR proved disappointing with regard to pearl-bordered fritillaries but interesting nonetheless. The limestone pavement is amazing.

Gait Barrows NNR

Gait Barrows NNR

I saw some early purple orchids and a speckled yellow moth. Speckled Yellow Early Purples Lily of the Valley

Lily of the Valley grow wild too.

Yesterday I finished up at Bempton and went back to my roots: it all started for me with a desire to photograph birds in flight. Bifs, some call them. Well, here's a nice set to finish this posting.

But before that a few snaps from around the visitor centre: swallows, tree sparrows and a charming jackdaw. I like jackdaws!

Swallow Swallow Swallow Tree Sparrow Tree Sparrow Jackdaw Jackdaw

Oh yes, and a pied wag. Never easy to photograph well, this one really pleased me!

Pied Wagtail And now the finale. A fistful of gannets!

Gannet Gannet Gannet Gannet Gannet Gannet Gannet 215 UK 2016