North Cave Wetlands - in search of a Med Gull

June 11th: I know it's there - it's listed every day on the sightings report. I couldn't find it and I reckon I'm reasonably good at recognising these birds so we'll have to make do with some other snaps taken with the 100-400 zoom lens.

This goldfinch was watching me intently.

This reed bunting was no doubt about to feed its young.

This dragon [probably a black-tailed skimmer] was resting on the path in front of me.

Focus practice

A well fed marsh orchid.

Ragged robin

Common whitethroat

Rabbit

Black-headed gull. Looking smart but not quite up to adult med gull standard!

June 14th: Wykeham Raptor Watchpoint where nothing appeared other than a common buzzard. But a willow warbler showed as did some crossbills. Drizzle drove me away.

I headed for nearby Forge Valley where I watched a jay coming to fat balls. I got the camera and wound down the passenger window ready to get the jay on the fence next time it came. It didn't. Suddenly I spotted 2 juvenile great spotted woodpeckers through the car windscreen. Because of the sloping glass and a very poor shutter speed the pictures aren't sharp but I thought I'd include them. We can always imagine they're lesser spots!!

Hilla Green - 'Dipper Bridge'

The dipper was some way away hiding in a tangle of branches trapped on a bend in the stream when the water level had been much higher. I tried to get a little closer.

Pheasant in the meadow at Hilla Green Farm.

June 20th: Walked out to the Cheesecake hide at Bank Island to see two tiny birds [I had no scope with me!] A wood sandpiper and a green sandpiper but there's so little water now and the birds were a long, long way away... I photographed a singing reed bunting en route plus some nice poppies.

June 23rd: South Gare, Marske, Skinningrove, Kildale and Harwood Dale. Quite a busy day with limited success. Rock pipit, common gull and, best of all, a spotted flycatcher at Kildale Churchyard. First spotted from the station platform, I crossed the bridge to the churchyard to get these photos.

At Harwood Dale the turtle doves failed to turn up to my party. I kept myself amused attempting to photograph a great spotted woodpecker!

June 24th: long walk to new island lake about 400m west of Crosslands hide, North Cave. Two pairs of Mediterranean gulls seen.

June 25th: Blacktoft - a brief afternoon visit. Little egrets at Marshland - 8 of them.

A shy and elusive sedge warbler

Whitethroats including a juvenile

June 28th: A jay in our garden

Plus some trail camera footage

June 29th & June 30th: Bempton. Tried for the albatross but I couldn't pick it out even when it was eventually seen as it returned from a spell sitting on the sea towards Filey Brigg. I probably did see it but I didn't if you see what I mean. I consoled myself with some typical Bempton shots.

Next day I returned. The bird spent the whole time superglued to the cliff over by Staple Newk. Not that you could see it from Staple Newk... You had to observe it long range from New Rollup viewpoint. So here it is!!  This is a crop from the picture above. The albatross is roughly centre image. Sadly it tucked its eyebrowed head out of sight for the photo. All rather difficult to judge till I got home. Even big lenses can't work miracles. Many birders got some wonderful photos during the bird's stay in Yorkshire and I enjoyed seeing them all. I did see the eyebrow in the scope myself! Made my day.

July 1st: another brief visit to Blacktoft

Little to report. Yellow wags, greensand at Marshland. Tree sparrows near the entrance gate...

...magpie sunbathing. Unusually tame - too hot to be bothered!

142 UK 2021