Highlights were 2 sightings of Hobby and a Spotted Flycatcher, plus year ticks in the form of singing songbirds; Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler and Corn Bunting.
Friday 25th May
Afternoon around Kelk: 2 Shelduck, 2 Gadwall, 2 Tufted Duck, 3 Red-legged and 6 Grey Partridge, Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzard, Hobby - excellent view as it drifted overhead, 2 Oystercatcher, 22 Lapwing, 6 Lesser Black-backed and 46 Herring Gull, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Meadow Pipit, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Sedge Warbler, a flock of around 100 Linnet is unusual so late in the season, and 2 Reed Bunting singing.
Some butterflies; 4 Holly Blue, 6 Orange Tip, 4 Peacock, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 5 white sp, plus 3 blue damselflies (prob Azure-winged).
Evening at Gembling and Kelk Lake: pair of Mute Swan with one cygnet at Kelk Lake, 2 Gadwall, 6 Tufted Duck, 3 Red-legged and 2 Grey Partridge, 2 Little Grebe, 3 Coot, 19 immature Common Gulls flew east at dusk to roost.
Saturday 26th May
Harpham-Lowthorpe: 2 Grey Partridge, Little Grebe, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 16 Lapwing, calling Cuckoo, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Sedge Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler, several Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, several Chiffchaff and 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, a family of Long-tailed Tits, 3 Tree Sparrow, and 2 Bullfinch (pair).
Some more butterflies: 16 Orange Tip, 1 Wall, 1 Peacock, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 24 white sp, plus 10 blue damselfies. Best of the bunch was a BRIMSTONE - my first sighting locally - which flew along the road/wood at the railway crossing.
Evening around Gembling-Foston-Wansford-Little Kelk: 10 Greylags, male Pochard, 4 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Hobby - chasing a Swift for several minutes over Millingdale, Tawny Owl calling from a hawthorn thicket at Gembling, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler (Kelk Lake before dusk), 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Whitethroat, 1 singing Corn Bunting near Kelk Lake - same location as the only male heard last year.
Sunday 27th May
Lots of non-birding activities today but a pleasant late afternoon walk around Harpham produced a final flourish in the shape of a Spotted Flycatcher at New Road. Also 3 Buzzard, calling Cuckoo, Yellow Wagtail, a Lesser Whtethroat at New Road, and two family parties of Long-tailed Tit.
One noticeable thing from the weekend was the lack of Swifts and hirundines, very much below what one would expect at the time of year. Either they have been delayed by the weather or were busy feeding elsewhere - despite fantastic weather. I shall be interested to see what the situation is like come August.
Now, a handful of photos. Here's a Pheasant chilling out with the lambs and not getting eaten by horrid Buzzards ;-)
Hawthorn blossom at its peak.
Singing Sedge Warbler at Lowthorpe bridge.
House Martin bringing mud to eaves in Kelk - still a lot of building to go! There was also another pair whirring around the same house.
Such was the heat this pheasant could not be bothered getting out of the road and let me approach to a few feet. Dozy thing!
Finally, a yearlist update...
096 - Reed Warbler
097 - Garden Warbler
098 - Corn Bunting
099 - Spotted Flycatcher
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