Late, Spring

An update for April - weekend of 26th & 27th.

Very much a transitional month. Lots of migrants had arrived but many more are still to come. The weather wasn't brilliant, grey skies mostly, but at least it stayed dry. Highlights were a Marsh Harrier, a Curlew (hard to find in recent years), 4 White Wagtails (only one recent record), 6 Wheatear (normally the odd one or two each year), 9 Lesser Whitethroat (possibly a record number) and 2 singing Corn Buntings.

Canada Goose - a pair with 4 goslings

Shelduck - 2

Gadwall - 10

Marsh Harrier - female along Kelk Beck on 27th.

Kestrel - 5

Oystercatcher - 3

Lapwing - 60+

Snipe - 1

Curlew - 1 over Harpham on 26th

Cuckoo - 1 calling in several locations (prob only 1 bird)

Sand Martin - 20+ mostly around Lowthorpe and Gransmoor Quarry

Swallow - 30+ widespread

House Martin - 10+ at Lowthorpe only

Yellow Wagtail - 4

White Wagtails - 4 at Harpham with 9 Pied Wagtails.

Wheatear - 2 together at Harpham and 4 together at Kelk

Sedge Warbler - 5 at Kelk Beck

Blackcap - 10+

Lesser Whitethroat - 9 males singing

Whitethroat - 11 singing

Chiffchaff - 20+

Willow Warbler - 14

Treecreeper - 1 at Harpham

Corn Bunting - 2 singing males at locations occupied last year

Some photos:

First up is one of the Corn Buntings in typical singing pose. One day I'll get a decent shot of one.

Orange Tip butterfly. Not at all easy to photo!

Oystercatcher. They've been present annually for over two decades now, though the success is pretty low and with little sign of numbers increasing (max 2 pairs in any one year). I guess Kelk must be at the limit of breeding habitat.

Ropey record shot of two of the White Wagtails. These photos aren't entirely convincing but enough was seen of the pale rumps to confirm as White rather than Pied. All four were females (the males are much easier to ID).

Yellow Wagtail hanging around with other wagtails. Always a special spring moment when I see my first one.

Additions to year list (in order of appearance):

078 Shelduck - first seen March but missed off previous update

079 Swallow

080 Cuckoo

081 Sand Martin

082 House Martin

083 Blackcap

084 Lesser Whitethroat

085 Curlew

086 Yellow Wagtail

087 Whitethroat

088 Willow Warbler

089 Wheatear

090 Sedge Warbler

091 Marsh Harrier