Sunday 27th April

Slow morning, as my boots werent drying, I went to the hide as I didnt have suitable footwear fir anywhere else.
A text to say 1 barwit was on the lagoon got me flapping, but I jumped in the car & onto Station Road.
Ticket off Barwit just before it flew but got some very good views and good to see it in flight also.
Another Swilly tick.
Good numbers of swift in today too.

Saturday 26th April

A damp start quickly made it a miserable morning. On a short time scale and planned targets, I wasnt going to deviate from my plan. However things never ever go to plan with me.
A song thrush was of note to me as ive not had many this year, was a good start, with lesser whitethroat still in the abandoned RSPB car park, whitethroat, willow warbler blackcap & chiffchaff all sing on path down to Lowther.
A walk down redstart hedge saturated my boots, and they still havent dried up now!
Only a pheasant was flushed this time.
Mistle thrush, equally scarce for me was in the wood at lowther, and the horse field beyond the boundary was alive. Nothing rare though.
Tweet of bar-tailed godwit scuppered my plans, which were further scuppered as by the time id got to the new sluice, they had flown east. Probably over my head!
Back to Lowthet I did tick off Cuckoo & Sedge Warbler which showed well whilst stalking the reed warblers, but they didnt show.
2 willow tits were the 1st I'd seen since Feb so were nice to see.
The Garden Warbler was singing again nr Oil Depot, but still not seen it!

Thursday 24th April

With a pair of Whimbrel being on the R&F most of the day, I thought id better nip down after work, but to no avail.
Cuckoo was singing from pit lane sort of area but didnt go looking.

Bank holiday monday

First trip this morning was to Skelton, and as ever it was a short but sweet visit.
The Police car pulling away is never a pleasant sight as you pull up, but as ever - no problems.
An Avocet was flying round when I got down to the lake and made its way off east, down the river. A common sandpiper was on the spit, neither were new for the year.
I could hear the grasshopper warbler on the western side of the beck and it finally popped out in full view for only a second.
Back at the hide it was pretty slow, but 3 common terns were moving back and forth down the river, and an arctic tern flew through towards the main bay.
Adult and 2nd cy med gull were on round island.
Bob had 2 black terns over the causeway which you could make out from the hide, but I wanted a better look so drove round to the drag line.
Excellent views until 14.17 when they were last seen gaining height flying north-west.
On the way back to the car, I walked the hedge at Lowther and up the central hedge. A bird with a redtail flew out and straight back in 10 yards up the hedge. Gut instict immediately was redstart, but a couple of paces further spooked a male chaffinch, and with its reddish back, I wasn't so sure. So slowly I carried on and 2 birds flew out. 1 male chaffinch and again the bird with the red tail. I knew now it was a redstart and when I picked up the bins, there was a smart male redstart tucked into the hedge!
I made sure before releasing the news, but in the excitement and panic about getting it out - I didnt want to flush the bird any further so stayed put until everyone else arrived.
Unfortunately,  that was the mistake and I lost it, but thankfully 1 other birder got on to it as it flew down the hedge and that was that. Gutted not everyone got it, but at last I've found a decent bird myself :)

Sunday 20th

Another long morning, only resulted in 1 arctic tern making it onto the list.
5 terns flew north (high) appeared to br common but couldn't rule out arctic, so unfortunately in the commic box :(
Dipped on gropper, sedge & reed warbler and also cuckoo.
They be the targets for the final day of the holiday.

Afternoon trip to Burniston was a success and short-toed lark is on the life list. 3rd lifer of the year.

Saturday 19th April

Hangover from hell delayed proceedings, but finally yellow wagtail on the filter beds perked me up.
That was the 10th new bird since thursday evening

Very good friday

Whitethroat, Black-tailed Godwit (7) Swift (1) Lesser whitethroat, common sandpiper (2) and Wheatear made it a very good friday.
This mid-week birding is a doddle!

Easter holiday starts

A good start to the week for the full time listers. The common crane was seem again before flying off towards wakey, and ticked by most.
Quick dash to the hide before tea - 3 ticks - LRP, common tern & house martin.

Sunday 13th April

Mad dash to Flamborough as soon as news the crag martin had been located, only led to disappointment, as it was last seen at 7.50am and not seen again. ticked off the sea birds for the year list and got some cracking views of the Tawny pipit.
On way back, picked up a drake Scaup on the balance res to finish off a decent weekend.

Saturday 12th April

Chilly day, but ticks - Ringed Plover, Sanderling & bird of the day and swilly tick for me, OSPREY!
3x black necked grebes and garganey still

catch up

Missed a couple of weeks due to internet issues, but working again now.

The end of March came round quickly and was a disappointment for me, with the earliest ever swallow and garganey, I was expecting a bigger influx of migrants. There were more birds coming in, but struggling to make it onto my list.

The weekend of 29/30 March only added mealy redpoll but a great white egret was seen by a handful on the sunday on what was a really misty mothers day morning.
It was later at fairburn before heading back on its tour of northern England!

The following weekend was much more successful with 4 ticks on Saturday and a further 3 on sunday!
Willow warbler, blackcap & Garganey were joined by a swallow later on and sunday saw the return of the black necked grebes, little gull and an adult sandwich tern was a Swilly tick for me.
Was a great weekend for many, a brief egyptian goose wasn't relocated until the following week.