Soil Hill birding; updates from the week 04th - 08th September

 This was another shorter week on Soil Hill due to the latter half of the week been spent at Spurn participating in the MigFest there. Although there was an absence of pleasant and sunny conditions, we were still able to make it out birding every day and there were good birds to see, as you would expect for the second week of September. There were no MEGA species as such, but there was a nice scattering of notable migrants to enjoy, especially since it may be the last time I see many of these species this year. 

• On the 5^th there was probably the standout migrant of the week with just the second Common Redstart of the year, which was extremely elusive in the Entrance Copse. After some brief views we then lost the bird in foggy conditions.   

• Once again Whinchats trickled through the Hill with two on the 4^th and a single lingering until the 5^th. Interestingly the two on the 4^th were on the walls near the mast, where the bird on the 5^th was in the usual location at the bottom of the North Slope. It is getting to the impossible stage trying to work out how many have passed through during the autumn, but I would think the two were both new birds, and the single was probably a lingerer from the previous week, given the location. As such, this brings the estimated total to 15 for the autumn, but I have no idea really. 

• The 5^th was a bumper day for Grasshopper Warbler with no less than three appearing at different locations around the site. This is a new record total for me on Soil Hill, although there have no doubt been occasions where the species has been in greater numbers, although undetected. These will almost certainly be the last of the year here. The only other different warbler was Blackcap, where singles were seen on all but one day, with a male and a browncap both been seen on alternate dates. 

• The last few Willow Warblers are still being seen occasionally this week, with as many as six recorded on the 5^th, and still three the following day. Otherwise just singles have been seen, and the species has been harder to find, in contrast to Chiffchaff which is being seen daily with the peak count being seven on the 6^th, with six still present the following day.

• Another species making a much less dramatic exit from Soil Hill is Common Whitethroat. While seven on the 5^th was an impressive total, generally we have only been able to find one or two on each day, and it will not be long before they leave us completely. 

• There was a nice and sudden passage of House Martin on the 8^th, when a flock of 16 birds all headed east together in rather gloomy conditions. Barn Swallow remain ever-present but in fluctuating numbers, varying from just a single on the 4^th to 15 on the 7^th. No noticeable vizmig has occurred as yet, but it will not be long before these two all leave us.  

• There was an impressive six Grey Wagtail recorded blogging on the 5^th, with another two seen on the 7^th. Hopefully there will be some reasonable vizmig of this species as the autumn progresses.  

• Two Jay flew south over Ned Hill Track on the 2^nd. Before this, a single had been jumping between trees on the North Slope Tree-Line and this was assumed to be one of these birds heading south. A nice Jay passage would be appreciated, so it is off to a good start. 

  Birding generally has been poorer compared to recent weeks, in response to poorer weather conditions. However, we made the most of it and there were still a few highlights for us to enjoy. Not least of these was a fantastic view of the covey of seven Grey Partridge in a field off Perseverance Road on the 7^th. They sat for some time in the open allowing for us to really watch them, rather than them dashing for cover or hiding in the grass. This same field has been particularly popular with Rook this week, with up to 28 seen feeding there together on the 6^th.

  A juvenile Buzzard has been hanging around the hill all week, and can even be seen perched on the walls at the bottom of the North Slope. On the only truly sunny day of the week, the 5^th, there was a light passage of three additional birds going south, but otherwise raptor activity remained pretty muted.

  On the 8^th a Curlew was heard at the bottom of the North Slope, which was the only occasion where the species was recorded this week. Two Snipe seen flying over together on the 4^th were also the only observations of this species during the week. For snipe this is a particularly poor return for a species that was nearly daily in early September last year. Hopefully the weeks rainfall will restore the bottom fields and that the species will once again return to winter in good numbers. 

-Common Redstart

-Common Buzzard

-Grasshopper Warbler

-Willow Warbler

-Grey Partridge

Species List:
Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard, Grey Partridge, Common Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Little Owl, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Northern Raven, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Common Redstart, Whinchat, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, 

Soil Hill birding; updates from the week 22nd - 26th August

This is the last full week in August for this year, and what an August it has been with an incredible 75 species recorded, an absolutely unbelievable month for inland birding generally, let alone Soil Hill. This week the good birds continued with a steady trickle of commoner migrants and a few other goodies sprinkled in for good measure. When the birding is like this it makes you excited to get out in the morning to see what you can find. 

• The bird (s) of the week were undoubtedly Yellow Wagtails. Remarkably, over the course of the week we recorded this species on four occasions, three in the same morning in what seems to be a remarkable run for the species at this site where I have only recorded it once previously.

  -The first of the week was on the morning of the 23^rd when we were at the bottom of the North Slope.  Fortunately, I was quickly able to pick up the bird and had some time to set up my camera to make sure I got a few photos. The bird was a little distant, and in the fog and panic I managed only a couple of blurred record shots, but since I failed to get anything when I last saw the species here, I am pleased I got something. The bird didn’t stop and continued west towards Ogden.

  -The next three records were all on the 26^th, with an individual flying over Taylor Lane at 06:44, and two flying over the bottom of the North Slope at 07:26 and then finally at 08:29. This corresponded with a trickle of other species, all of which were flying South-West. Sadly I only managed a few photos of the first bird, especially since the second bird flew really low over us.

Compared to the previous weeks, totals of migrants dropped off somewhat this week but there was still plenty to look at, including a long overdue addition to the year-list here. 

• On the 25^th the first Common Redstart of the year finally appeared on the Ned Hill Track, picked out excellently by Lia. This bird is the first time I have ever found a male here, and the lack of covert hooks suggests it may even be an adult. It was elusive and mobile so photos were at a premium. In the evening JJL found a redstart in the fields near Bradshaw which we went to look at, and superficially appears to be the same bird, showing how these migrants move through once they arrive.

• During the week we only recorded Whinchat on three dates, but that did include two together on the 24^th, the others being singles on the 25^th and 26^th. All of these birds have been in the same area at the bottom of the North Slope, which makes judging the total number difficult. However, by my reckoning, there have now been seven different individual Whinchat pass through so far this autumn. 

• There was a light scattering of Wheatear during the week, with observations on three dates; three on the 22^nd, two on the 24^th and a single on the 26^th.   

• The only Spotted Flycatcher of the week appeared in the garden of Rabbit Dell during the afternoon of the 22^nd, as we drove back over the Hill on our return from the supermarket. The bird did not appear present in the morning, so could have been brought down by the arrival of rainfall around lunchtime. It then stayed in the area until the 24^th.  

• Despite the many rarities so far this August, the month really belongs to Tree Pipit. This week was no exception with birds recorded every single day. Almost all of these were birds on vis-mig, with the highest counts being four on the 23^rd, five on the 24^th (within an hours period), and an incredible 11 on the 25^th; where nine flew south and two were grounded on the summit, the first grounded individuals this year.   

• The contingent of warblers remained present for this week, with Sedge Warblers making an appearance on the 23^rd and then two on the 24^th, again both juveniles. The juvenile Grasshopper Warbler was still present on three dates this week, and was even reeling, or attempting to, on the 23^rd. And a male and female/immature Blackcap have also been seen on and off at the bottom of the North Slope. 

• There were still a few Willow Warbler passing during the week, with 10 on the 22^nd and 11 on the 23^rd, before numbers dropped to just single figures. Chiffchaff is now being seen almost daily, with three on the 25^th being the highest count. This count included the first singing bird of the autumn.  

• The final few Common Swifts continued to pass through this week. A single was seen on the 22^nd, followed by a late group of six on the 26^th. Also on the 26^th there was a flock of nine House Martin that slowly flew south, the only sightings of the week. 

• Although it is not yet the time for true migrants, Goldcrest has already begun to appear more regularly, especially along Taylor Lane where at least one individual has been seen daily, and three seen together on the 23^rd. As the autumn draws on we can look forward to more of these beauties.    

On the none migrant front there continued to be a steady trickle of other interesting birds. The most notable of which is the first Green Woodpecker of the year which was on Taylor Lane on the 23^rd. Two Great Spotted Woodpecker were also seen flying south distantly on the 26^th, but this is a more regularly encountered species at this time of year.

The full contingent of 10 Grey Partridge was seen again on the 23^rd, although in two smaller groups of seven and three. There was one Curlew during the week, with a single on the 26^th which was calling further up the valley. Common Snipe was also recorded on the just the 26^th, but this was three individuals dropping in to the bottom  Cattle Fields, as hopefully numbers build up into the autumn.

And finally, we recorded our second highest total of Mistle Thrush of the year on the 22^nd when 24 flew over Taylor Lane. 

-Yellow Wagtail 23.08.2022

-Yellow Wagtail 26.08.2022

-Sedge Warbler

-Goldcrest

-Spotted Flycatcher

-Whinchats

-Tree Pipits

-Common Redstart

Species List:
Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard, Grey Partridge, Common Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Western Barn Owl, Little Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, European Green Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Mistle Thrush, Common Blackbird, Spotted Flycatcher, European Robin, Common Redstart, Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Western Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Tree Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, 

Soil Hill; Isolation week 16

A far more productive week for Soil Hill than last week, although without the standout that was the Red-veined Darter. It began with a bang when two Raven flew over the Hill on the 11^th July, and the first returning juvenile Wheatear on the same day. The following day, the 12^th was really the standout day of the week when I got a really good patch tick. It was one I had hoped for at some point during the autumn but certainly not in July, a very juvenile Common Redstart in the copse oppsite the site entrance track. The local Robins gave it a hard time and it was not present when I passed again an hour later. On the same day there was a cracking male Whinchat on the walls at the bottom of the north slope, really the icing on the cake of an excellent morning. On the 16^th a Grey Wagtail flew West over the Hill, my first of the Autumn here, and that evening I had an incredible count of 24 Mistle Thrush all sat together on the wires above Taylor Lane. Finally on the 17^th I had my first yellow juvenile Willow Warbler, really giving the place an autumn passerine feeling. The Grasshopper Warbler has begun singing again and could be heard and occasionally seen at various points throughout the week. A pair of Bullfinch have also apparently set up at the bottom of the North Slope Tree-Line and were showing well at times. Sedge Warblers remain present and Reed Bunting numbers have really built up.

On the 13^th I made a visit to Whiteholme but the shoreline there is now almost none existent and there was nothing of any note. From there I carried on to Ringstone where I picked out the adult Mediterranean Gull that DF had found the previous day. Although it was distant and would go missing for long periods, it was nice to see it among the throngs of Black-headed Gulls. But the real standout of the day was on a visit I made to Fly Flatts. Sadly the site was fogged off on arrival but I had the surprise of my life when a Mole ran across the road in front of me. The first I have ever seen, I was stunned. On the 14^th I visited Ogden for the sake of variety and had a flyover Red Crossbill calling loudly. 

-Northern Raven

-Northern Lapwing

-Northern Wheatear

-Common Redstart

-Whinchat

-Eurasian Bullfinch

-European Mole

-Mediterranean Gull

Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard, Red-legged Partridge, Common Pheasant, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Little Owl, Long-eared Owl, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Northern Raven, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Common Redstart, Whinchat, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin, Common Reed Bunting, Roe Deer, European Rabbit,

Whiteholme Reservoir: Common Swift, Common Sandpiper, Carrion Crow, Barn Swallow, Eurasian Wren, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit,

Ringstone Edge Reservoir: Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Mew Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Carrion Crow, Barn Swallow, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Pied Wagtail,

Ogden Water LNR: Canada Goose, Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, European Green Woodpecker, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, Red Crossbill, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin, 

Undisclosed location

Decided to visit an old stomping ground after hearing that there were a few migrant species around. It was certainy worth it with fantastic views of Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher and especially Redstart which is a Halifax tick for me. I have not experienced woodland birding like this since I last visited Padley Gorge in the Peak District. Was a very pleasant morning out. Thanks to MBr for the details on the site.

-Spotted Flycatcher

-Common Redstart

-Pied Flycatcher

Species List:

Undisclosed Location: Mallard, Common Pheasant, Common Wood Pigeon, European Herring Gull, Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, European Green Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Barn Swallow, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap, Goldcrest, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Treecreeper, Eurasian Wren, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, Spotted Flycatcher, European Robin, European Pied Flycatcher, Common Redstart, Grey Wagtail, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Siskin, Western Grey Squirrel,

Spurn Week 5

Wednesday 20^th - Saturday 23^rd September

Most of my time was spent ringing in steady south-westerlies with little change in species composition; Tree Sparrows, Lesser Redpolls and common garden birds making up the majority of species. I also spent a lot of time typing up logs for the observatory hence a lack of updates from these dates.

Sunday 24^th September

Today there was finally a change to an easterly wind direction. Almost immediately there was a small arrival of Redstarts, with the first few birds appearing at the Warren. I was at Kew with Paul having rung a few bits and pieces. No sooner had the first birds appeared at the Warren did we have a Redstart appear in our nets, a smart young male, which Paul allowed me to ring.

-Common Redstart

Monday 25^th September

With a little rain first thing and continued easterlies we were hopeful that there would be some arrival. I spent most of the day birding the Triangle, Beacon Lane and then a few other areas likely to be less checked. Sadly I failed to really find anything new, although it was clear that birds had arrived, with an obvious increase in Garden Warblers and Blackcaps. A Cettis Warbler was found singing at the bottom of the Canal Zone. Sadly I only heard it distantly and did not see it, although I barely tried given there were quite a few people waiting for this Spurn rarity.

Tuesday 26^th September

Expectation was high that today there might finally be some birds. A layer of fog covered the area and this added to the anticipation. Ultimately though the anticipation failed to materialise into anything major! A few new Yellow-browed Warblers were nice, but the undoubted highlight was a stunning adult male Red-breasted Flycatcher that was found at warren. It was tricky at times but at other times showed quite well. In the afternoon it was found in the net, before being ringed and released. An early contender for the best bird of the autumn! 

-Red-breasted Flycatcher

Species List:

Spurn Bird Obs: Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Pintail, Pink-footed Goose, Brent Goose, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Red-throated Diver, Gannet, Cormorant, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Sanderling, Dunlin, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Turnstone, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Curlew, Greenshank. Common Redshank, Ruff, Long-billed Dowitcher, Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Black Tern, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake, Little Gull, Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, Feral Pigeon, Short-eared Owl, Ring-necked Parakeet, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Tree Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, Whinchat, Stonechat, Robin, Redstart, Black Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Wren, Dunnock, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Yellow-browed Warbler, Starling, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Rook, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, Migrant Hawker, Red-veined Darter, Common Darter, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White,  

Blacka Moor and Padley Gorge

So for today, as my first full day out for a while I decided to head into the peaks to yeartick all my summer migrants and hopefully tick off my second biggest tart tick in the form of Wood Warbler. One has been setting up in Blacka Moor Plantation for a few days and had been seen regularly, though the amount of information I was getting was not overly helpful and I was not confident that I would be able to find it. It was a pretty grim morning, with the cloud covering varying between thick and not as thick with occasional drizzle, with a reasonable breeze. I was not optimistic to say the least. 

I got the bus to the site and set off down the hill to the first track that ran straight through the plantation and hopefully the warbler would be trilling somewhere near the path where I would be able to find it.

There were many birds calling as I made my way along the path, including tree pipit, which I decided to leave as it was distant and I assumed I would see one at Padley Gorge. Tree pipit was in fact the only one of my 6 targets I did not see, which was unexpected given it is by far the most abundant.

Not much longer after I entered the plantation I thought I could hear a trill, but it was too distant and with all the other birds calling I could not rule out wren. However, as I got closer the sound became unmistakable just off the path. I made my way through the wood and quickly got eyes upon my target.

It was a very vocal bird but also very mobile and did not like to sit and show well, more often flitting around in trees that were themselves obscured. I spent about an hour watching this superb little bird as it moved around. Within the last 5 mins of my watch it came reasonably close and even sat above my head but light proved an issue for getting good photos, though I have some reasonable record shots. Sadly light was an issue all day and I did not get many good photos. Nevertheless I was thrilled to have caught the bird and been able toe enjoy it for a reasonable length of time. Fantastic!

-Wood Warbler

After and hour or so the bird stopped trilling for a little while so I decided to move on. My plan was to walk across the moor, through Longshaw estate and then into Padley Gorge to hopefully gather up all the migrants. Along the back of the plantation I got Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff, and I'm pretty certain I heard garden warbler but I did not see it and cannot rule out blackcap.

The plantation thinned out into moorland, and then it became pasture. As I wandered through the pasture I put up many Meadow Pipits, but little else. I scanned the walls for anything else and set my eyes upon a fantastic looking Whinchat which was flitting around. I tried to get closer but it was difficult to approach. Having said that, with a little patience I managed to get my best ever shots of this species and I am very happy with the results. Not a bad way to year-tick these little beauties.

-Whinchat

Also along the fields was a Wheatear and a Reed Bunting, the latter being somewhat unexpected. I failed to find a path through the moors so really ended up walking alongside the road to Longshaw in the hope that I might land on something good. Opposite the Fox House pub just before Longshaw I spotted a lovely male Stonechat just over the wall. Sadly he also saw me and moved away but not too far, so I managed to get some decent shots of it.

-Stonechat

It was my first visit to the Longshaw estate and I was not blown away to say the least. Having heard good things I expected to see a few bits and pieces but there were only really garden birds. The only real surprise were 3 male Mandarin on the ponds. They, of course, looked lovely, but the light was playing absolute havoc with most things and I think the photos reflect that...

-Mandarin

It was my first visit to Padleys of the year and it felt good to be back, despite the weather. No sooner was I back on the soil did I start to pick out the summer migrants with a fantastic pair of Whinchat. Sadly they did not show closely and I was restricted to record shots but the male looked nothing short of suberb, the best I have ever seen this species looking. What a beauty.

-Whinchat

I had heard a Cuckoo whilst at Blacka but nothing since. However I started to pick up a few stray calls and was hopefully of possibly seeing one. I was in luck as just round the corner where the moor and forest meet I caught one flitting among the heather. My curiosity as to why it was there was quickly solved when two Meadow Pipits came charging it to mob it, obviously their nest had been targetted by the Cuckoo. I can only wish I had got a better shot as my record shots were woeful but the bird was not easy to approach and constantly kept moving away even when I remained still.

-Cuckoo

There were no tree pipits singing on the woodland edge, which is possibly the first time I have not seen this species here. And the wood itself was bare of pied flys and redstarts, I was unable to find any in the usual spots. The highlight was a singing Siskin, which was nice, but it was from the tops of the tree and I could get nothing on it.

I caught up with a small birdwatching party that had come for the day to look at the flycatchers but they too had not seen any. We headed on up the valley as I hoped that there may be some in the birch scrub up at the top end. What I found was much more exciting.

I was wandering along scanning when I noticed a small greyish blob in the birches. I wondered if it were a plant or unusual fungus so raised the bins to have a closer look and was blown away to see that it was actually a Tawny Owl fledgling. It had begun to develop primaries so was obviously quite well developed but was very docile. I did not want to approach too close so stayed well back but managed to get some decent photos of this really unexpected sighting.

-Tawny Owl

It was while we were checking out the owl that a few other bits and pieces started to appear. A male Redstart was obviously holding a territory in this area as he came around singing a couple of times. He was always at the top of the trees though and the light continued to make photos pretty much impossible but I did manage a record shot for the year. When he did come down he was a spectacular bird to look at, and the song was very distinctive to listen to as well.

-Common Redstart

It was also while we were here that I caught Pied Flycatcher for the year, with a brief appearance from a pair high up in the trees, again very difficult to photograph. They did not stick around and there is little else to say about them, but I spotted another young bird later on back on the woodland fringe and I managed a slightly better shot of that. Also while we were here 2 Cuckoos flew overhead through the trees, but they did not stop at all.

-Pied Flycatcher

I took the birders to look at the Whinchats before they headed off into Longshaw. After they left I headed back round to try and get tree pipit again, but no joy. I got an additional Pied Flycatcher and another male Redstart, but the real highlight was a big patch tick.

I saw a bird with a similar profile to cuckoo coming towards me, so raised my camera in anticipation and began snapping. However, as it got closer it became clear this was not a cuckoo and so I began to wonder, possibly Kestrel? but as it came closer again it was clearly not a kestrel as it was so big, but by now it was pretty clear what it was, a Peregrine. I did not expect to see one here, that's for certain. It only flew over my head and I lost it behind the trees but it was certainly something to see and ended an exceptional day on a massive high.

-Peregrine

I failed on tree pipit but got all the other migrants I wanted including life ticking Wood Warbler. It really was a great day out birding, and were it not for the weather, could have got some decent photos too. I covered a lot of sites, including some I have not been to before but will keep and eye open in future, they certainly have potential for some good stuff.

Species List:

Blacka Moor: Willow Warbler, Wren, Chaffinch, Robin, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Wood Warbler, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Woodpigeon, Song Thrush, Coal Tit, Chiffchaff, Meadow Pipit, Whinchat, Wheatear, Reed Bunting, Skylark, Curlew, Kestrel, Stonechat, Magpie,

Padley Gorge: Magpie, Mallard, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Pied Wagtail, Woodpigeon, Mandarin, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Meadow Pipit, Whinchat, Cuckoo, Willow Warbler, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackbird, Coal Tit, Wren, Siskin, Treecreeper, Robin, Nuthatch, Tawny Owl, Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Curlew, Feral Pigeon, Peregrine, Kestrel