Soil Hill; Isolation week 9

The week started extremely windy but soon cleared up and returned to the heatwave that we have experience most of the spring up until now. Birding remained slow but there were a few highlights this week and a yeartick in Spotted Flycatcher has brought my Soil Hill list for 2020 up to 87.

23 May
Visit from 4.45. Total 15 species seen.
It blew an absolute gale today so didn't bother going up until later in the day. Was, as I expected, a waste of time.

24 May
Visit from 11.45. Total 38 species seen.
It remained extremely windy but slightly reduced from the previous day and with a bit more warm weather. Although there was quite a wide variety of birds on offer there was quite low numbers of everything. Without a doubt the highlight was a distant flyover Red Kite, my second of the spring.

25 May
Visit from 07.00. Total 46 species seen.
The weather changed from cold and windy to hot and still. I extended my walk through Ogden and up to Cold Edge. Soil Hill was quite lively, with the Sedge Warbler still in place and singing and a Blackcap singing from the Taylor Lane plantation. The male Stonechat put in an appearance and three House Martins flew over.
Ogden had four Oystercatchers and there was a Wheatear and a Buzzard at Cold Edge. The usual Common Sandpipers and Tufted Ducks were also in place there keeping the birding lively. There were very good numbers of Green Tiger Beetles on the moors and a single female Green Hairstreak. Overall a very pleasant walk out.

-Common Sandpiper

-Jay

26 May
Visit from 07.30. Total 48 species seen.
After over two weeks without a Soil Hill lifer or yeartick finally there was a change today. Down Ned Hill Track I noticed a bird flycatching from a perch out of view, and although what I saw was breif I had a strong suspicion that it could be Spotted Flycatcher, the birds profile not quite fitting any of the regular species that flycatch in this gulley. However it was an elusive bird and difficult to get to grips with and it was some time before I was able to confirm my suspicion. A solid yeartick and my first spring record of this species here. Sand Martin, House Martin, Sedge Warbler and possibly a new Male Stonechat made up the rest of an excellent morning.
I also spent an hour scoping Fly Flatts from my car later in the morning. Although there was nothing super different it was nice to see the Ravens again and the Grasshopper Warbler was reeling intermittently from the same location. Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper made up the wader cast.

-Spotted Flycatcher

27 May
Visit from 07.00. Total 40 species observed.
Again there was nothing exceptional, with the Spotted Flycatcher having moved on overnight, but there was a nice assortment of regular species, such as House Martin, Sand Martin and the regular Sedge Warbler.
In the evening I headed to another site where JJL had seen a Yellowhammer in the morning. Following his directions I found two male birds but sadly they were mobile and did not show well.

28 May
Visit from 09.30. Total 39 species observed.
A slightly later visit as I first decided to head to Ogden to have a look for a Wood Warbler that NK had recorded on his blog yesterday. I searched the woodlands and eventually found the bird showing incredibly well and performing incredibly. Its territory was easily viewable so I settled down to watch and before long the bird was performing right above my head. It was such an enjoyable experience that I spent an hour watching it. A Crossbill flew over calling but sadly I did not see it, and that was the only other bird of note.
Soil Hill was hot and very quiet by the time I got there, but a Raven drifted over.

-Wood Warbler

29 May

Visit from 07.30. Total 39 species observed.

It was another hot one on Soil Hill today, which greatly limited bird activity. The Sedge Warbler was present but subdued and that was the highlight. There is a Lapwing chick clinging to survival as well, not yet been eaten by the sites various predators. 

Species List:

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, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Red Kite, Common Buzzard, Little Owl, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Northern Raven, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, Spotted Flycatcher, European Robin, European Stonechat, Dunnock, House Sparrow, White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, Western Roe Deer, European Rabbit, Red Fox, Orange Tip, Small Heath, Small Copper, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock,

Cold Edge Dams: Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Sandpiper, Common Buzzard, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Eurasian Blue Tit, Barn Swallow, Willow Warbler, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, Green Hairstreak, Small Heath, Green Tiger Beetle, 

Fly Flatts: Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Feral Pigeon, Eurasian Oystercatcher, European Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing, Common Ringed Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Dunlin, Common Snipe, Common Sandpiper, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Kestrel, Northern Raven, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Common Starling, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Reed Bunting,

Ogden Water LNR: Canada Goose, Mallard, Common Pheasant, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Eurasian Curlew, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Wood Warbler, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Eurasian Blackcap, Goldcrest, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Wren, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, Red Crossbill, European Goldfinch, Grey Squirrel,

August at Spurn

Obviously a large section of August was spent in Madeira, but my time at Spurn was pretty productive for the most part. A number of nice species were ringed, and I had a great time with the abundance of Dragonflies and Damselflies which had emerged as a product of the warm weather. The most exciting of these was the reappearance of Small Red-eyed Damselfly along the canal after an absence of about five years, the entire time that I had been visiting Spurn. Whilst out photographing them I also found a female Banded Demoiselle, which was a Spurn tick for me and only the 19^th record.

-Small Red-eyed Damselfly

-Banded Demoiselle

Birding remained fairly slow but a cracking male Red-backed Shrike in Canal Hedge on the 8^th August, the day before my departure to Madeira, was a nice treat and made for an excellent start to the autumn. Sadly it remained distant and mobile whilst I was observing it. Ringing remained slow and steady but a Treecreeper was a nice surprise in the nets one morning. A Common Crane flew south over Kilnsea one Saturday whilst I was at work. Of course I abandoned my work and scanned from the foreshore in front of the pub. I was lucky enough to be with Jonny Holiday who had bins with him and was able to pick the bird up.

-Treecreeper

Upon my return the first migrants of the autumn had begun to appear, with 150 Willow Warblers seen in the area on one day. Wheatears and Whinchats also started to appear, and I went out with spring traps and managed to catch on of each, as well as another Whinchat in Corner Field. Pied Flycatchers also began to increase towards the end of the month, and we caught a few of these in the garden. We also caught a Wood Warbler, a real scarcity at Spurn, which Paul brought round to the pub for me to ring whilst at work. A Kingfisher in Churchfield was probably the ringing highlight of the month, and maybe even the year. A really stunning bird!

-Whinchat

-Wood Warbler

-Kingfisher

A cracking male Black Darter on the 24^th was another dragonfly Spurn tick for me, this time found by Tim at the end Churchfield Heligoland trap, as so many rare dragonflies area. On the 29^th Adam, as he so often does, found a Woodchat Shrike at the Warren. It was extremely elusive and difficult to connect with, but as the morning warmed up it became more active and was soon feeding out, even if it remained a little obscured. During the afternoon I headed off to Hornsea with my parents, and as a result I missed out on ringing an Icterine Warbler. The next day a new bird was in the garden at Kew but sadly never went in any nets, but fortunately it reappeared in the nets later the following morning. I was pretty thrilled when I took it out put it that way, even if it’s not a self-find. That was one of two birds that I ringed on the 31^st, the other being a Red-backed Shrike at Sammies Point that Adam and I caught using spring-traps. What a day that was!

-Woodchat Shrike

-Black Darter

-Icterine Warbler

-Red-backed Shrike

Species List:

Spurn Bird Observatory: Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard, Teal, Pheasant, Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Gannet, Cormorant, Peregrine, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Lapwing, Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Curlew, Dunlin, Redshank, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Sandwich Tern, Little Tern, Common Tern, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, Swift, Barn Owl, Little Owl, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Red-backed Shrike, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Robin, Redstart, Wheatear, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Dunnock, Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting,

Peak District

Wednesday

The parents came up for the day, so we went for a fairly chilled walk around the grounds of Chatsworth. Got a few bits and pieces seen, including a couple of Common Sandpiper, Blackcap and a few rather dashing Mandarins. I reckon we stumbled across at least four pairs of birds plus a solitary male. Not a bad haul to be honest.

-Mandarin

Friday

With nothing major on the cards and the dissertation in its final stages of being wrapped up I decided to make today my day trip into the peaks in order to track down any spring migrants I still needed for the year.

Technically the only migrant still required for the year-list was Wood Warbler, so I headed first to Blacka Moor Plantation where two had apparently been present for a week or so. It took some time on site before I had any luck, largely as a result of the fact that neither bird was singing. I caught snipits of song occasionally, but not enough to be sure of identification at any point. Each 2 second snipit of song would then be followed by a good quarter of an hour of silence, by which point the bird had moved to the other side of the wood. I was about to give up when I eventually got it, sat above my head for all of a few seconds before it scurried away through the canopy.

Possibly the most frustrating bird I have ever had to deal with...

-Wood Warbler

Next it was on to Padley Gorge and Moor where I did get a few of the migrants but sadly lacking in others, specifically Redstart, Tree Pipit and Cuckoo all failed to connect with. The Whinchat I had was distant but the Stonechat were on top form showing very nicely and the Pied Flycatchers were fantastic as they always are. They were also joined by a single Spotted Flycatcher.

-Whinchat

-Pied Flycatcher

Species List

Blacka Moor: Blue Tit, Robin, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Treecreeper, Spotted Flycatcher, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Wood Warbler, Mistle Thrush, Meadow Pipit, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Blackbird, Swallow, Mallard, Siskin, Pied Wagtail, Canada Goose,

Padley Gorge: Carrion Crow, Curlew, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Mistle Thrush, Spotted Flycatcher, Whinchat, Pied Flycatcher, Treecreeper, Wren, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Blue Tit,

Spurn Day 7

Day 7 in Spurn, and the wind was now well and truly east. Sadly, for the best of it, I would not be around, but I hoped something good might drop in during the day. I was not disappointed, as during the seawatch Paul popped up to tell us that he had caught a Wood Warbler. We went down and had a look at a very nice specimen in the hand.

-Wood Warbler

 The sea was very quiet, but there were very good numbers of duck moving, with both Scoter and Teal passing north in abundance. Among their ranks were other ducks, including a few Wigeon and at the last 2 Shoveler in a large Scoter Flock. It has made a real difference having a scope, and being able to determine the features on the ducks for myself. Two Grey Wagtails also made a welcome addition to the morning.

-Common Scoter

 Same as the previous days, I wandered around the triangle, then Beacon lane before Wetlands and Ponds. It was a pretty reasonable haul of species but nothing really stands out as being unusual or irregular for spurn. Rob had found a second Wood Warbler in Canal Hedge, and seeing this bird was probably the highlight of my stroll around.

As the afternoon wore on, Paul and Tim tried again to capture the Red-backed Shrike in Cornerfield. After quite a while it finally crashed into one of the nets and we finally got to see the bird in the hand. Once Tim had drawn his fingers away it was very placid, but initially it would not remove its beak from his finger. I’ll let the photos do the talking, as it was pretty awesome to see. 

-Red-Backed Shrike

By the time we had finished with the Shrike, the evening had drawn on. As a result I headed down for tea. Post-tea I headed up to Seawatching but it was very quiet, so did not stay long. Even so, it had been a pretty awesome day, and seeing the Shrike in the hand was definitely one of the highlights of the week.

Species List:

Seawatching: Common Scoter, Wigeon, Teal, Gannet, Red-throated Diver, Fulmar, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Sooty Shearwater, Sparrowhawk, Arctic Skua, Tufted Duck, Wood Warbler, Razorbill, Grey Wagtail, Mallard, Kittiwake, Shoveler,

Triangle and Beacon Lane: Wren, Whinchat, Red-backed Shrike, Magpie, Little Grebe, Mallard, Reed Bunting, Swallow, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Starling, House Sparrow, Carrion Crow, Robin, Goldfinch, Collard Dove, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Meadow Pipit, Pied Flycatcher,

Wetlands and Holderness Field: Grey Heron, Woodpigeon, Yellow Wagtail, Starling, Mallard, Willow Warbler, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Feral Pigeon, Linnet, Greenshank, Teal, Black-Tailed Godwit, Ruff, Sandwich Tern, Wigeon, Shoveler, Mute Swan, Cormorant, Black-Headed Gull, Lapwing, Little Egret, Common Gull, Curlew, Little Grebe, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull

Kilnsea and Canal: Skylark, Swallow, House Martin, Blackbird, Linnet, House Sparrow, Woodpigeon, Wren, Turnstone, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Redshank, Little Egret, Pied Flycatcher, Oystercatcher, Shelduck, Whitethroat, Wood Warbler, Reed Bunting, Snipe, Meadow Pipit, Whinchat, Great-Spotted Woodpecker, Robin, Willow Warbler, Red-Backed Shrike,

Ladybower and Derwent Reservoirs

My family decided today they were going to Ladybower Reser to cycle round the reser to test out their new tandem. I decided to tag along as I could wander around and hopefully see some good birds, with a goshawk still a possibility.

It was not goshawk that got me today though. It was another bird of prey. As we were driving along Ladybower having just come down the valley on onto the side of the reser I spotted a large bird in the sky. I my verbal thought process went something like this; 'seems like there are plenty of large birds around today, (Only bird in the sky) looks like a raptor or a gull... its a raptor... nope its a gull... S*it, its an Osprey. Dad pull over, just pull in here, now' or something like that. 

It was a very low flying bird, but was almost directly above us, so a much better view of the underwings than the bird at Spurn. Sadly due to camera faults I could not nail the shot which the experience required to full show how close and well showing this bird was. It even crossed our minds that it might try to catch a fish, but sadly not, and it began to circle higher and higher until it drifted over the crest of the hill on the NE side. It was, simply, unbelievable! 

-Osprey

Absolutely buzzing from that experience I set off for a wander round Derwent Reservoir. Keeping an eye on the sky and the other for anything else around. There were a few Common Buzzards and Kestrels but the sky was reasonably quiet over the course of the day, the standard having been set so high so early on.

The woods still had plenty to provide though. As I was walking along I picked up on a trilling call from the woods. Once I had noticed it I listened more closely and realised that it was a Wood Warbler, the species I had suspected it might be. Unfortunately it was in a fenced off paddock, so had to wait until nobody was around before trying to locate the bird.

Once I was onto it, it required little difficulty to track down as its song flight was very distinct and the call loud. The only downside was that it tended to stay high up in the trees, which was a bit disappointing but since I remained plagued by camera errors it mattered little, so I was able to sit back and watch the bird sing and descend, a real nice surprise for the day.

-Wood Warbler

As I carried on up there remained good numbers of species. They were mostly commoner species but the highlights included 4 fledgling Treecreepers chasing each other round, and a Common Sandpiper on the shore of the reser. 

I had planned to go all the way round Derwent until I reached the Dam of Howden and realised this was not an option. I took a moment here to have a breather and some lunch, but as I stopped I heard my second Wood Warbler of the day trilling from the woods. This one was not fenced off so I rushed up to try and get to grips with it.

This individual was far more mobile, and remained high up, but was a more constant singer than the first bird. I tried to take some sound recordings but failed, and only managed one record shot. Considering it was a lifer not 2 months ago, to see 2 in one day was pretty special.

-Second Wood Warbler

That was the icing on the cake for an awesome day. I headed a little further up the side of Howden to where the path curved round and I had a good view of the surrounding environment to scan for raptors. I only had Common Buzzard but was treated when this rather funky longhorn beetle flew in at my feet. A quick check of the book informs me this is a 'Rhagium bifasciatum' but please correct me if I'm wrong.

-Rhagium bifasciatum 

I say Common Buzzard was the only raptor, this was not true. whilst scanning I picked out a couple of young Kestrels on the dam wall, and when I got closer to have a look I could see there were 3 well developed young kestrels looking very nice all sat out preening. Its obviously been a good year for them.

-Kestrel Fledglings

I caught my parents as I was here, and as they were cycling back and I was not I decided to make a move. I did not get much else on the way back but it had already been such a super day, I was more than thrilled.

Species List:

Ladybower and Derwent Reservoirs: Osprey, Common Buzzard, Jay, Swallow, Mallard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Kestrel, Grey Heron, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Woodpigeon, Wood Warbler, Great Tit, Pied Wagtail, Swift, Siskin, Treecreeper, Coal Tit, Goldfinch, Wren, Chaffinch, Long-Tailed Tit, Common Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail, Cormorant, Nuthatch, Blackbird, Spotted Flycatcher, Curlew,

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