Catch Up

I've got a bit of catching up to do on my blog, been doing lots of birding, coupled with lots of university deadlines and that is why I have neglected my blog these past few week. On the 25th of April it was a mad dash down to Spurn to see the female Rock Thrush. We arrived late afternoon to discover the bird distantly going up and down the fence in a rather random field with a small pond in the middle, the bird was showing well and then the call came on the radio "Caspian Tern! Caspian Tern flying North over the seawatching hut now". Like a war film scene the 60 or so twitchers legged it to the nearby bank and we watched the superb bird as it flew leisurely north past the crowd.

If you listen carefully towards the end you can hear the news of the Caspian Tern coming through on the radio:

(Rock Thrush - copyright Andrew Kinghorn)

(Rock Thrush - copyright Andrew Kinghorn)

Other than that there was nothing much to write home about, however wader passage started up and a Pectoral Sandpiper at North Gare was quality for money and a Temminck's Stint the next day an obvious bonus. On Friday gone I finally caught up with Wood Sandpiper when I found one on Lambton Pond, much to my delight after having missed the birds at Teesside.

However bird of the Spring so far must surely go to the superb male Collared Flycatcher at Low Newton, many thanks to Gary as always for the speedy call allowing me to get up in plenty time to enjoy this rather stunning specimen! A brilliant bird to see before my rather stressful exam the next day (Thursday).

(Collared Flycatcher - copyright Andrew Kinghorn)

(Collared Flycatcher - copyright Andrew Kinghorn)

(Collared Flycatcher - copyright Andrew Kinghorn)

I have now seen most of the common spring migrants, however some do still evade me and a couple of things I expect to see in the dales are still yet to be seen. Not be long now until the Nightjars are in, what truly brilliant birds they really are. Anyway I am beginning to waffle so we'll leave it there.