No Osprey Today!

Whitethroat
Large White

Small Skipper

Had a trip up to Hurworth Burn Reservoir today to see the Osprey again. We sat for a couple of hours but there was no sign of it mid afternoon. It was a lovely day with lots of butterfies around but mainly whites with a couple of Peacocks and Painted Ladies and also 2 silver Y moths . The only birds of note were a Whimbrel and a Common Sandpiper along with the Pink Footed Goose and a couple of Whitethroats. Think we will visit Smardale tomorrow to see if there are any Scotch Argus there yet before we see them on Mull . So if anyone out there is in Mull the same time as us (15th August for 2 weeks) then let us know before you go and we could have a day birdwatching.

Quail Day

Saw my first ever Quail today on my way into work - right outside my works entrance! Sylvia came across several young Swallows on her travels today and grabbed a quick photo. This evening we went to Sheep Wash and located a family of Whinchat and Stonechat

On the Gare

Turnstone - South Gare
Sandwich Tern - South Gare

Kestrel - South Gare


Wall Brown - RSPB Saltholme


A bit of a quiet patch over the past week nothing much to either report or photograph. Managed to locate the Sparrowhawk family in Hardwick Dene LNR on Thursday, but no photo's. Missed out on the Little Stint on Friday as the car was in for it's MOT, it is still in the area so maybe we will locate it in the near future. Today we paid a quick trip to South Gare where Gannet, Kittiewake, Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Guillemot, Knot Turnstone and Ringed Plover were around. Later in the day a trip to Bowsfield Marsh turned up Little Egret and Kingfisher.

In the corn

Corn Bunting
Corn Bunting


Gatekeeper

Gatekeeper

Comma

On our way to Helmsley yesterday we called into Carlton Minniott - Woodlands Fishery again to see if we could see the Corn Bunting and also get some better shots of the Gatekeeper butterflies.

It is a good place to see the Buntings on the driveway upto the fisheries as the corn still has not been cut and the birds sit along the edge of the driveway. The Gatekeepers are reliably there but only around the pond which is through the tunnel.

A Good Day in North Yorkshire.

Brimstone - Close Up
Grasshopper

Brimstone

Brimstone Feeding

Gatekeeper (Best shot unfortunately)

Greenfinch in the evening sun

A good day today for seeing butterflies in North Yorkshire. My first good find was a Gatekeeper seen along the woodland walk at Monk Park Farm just outside of Thirsk. Later in the day at Woodlands Fisheries at Carlton Minniott (my son was checking out the fishing there) I saw a Brimstone, quite a few more Gatekeepers and lots of speckled wood and other species. I could have spent hours walking around there taking pictures, much to the annoyance of the fishermen probably!

Few more pictures from Bempton Cliffs.

Bempton Cliffs
Gannet and Juvenille

Juvenille Gannet

Gannet in flight

Fulmar in flight

Dodging the rain at Bempton.

Gannet
Gannet

Puffin

Puffin

Kittiwake

Kittiwake

Had a run out to RSPB Bempton today, the first time we have been. Had a real good time on the cliffs watching the Gannets fly past. The puffins, Razorbill and Guillemot were in short supply as most of the young have fledged and moved on, still plenty of Kittiwake and a few Fulmar Petrol. Anyone who has visited a sea bird colony will know what I mean when I say the smell is 'unpleasant' !! Had to dodge some pretty hefty showers (bit of thunder and lightening too), which made for an interesting afternoon.............quite enjoyable in a funny sort of way.

Where have all the birds gone?

Starling

Linnet

Song Thrush

Beetle

Quiet times at the moment so a few photos from the past week to keep things ticking along.

The song thrush was really tame and enjoyed the maggots when I was fishing.

Sandmartins move in.

Sandmartin Colony

Painted Lady Butterfly
Painted Lady Butterfly



Silver Y Moth

Silver Y Moth

Small Copper

Grasshopper

Lots of butterflies at the Old Jewish Cemetry in Hartlepool this afternoon including lots of painted ladies and also lots of Silver Y moths there too. We had a wander around Saltholme today but it was very quiet apart from the Sand Martins which appear to have taken up residence in their man made home! At least there is something to keep the visitors amused as the play area is now in full swing!

Rain and more rain!

Pink Footed Goose
Large White


Meadow Pipit at Jewish Cemetry

Well the rain has stopped so we might be able to go out and find something to photograph soon. The winds may have brought something that should not be here so need to keep looking. Just a few photos from Thursday when I went to Hurworth Burn to see if I could see the Osprey again, it was not there when I went but managed to see a Pink Footed goose.

Pectoral Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper


Pectoral Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper and Dunlin

Got a call this morning to let me know that a Pectoral Sandpiper had turned up at Greatham Creek (thanks Col). Drove over and there it was showing well in the 'tidal pool' area. Took several shots of it, the lighting was terrible and the end results were not particularly good. Visited Saltholme RSPB after but with the exception a couple of Ruff, not much about. Took Sylvia over to see the Pectoral Sandpiper after tea, it was still in the same area but more distant and quite mobile.