Notterel (No dotterel)

I had a trip to Danby Beacon yesterday, one of the key migration stop offs at this time of year for Dotterel. A sharp NE wind was blowing and it felt freezing! May? Maybe not! No sign of any Dotterel although sightings have been coming in from the Yorkshire Dales, Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire. However, I did see some striking sumplum Golden Plover, with their mournful cries and Lapwing, Curlew, Meadow Pipit, Skylark and Red Grouse of course. Several Wheatear around the rockier area to the east of the beacon itself too.



Red Grouse female

On the way up/across I took time to check Sleddale. Again, plenty of Wheatear on the Commondale side of the cattle grid uphill from Percy Rigg. Also Pied Wagtail, Lapwing, Curlew, Meadow Pipit and not a single raptor...

Finally, on my way home, I took an excursion via Swainby, Osmotherly and Hawnby, stopping off in the Arden/Hawnby estate following a tip-off from Lapland for Pied Flycatcher, which was exactly where I'd been told. No Redstart though, so perhaps I'll try Ashberry YWT again this year or Garbutt Wood YWT soon.



Pied Flycatcher