Did an hour at Bank Island today for some birdtrack counts. Reasonably quiet but a high count of 106
Lapwing. Also of note was a female
Teal which was a surprise due to lack of water. A single
Redshank and also my first
Bullfinch since the spring. For a couple of years i have been gripped off by my where to watch birds in Yorkshire book. It mentions categorically that Kingfisher are present on the Derwent between Bank Island and Wheldrake Ings so EVERY time i get to a likely spot out the back of the Cheesecake hide i always take a few minutes to watch for one zooming by. I had never seen anything remotely Kingfisher shaped zoom by and after 2 years i had pretty much given up. Today was watching a tit flock on the far bank and through my bins a blue whoosh. Not a great view but an overwhelming sense of relief. I did have the right spot afterall!
So patch tick, not county though because i had a pair at tophill low 2 weeks ago. Happy man. Might go to Blacktoft tomorrow for the Spoonbills seeing as i dipped one at Filey a month ago when i decided to drive past the dams to the brigg.