Beacon Hill

 Female Bullfinch gathering food

Whiteholme Reservoir

 Absolutely no shoreline on show at the moment, but the island in the middle of the reservoir has reappeared from somewhere, so that's something to keep migrants down at least. 

 A smart drake Common Scoter was the only bird of note this morning, although always keeping its distance. Otherwise birds were limited to two migrant Curlews on the centre island which flew off NE, and then the usual species.

-Common Scoter

In total managed 19 species this afternoon, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S178324778

Beacon Hill

 Female Wheatear

Beacon Hill

 A clearer photo of the same Whitethroat

Beacon Hill

 Whitethroat

Also 5 Stock Dove

Bank Top

 Stock Dove

Cold Edge

 Willow Warbler

Tufted Duck pair

Swift: 4 north

Cold Edge

 Singing Greenfinch

Cold Edge

 Redshank

Also, a Cuckoo singing

Cold Edge

 2 of 7 Linnet

Cold Edge

 1 of 2 Common Sandpiper

Also, a female Pied Flycatcher: flew between fence post and wall, then flew north

Cold Edge

Female Wheatear

Soil Hill

  A very pleasant morning up the Hill today, with a nice surprise in the form of the returning Sedge Warbler singing, although generally elusive. Since the species only appeared for one day in the spring last year, I feared that it might not return this year, but very happy to have been proven wrong.

  Additional migrants included a new Chiffchaff on Ned Hill Track, plus seven Willow Warblers, four Whitethroat and two Wheatear. 

-Sedge Warbler

Cold Edge

Redshank

Cromwell Bottom, Whiteholme Reservoir & Hardcastle Craggs

Cromwell Bottom

  A warbler fest this morning with singles of Garden Warbler and Reed Warbler singing, plus seven Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff and 2 Willow Warbler.

  Over the Ski lake there were my first Swift of the year, with two blogging high up. Additionally there were good numbers of Hirundines present. 

  Perhaps the biggest surprise was a female Brambling that flew past calling, giving excellent views of the birds white rump.

Garden Warbler

In total managed 41 species this morning, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S171258354

                                                       

Whiteholme Reservoir

   A late morning visit to the reservoir, in the hope of finding a Dunlin or Ringed Plover, but the only wading birds present were two Common Sandpiper. 

  Whilst watching I heard the distinctive three-note call of a Greenshank over the moor towards Warland. Despite scanning desperately I could not pick the bird up. It called around 6/7 times in total, eventually getting fainter as it appeared to move north. I tried to record the sound using the Merlin App and despite the windy conditions, you can make out the sound of the bird on a few occasions. The audio is included in the eBird list. 

  Additionally, the sites Grasshopper Warbler has returned and was reeling from the tree below the dam wall. 

Grasshopper Warbler

In total managed 18 species this morning, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S171270555

                                                       

Hardcastle Craggs

A very pleasant afternoon in the Craggs for a couple of hours produced seven Pied Flycatchers; six males and a single female. Otherwise just common woodland species.

Pied Flycatcher

In total managed 29 species this afternoon, the full list here; https://ebird.org/checklist/S171303858