Wood you believe it?

This evening was simply brilliant!  I was in the office today (in York) so when I got news there was a Wood Warbler just to the north of the city at Strensall Common there was no hesitation in heading there after work. Tim and Jack had done the donkey work and re-located the bird that had been found earlier in the day.

As I got out of the car I could hear it singing, I walked over to Tim and Jack and then had great views of the bird for almost an hour! We stood in one spot and the Wood Warbler came to us singing, calling and feeding. It would move away and then come back close.  Even better, the Wood Warbler was my 150th species in the York Recording Area this year, so well chuffed! Soon 151 and 152 followed in the shape of Cuckoo and Hobby. The Hobby sighting was spectacular as a bird shot low into a mixed flock of hirundines, it practically turned itself inside out to change direction after the hirundines. Like I said, the evening was brilliant.

Tim and Jack got some excellent photos of the bird and I even managed to get a photo on my phone through my binoculars, and then through Tims scope! Below. Check out Tims blog for some photos (when he updates it.. otherwise you'll just have to make do with the Rock Thrush...).

Phone-scoped Wood Warbler

Phone-scoped Wood Warbler

Phone-binned Wood Warbler!

The last few days have been really decent in the local area, waders are starting to move through in increased numbers and species diversity. I've had several Common Sandpiper and Greenshank as well as Ringed Plover and Dunlin.  The main spectacle has been Wagtails, lots of them! There's been over 200 Yellow Wagtail on the patch, as well as Blue-headed, 'Channel', White and Pied. With all of these there's been a couple of male Whinchat and lots of Wheatear (photos below).

Female Wheatear (phone pic)

Male Whinchat

I'm looking forward to the next few weeks, hopefully some more decent birds to come locally...