Black Redstart

I had a ride out to Spurn this morning in the hope of a blue headed wagtail.
I went to the Point first and almost as soon as I got there I heard this superb black redstart calling.
It was a bit dull at first but after a walk round the parade ground and bushes, the sun came out and this little fellow performed brilliantly.
Spending some time calling on the sea wall he then dropped down to feed sometimes coming within 10 feet (so close that i couldn't focus).
After spending a couple of hours on Point I went up to the canal zone and saw some common migrants plus a very nice clouded yellow.
No wagtails on walker butts and only pied at Sammy's Point so pretty quiet generally.
We need a nic fall of Spring migrants, but for that to happen we need a change in the weather.

Spring Jewell

After reading some rave reports on Birdforum about some nightingales at a site 'out of county' I decided to give it a go.
I left the house before dawn and got there about 6.15.
I was the only person there yet the sun was up and the woodland was absolutely alive with birdsong.It really was a job to distinguish one type of bird from another, but as I walked further into the woods I could hear the unmistakeable sound of a nightingale.
The first one was very shy and I caught a brief glimpse.
Continuing further in I got to the far corner of the site without hearing another.
Doubling back I caught a glimpse of another but still not a proper view.
Heading back to where I started I heard yet another in the undergrowth but this time it flew up into a tree almost fully exposed.
It went through its full repertoire whilst I took some shots, the rich warble decibels higher than any of the other birds.Its whole body vibrating s it sang out its tune.
I stayed for about 4 hours and got good views of most of the common woodland birds on site but the nightingales got quieter as the morning wore on.
This was the first time I had seen and heard a nightingale but these birds easily lived up to their legendary status.
Another couple of weeks and the leaves and undergrowth will be fully up so they will be even more difficult to view.
Today however was a day that will remain etched in the memory for a very long time.
Nightingale

Nightingale

Nightingale

Nightingale

Canada Goose Chick

Long Tailed Tit

Whitethroat

Blackcap

Swine Moor

I've been to Swine Moor on the last couple of days on the lookout for another rare wader.
last night it was quite still and there was millions of flies, I walked round towards the stone bridge and almost immediately I saw a flock of about 100 golden plover, some extremely smart in their summer plumage.
Further towards the bridge there was quite a few snipe and a couple of ruff.
I then walked all the way round to the river Hull, not much on the way roud apart from plenty of willow warblers and a singing yellowhammer.
walking back along the riverbank I saw a single little ringed plover,grey heron and a couple of redshank.
Almost oppossite the stone bridge I saw a small wader on the edge of the biggest pool, speckled back and yellow legs- a wood sandpiper, my first of the year.Not quite a mega but very nice all the same.
On the way back there was a pair of little egrets a few pied wagtails, 6 yellow wagtails a pair of whimbrel and 2 singing reed warblers.
When I went back today I went the same way as yesterday, but on the bank of barmston drain, there was a nice sight of swallows and housemartins gathering mud or nestbuilding.
I watched them come back and forth for about an hour along with a single yellow wagtail and a noisy kingfisher flitting up and down the drain.
The wind was much stronger today so I didn't go all the way round, but the wood sandpiper was on the same pool again.
Not much else about.