Local June Birding

As spring migration reaches an impressive finale of late spring vagrants (Blyth's Reed Warblers, Marsh Warblers, Greenish Warblers etc), the first returning Green Sandpipers are already bringing a touch of autumn locally. Quite incredible to see this seasonal overlap.

I spent an enjoyable evening at Wheldrake Ings last week, with the focus being on the flower-filled hay meadows, where a Quail sang 'wet my lips' briefly, unseen among the stems of Narrow-leaved Water Dropwort and Meadow Foxtail; a Corn Bunting jangled from the top of the Meadowsweet and a Grasshopper Warbler crept above the sward to give his reeling extra volume.

A morning or two later, I had a pre-work trip to Bank Island to look at an unseasonal Knot, presumably a female, feeding with the local Redshanks. Usually a scarce autumn and winter bird in the York area, a June Knot is pretty unexpected and a nice find by Duncan Bye. Another Grasshopper Warbler was reeling nearby; it seems like a pretty good year for them round here.