The force is strong

A frustrating start to May with some quiet seawatching and the only year tick a calling Cuckoo at Muggleswick on the 2nd.

Star Wars Day around Gateshead has felt like Spring is really kicking in. Starting at Burdon Moor where a fall had dropped 2 Whinchat and 15 Wheatear. There were also now 4 singing Whitethroat here.

Wheatear

Distant Whinchat

Whitethroat

At Kibblesworth there was a new reeling Grasshopper Warbler and at Birtley reed beds the first Garden Warbler of the year, being typically skulking. 3 Reed Warbler and a Sedge Warbler were also singing here.

Stunning views of Garden Warbler

A tweet from Gary S got me over to Chopwell Woods where the Pied Flycatcher did the decent thing and hung around for me. This used to be a regular breeder all down the Derwent Valley in small numbers, but now just a rare passage visitor, singing briefly before moving on.

Pied Flycatcher

In the sun today there were plenty of butterfly with Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Orange-tip, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood and Comma.

Comma

Speckled Wood

Small Tortoiseshell

Toffee

Bluebells

Tonight 20+ Swift were screaming around Shibdon where 4 Common Tern dropped in.