Red necked phalarope, first signs of autumn?

This bird I suspect is on its way to the Pacific to spend our winter. It will have travelled from the far north. Although it feels like I have missed spring thanks to the lockdown and the fine weather has gone, is this the first sign of autumn, birds returning from arctic breeding grounds!
The car park at North Cave was 3/4 full, so I was expecting a crowd of birders at the Reedbeck Lake.
I met Sue from Harrogate on the way past Est hide and she told me what a lovely bird it was. I had previously had a text from Chris telling me where the bird was and he also mentioned reed warbler and stoats.
I walked around the reserve and joined the other birders, at a social distance, watching the red necked phalarope. The bird was quite a distance away and as the bird is only about 6 inches long it does not stand out.
However it is easy to spot by its feeding habits.

These photos are highly cropped as the bird did not venture close to our side of the lake.
I walked a little further along the path and spoke to Carl Sutton for a while and then I went and  sat on a seat. It was not possible to see the phalarope from here so it was nice and quiet.
Reed warblers were busy dashing about and this sedge warbler stopped briefly in front of me.

I walked further along the path and came to the lake where some black headed gulls had built their nests.

 I did not visist any of the hides as all the seats have been removed. As I made my way back to my car I saw this adult lapwing watching its chick.

A pleasanr afternoon with some new birds which brings my year total to 154.