Kildale

 A visit to the Kildale area on Thursday. First stop was at the church. The path to the church takes you over the railway line.

I had read several tweets about a spotted flycatcher in the churchyard, so went in the hope of seeing the bird. I joined a couple who were sat on a gravestone looking for the bird. A flycatcher did appear and perched on the top of a gravestone for a second. All other sightings of the birds were as it flitted from a mature tree and it was always in the shade.

Young greenfinches were mobbing an adult for food.

Greenfinches are not a bird I see on a regular basis and I cannot remember when I last saw a young bird. This family consisted of about 6 birds so they were doing well.

 A group of lady ramblers then came into the churchyard and started to look at several gravestones, so I left. As I did so 7 oystercatchers flew overhead.

In April 2014 Chris and I saw ring ouzels near here so I went to the the area in the hope of seeing the birds. I could not find a place to park as I drove up the hill so I continued to the top and parked. After lunch I went for a short walk..

There is a notice on the gate to the path asking for dogs to be kept on a lead to protect ground nesting birds. I saw lots of meadow pipits.

 red grouse and golden plover

I then drove back down the hill and was able to park The couple I had met in Kildale churchyard were there looking for birds. They had not seen any ring ouzels. I walked down the road and could hear and see a family of mistle thrushes and lots of lapwings. A wheatear was flying between posts and rocks.

The couple had told me of a good place to park to see lapwings, plovers and grouse, so I set off. However it started to rain so a walk was out of the question. It looked brighter towards the coast so I drove to South Gare.

As soon as I got out of my car I could see either porpoise or dolphins.

When they had gone out of sight I started looking for birds. A whitethroat was perched on some wires singing, a shag flew low out to sea. In the distance I could see a long line of black birds which I presumed were scoters. No terns were to be seen.

I then decided to drive home via the visitor centre at Sutton Bank, where I hoped to see turtle doves.

this is signed as the best view in England.

As I looked at one set of feeders I saw a dove.

it was a collared dove! I spent about 90 minutes around the centre and saw lots of birds but no turtle doves.

male and female siskins were on the feeders. Are they breeding in the area?

jays, chaffinches, tree sparrows were also using the feeders.

A walk along the paths and I came across this toad.

a willow tit had just landed in this tree.

male yellowhammers were on the ground picking up some of the seeds that had fallen out from the feeders.

 a robin was singing from a branch

A pied wagtail and a carrion crow were looking for food underneath picnic tables.

It was a pleasant evening walk in the sunshine listening to willow warblers singing.