Goshawk, crossbill and dipper

 

On Tuesday, the mist lasted all day in York, so I did not venture out. Paul Hudson predicted better weather for today, so I decided to venture out to visit the forest. The weather was still a bit misty when I left home, so I drove to Thornton le Dale, in the hope of seeing a dipper, but again no luck.

I then drove to Troutsdale and stopped along the road and joined another chap who was hoping to photograph goshawks. Buzzards, carrion crows and woodpigeons were the only birds we could see and then after about 20 minutes I spotted a goshawk, just above the tree line, in front of us. The bird mostly soared with a few flaps to maintain its height and remained visible for about 10 minutes.

I then left and drove towards Hackness, calling on the way at what a late birder used to call Dipper Bridge, and saw a dipper firstly perched on a stone and then on a wooden pole which crosses the stream. 

Forge Valley was my next stop as the car park near the bird feeders was empty.

The usual mixture of titmice family plus great spotted woodpecker and nuthatch. The raptor viewpoint was my last stop. Several birders there, including David. They had seen 3 goshawks, and buzzards.

I saw a single goshawk in the distance. A siskin perched on the top of a distant tree.

This crossbill was a bit closer.

The cloud cover began to increase so I left to come home Chris and his wife were in the car park and were going to the viewpoint in the hope of seeing crossbills, I hope that they had good luck. A pleasant birding outing with the bonus of 3 year ticks, to take my total to 114.