It doesn’t make a summer…

… but the first Swallow of the year at home is always special.  As well as that, there were loads of butterflies, bumblebees, including our first Red-tailed Bumblebees of the year.  Pride of place goes to the smart male Redstart, that eventually gave itself up.

Bluethroat

On the way down south from Harrogate, the lure of the Lincolnshire Bluethroat was too much.  It kept us waiting for nearly an hour, but eventually turned up and put on a show.

God’s Own Country

A superb afternoon up in the Yorkshire Dales, starting off at Strid Woods (no summer migrants yet, but the usual Goosander, Dipper and Grey Wagtail performed well).  Then further north for both Red and Black Grouse.  Red performed very well indeed.

East Head

A twitch to East Head for a couple of Snow Buntings.  How many photos of a Snow Bunting does a man need?  Well, thousands and more, it seems.

Back at the car a Mediterranean Gull was hanging in the wind.