An exciting day in Yorkshire

Swillington Ings
Collared Pratincole 1
Whiskered Tern 3
Marsh Harrier 1 female

Calder Park, near Pugney CP
Woodchat Shrike 1 male

Hatfield Moor
Buff-breasted Sandpiper 1

We arrived at Swillington Ings at 10am, to be told that the Collared Pratincole had last been seen flying high over trees at 9:30. We hung around for an hour, and were compensated by three superb Whiskered Terns hawking for insects on the lake in front of us.

At 11am, with still no sign of the Pratincole, we decided to head over to Hatfield Moor near Goole, in the hope of seeing a Buff-breasted Sandpiper which appeared yesterday. Getting to the car park was the easy bit, but finding the bird was much more difficult. There were footpaths heading off in every direction, and after what seemed like an eternity, we arrived at an open area of peat diggings. In the baking heat, they were very reminisant of Mediterranean salinas, except they were black instead of white.

And right out, in the middle of these salinas, was a group of birders. So we had to walk on narrow raised banks, devoid of vegetation or any other form of life, until eventually, after about another 15 minute walk, we arrived at our destination. Full marks to the person who found this bird!

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper was well worth the effort. It was walking on one of the banks at reasonably close range. We watched it for about 30 minutes, before deciding that it was time for a bar meal at the nearest pub.

After our meal, we got news of a Woodchat Shrike near Wakefield, only a few motorway miles from Swillington Ings. This seemed a good bet because we still lived in hope that the Pratincole would reappear, so we didn't want to leave the area.

The shrike was a stunning bird, at quite close range. It was a summer plumage male, and performed excellently, sitting on top of a dead stump, and occasionally flycatching. As we watched it we got the news we had been waiting for - the Pratincole was back!

We jumped back in the car, and a few minutes later we were back at Swillington Ings, to be greeted with the news that the bird had flown off 10 minutes ago! Oh well, at least we knew that it was sill in the area, so we prepared ourselves for a long wait.

As it happened, we didn't have too long to wait. Somebody spotted the bird flying in the distance, and eventually we all had good views of the Collared Pratincole hawking for insects over the marsh.

A thoroughly good day, which could only have been bettered if yesterdays Terek Sandpiper had hung around!