Follow the pied piper

Perhaps the highlight of the last week was found by Richard Baines and Steve Race of Yorkshire Coast Nature on the 24th - pied flycatcher.  An uncommon visitor to the reserve on northwards passage - perhaps this gives us hope that we may get a spotted; 44+ at Bardsey today so they're on the move.  Michael Flowers was one of those who missed out as per his blog - but did make up with some nice temminck's stint pictures - which remained present to the 25th. 

Running a close second was the arctic tern which stopped off for all of 3 minutes found by Martin Hodges on Saturday the 25th - write up as ever here with plenty of odonata updates for good measure.  Still a respectable passage of waders - greenshank, ringed plover (2 still present today on the 31st by Les and Margaret Bardwell), common sandpiper, whimbrel over (Sunday 26th by Vaughan Grantham) and redshank. 

Still three little gulls knocking around, and common terns on the rafts at Watton.  Thanks to Karen Williams for this catch:

Still plenty of breeding activity around the marshes - reed warbler by Karen:

Along with nice male reed bunting:

And a nice shot of a pair of apparently courting bullfinches in the South Scrub stronghold:

Perhaps similar to which Michael Flowers observed here.

Best of the rest; 3+ hobbies via Roy and Martin L, osprey on Sunday via Rod Maltas and plenty of cuckooing including tonight on North Marsh.

And finally a shot from Jeff Barker:

Swimming fox on South Marsh West - the water here is around 8ft or more in depth.  Reputedly foxes will only wade hence the careful creation of fox trenches around both marshes back in 1991 - something which has seemingly always worked.  Unfortunately this individual seems to have taken to open water which could cause some issues for island nesting birds...