Spent a very rewarding 90 minutes late afternoon today in the Coanwood Burn / Coldshield area (NY7258) Waders now well established on territory with Lapwing and Curlew displaying everywhere along with a single pair of Oystercatchers and several single Redshanks. Good numbers of Snipe “drumming” I had 7 around me at one point. A mobile flock of 61 Golden Plover present on the moor many of the males showing extensive black suggesting Northern birds. Further on a single bird watched displaying with that distinctive stiff winged flight and that hauntingly beautiful display call (one of my favourite sounds of spring). A male Grey Wagtail foraged along burn sides along with 3 Pied Wagtails. A single Northern Wheatear was a nice surprise perched on a fencepost. On a thin strip of grassy field 3 Blackcock and a single Greyhen were feeding. Red Grouse were very vocal with a lot of display observed. In a field next to Coldshield farm 1000+ Starlings and 340 (ish) Fieldfare foraged.
Stewart J Hingston