Stainburn Forest to Swinsty Reservoir

Saturday June 8th a.m.
 We met up with other BOG members in the car park on the East side of Swinsty Reservoir,
this lies near the village of Fewston to the North of Otley & West of Harrogate.It was a fine
sunny morning with a start temperature of 10°C which steadily rose during the mornings walk.
Things started well when a Garden Warbler was heard singing in the car par where we had met,
I looked high in the trees hoping to see it, then realised it was low down just in front of us giving
a great view.I was too slow with the camera as it moved further away but I was really pleased to
see the bird.
  We then took a couple of cars up to another car park at the edge of Stainburn Forest which was
our starting point for the walk.We headed towards Scargill Reservoir through open moorland
seeing several Curlew,Lapwing & Meadow Pipit some had chicks.There were also Skylarks in this
area & a Kestrel & Snipe were seen flying & soon after another Snipe was on top of a telegraph pole.
We walked closer to the reservoir where a Green Woodpecker was seen on top of a distant wall,my
first for this year.At Scargill Reservoir Canadas & Greylags were seen with gosling's,there were also
Mallards with chicks plus a couple off Tufted Ducks were at the far side of the reservoir.There were
also waders here with a couple of Oystercatchers on the shore at the far side of the reservoir and a
Common Sandpiper beneath the dam wall with a couple of Pied Wagtails and a Grey Wagtail on the
dam wall.
 We then went down in to a wooded area where we saw a pair of Pied Flycatchers we watched these
getting some good views through the trees.Also here we caught sight of a Buzzard through the tree
canopy and soon after a Sparrowhawk was circling in the distance.We headed out of the wood
heading toward Beaverdyke Reservoir along the way stopping as we first heard & then saw a male
Redstart. This was really exciting for me as it was my first ever, things got even better as soon after we
were led to where a pair were nesting & got good views of the male & female. We saw more males as
the walk continued my count coming to five males & two females, wonderful to see them.I was a bit slow
with the camera but managed a record shot of one of them as we sat resting looking over John O'Gaunt
Reservoir.Here overhead a Red Kite joined in the fun as we had a break.
 Our last part of the journey took us towards Swinsty Wood with the odd Swift & many Swallows flying
around,a Reed Bunting was heard.Tree Sparrow & Pheasants were seen & as we approached the wood
a Chiffchaff was in full voice with a couple more Pied Wagtails in the field.We headed through the wood back to our cars next to Swinsty Reservoir ending a great mornings birding by any standard.
Thanks to all on the walk!

Buzzard

Meadow Pipit

Snipe on top of the telegraph pole

record shot of  male Redstart

male Pheasants

Scargill Reservoir

John O'Gaunt Reservoir