Sightings of barn owl in Slingsby during the first week in June, and little owls in Oswaldkirk and Nunnington Hall later in the month, and a spotted flycatcher nesting towards the end of June also from Slingsby, were received. Dipper and ring ouzel, as well as a male reed bunting, were recorded in Bransdale in early June. A cuckoo was heard calling in Gilling Woods during the first week in July whilst I was scanning the lakes there. These lakes are regular haunts of coots and moorhens and a pair of mute swans nest there irregularly. I was fortunate to have excellent views of a kingfisher sitting on the reeds preening itself.
Grey wagtails too frequent the area.
Buzzards are occasionally seen in the Ampleforth area, one being reported in the second week of July. One does not often receive reports of lesser black-backed gulls in our area so it was interesting to hear of five in East Ness during August. Redstart and Whitethroat were ringed and released in Low Park. A flock of eight jays was seen in the Bridestones area in the second week of September. Reports of flocks of lapwings were received in early September from Ampleforth, Stonegrave, Slingsby and other area in the Vale of Pickering.