By Nick Morgan

Two excellent sightings at Nosterfield were the highlights of August. The first was a superb Great White Egret which spent a couple of days on the reserve.

The bird often showed well in front of the main hide sometimes in the company of its diminutive cousin the Little Egret.

This striking heron-sized egret has only been recorded in the area twice before.

Like the Little Egret, Great Whites have been slowly moving north through Europe in recent years with established populations now in Holland and Northern France and even a breeding record from Somerset so this is unlikely to be the last local sighting.

Later in the month an even rarer visitor, a Glossy Ibis, dropped in at the reserve. This was the first record of this species for the area but one that had been long predicted as a potential addition to the local list.

At a distance a Glossy Ibis looks rather like a large, dark, misshapen Curlew but up close, and in good light, they live up to their name with subtle iridescent plumage tones of bronze, purple and green. What was almost certainly the same bird later turned up at Saltholme RSPB reserve on Teesside. This latter bird was still present at the time of writing.

August also saw wader migration shift into top gear. Pick of the sightings was a possible American Lesser Yellowlegs at Newsham, the first record for the area if confirmed.

A good supporting cast at this excellent site included three Wood Sandpipers, 19 Black-tailed Godwits, four Green Sandpipers, Little Stint and Turnstone as well as the breeding Avocets.

Elsewhere Nosterfield held two Knot, Little Stint, Spotted Redshank and Wood Sandpiper whilst a flock of Ruff and up to three Green Sandpipers were at Scorton.

Other sightings of note in August included two Marsh Harriers at Newsham ponds and a Sandwich Tern at Bolton-on-Swale.

Little Egrets were widespread with birds recorded at Newsham, Nosterfield, Morton-on-Swale, Skeeby, Scorton, Bolton-on-Swale and Pepper Arden.

One or more Bitterns were seen with some regularity in the reed-bed at Lingham whilst a juvenile bird was also seen at a second site perhaps pointing at possible breeding?

Looking ahead to September this is one of the best months in the birder’s calendar as birds move from their breeding sites to the wintering areas. Waders continue to be prominent and early September is one of the best times to find scarcer species such as stints and perhaps even a rare American wanderer.

Birds of prey are often a feature too, look out for Ospreys at the reservoirs and along the main rivers and species like Marsh Harrier, Peregrine and Hobby at the local reserves.

Smaller birds will also be fuelling up so keep an eye on patches of elderberries as species like Lesser Whitethroat and Blackcap gorge before the long flight south. If you are lucky enough to find an unusual or unidentified bird don’t forget to let me know on nickmlinden@gmail.com.