MAY is often one of the most exciting months in the birdwatcher's calendar, but a combination of westerly winds and glorious weather meant this was not a year to remember.

Nevertheless, there were some sightings of interest as summer migrants continued to flood in and birds breeding further north passed through this area.

Nationally the most interesting event was a large arrival of Temminck's Stints. These sparrow-sized wading birds were seen in excellent numbers, though sightings were mainly concentrated in the southern half of the country.

We managed a single local record, with a bird seen briefly at Nosterfield on the 28th.

Of the dozen or so local records, all but one have been seen at this site.

Other waders were passing through on their way to Arctic breeding grounds, the most interesting of these included whimbrel seen at Nosterfield and Bolton on Swale, knot and turnstone at Nosterfield, two wood sandpipers at Pepper Arden and nine black-tailed godwits at Bolton on Swale.

There was also an interesting series of records of sanderling in the Nosterfield area with sightings of up to ten different individuals including a group of five together on the 16th.

A marked movement of Arctic terns was noted on the weekend of 8th/9th. Maximum counts included 14 at Nosterfield, nine at Scorton, five at Bolton on Swale and two at Thornton Steward Reservoir and Newsham ponds.

It is interesting to speculate how many of these sort of sightings must go unrecorded as typically these birds only make short stops before moving on. Much of birdwatching depends on being in the right place at the right time and luck plays a major part in this.

As a striking example, I once saw the amazing sight of a flock of terns flying around the tower of Ainderby Steeple church.

They were there for less than a minute and would have gone unnoticed if I hadn't been answering a telephone call about a flock of terns passing over Harrogate. Other sightings of note during May included a hobby near Ainderby Steeple, black terns at both Bolton on Swale and Nosterfield and a pair of black-necked grebes at the latter site.