MAY is one of the best months in the birdwatchers’ calendar and 2009 was no exception, with an excellent range of local sightings.

Pick of these was probably the Montagu’s harrier reported at Nosterfield. If confirmed, this will be the first local record since a bird seen on Ilton Moor as long ago as 1980.

It wasn’t the only interesting sighting of birds of prey in May. Two marsh harriers were seen at Nosterfield, a hen harrier at Lingham, two hobbies near Ainderby Steeple, with a further bird at Nosterfield, and there were a number of sightings of red kite, with two birds at Morton on Swale bridge, two at Nosterfield and reports of one at Braithwaite’s Garden Centre at Leeming Bar.

Ospreys were seen at Great Langton, near Osmotherley and at Nosterfield. In this context, it is also worth mentioning a fascinating project to radio-track the migration of some of the Scottish ospreys.

A significant number of these move down the English east coast and, inevitably, a proportion pass over this area.

One bird last August, for example, came down through Teesdale, flew to the west of Darlington and then near Danby Wiske, before heading over Romanby and across the Vale of Mowbray to the Hambleton Hills.

I’m not aware of any groundbased sightings of this individual, which emphasises how even large, spectacular birds like this can pass through unnoticed.

Talking of large, spectacular birds, there were two other excellent finds in May.

The first was a superb spoonbill found at Kiplin Hall lakes, and the second was a crane seen flying along the ridge above Nosterfield.

With only a handful of local sightings of both these rarities, it was a pity that neither stayed around long enough for other birdwatchers to catch up with them, but fine records nonetheless.

Terns were also on the move, with up to nine Arctic and four common terns at Nosterfield, and two commons seen at Bolton on Swale. A little tern was at Lingham Lake and up to six black terns were seen at Nosterfield and Bolton on Swale.

In contrast, wader migration was not particularly noteworthy, but the more interesting sightings included three each of wood sandpiper, sanderling and turnstone in the Nosterfield area, 11 blacktailed godwits and 26 ringed plovers at Catterick, and two black-tailed godwits at Barf House. The avocets have also successfully bred again at Nosterfield this year.

Other notable sightings in May included garganey, 200 pink-footed geese, little egret and little gull at Nosterfield, white wagtails at Lingham, Bolton on Swale and Morton on Swale, blue-headed wagtail at Catterick, and a pair of black-necked grebes at Bellflask.

Finally, it’s also worth mentioning a non-avian migrant.

This seems to be an exceptional spring for Painted Lady butterflies, with record numbers recorded in southern England and good numbers reaching our area over the spring bank holiday weekend.

With orange wings and white spots, it looks vaguely like a pale version of the familiar Red Admiral.

Butterfly Conservation is tracking this invasion and you can add your sightings at www.butterfly-conserva tion.org/sightings/1097/painted_lady.html.