THIS is a chance to look back on what has been a fascinating 12 months for local birdwatchers.

The year kicked off with a moderate influx of waxwings. There were widespread reports of birds with larger numbers, including a flock of 50 around Strikes garden centre, Northallerton, and 75 in Catterick.

A long-staying long-tailed duck and red-necked grebe were seen in the Nosterfield area and the now-regular early winter movement of pinkfooted geese saw 450 birds over Nosterfield and flocks of up to 50 birds at eight other sites.

Other sightings of note at that time included little egret, glaucous and Iceland gull, red-breasted merganser and a scattering of jack snipe.

March started in fine style with a flock of five garganey at Nosterfield and up to seven avocets here, the harbingers of another successful breeding season for this charismatic wader.

The first summer migrant, a chiffchaff in Garbutt Wood, was followed by March sightings of little ringed plover, ring ouzel, wheatear and sand martin, as well as an exceptionally early willow warbler at Thorpe Farm pools.

These birds overlapped with departing winter visitors with a good movement of whooper swans through the area, involving about 100 birds as well as a fine flock of 16 barnacle geese at Scorton.

The first swallow was seen on the relatively late date of April 9 but most other summer migrants arrived around their typical dates.

Birds of interest in April included little egret, white stork, little gull and wood sandpiper, as well as the first local sighting of hawfinch for many years, at Croft.

May was outstanding with a range of excellent birds including a Montagu’s harrier and crane at Nosterfield, a black kite reported near Well, a spoonbill at Kiplin Hall and excellent numbers of birds of prey including a handful of marsh harriers, six red kites, two hobbies at Morton on Swale and half-a-dozen reports of osprey.

June, by contrast, was rather quiet although the now-annual arrival of hobbies saw about a half-a-dozen birds; regular sightings at one site may even have hinted at local breeding of this lovely little falcon.

A long-staying little egret, which roosted each evening at Kiplin Hall, was another popular summer attraction.

Pick of the autumn waders was a superb red-necked phalarope at Nosterfield with other notable sightings including two pectoral sandpipers, wood sandpiper, bartailed godwit, knot, curlew sandpiper, spotted redshank and a fine flock of 39 blacktailed godwits.

Late autumn was even better with two new species for the area: bearded tit at Bellflask and a Cetti’s warbler in the reedbed at Flask Lake, Nosterfield.

A Temminck’s stint was seen with three little stints at Lingham and the second longtailed duck of the year at Newsham ponds.

A bittern was also seen in the Flask reedbed and this was still around at the time of writing, even being watched walking on the frozen lake in the cold weather at Christmas.

The year closed with a nice herd of 13 Bewick’s swans near Cleasby and signs of a small influx of crossbills with flocks seen at Over Silton and Little Langton.

Finally, a reminder that I am always happy to receive your bird sightings; send them to me at nick.morgan1@virgin.net.