Summary May 2026
New “Year Ticks” in May 2026: 32
New “Life Ticks” in May 2026: 1
Total Species for Year so far: 125
The first birding group outing of May was on the 5th May 2026 to Macclesfield Forest where we had a nice morning walk and managed to get five year ticks. The woods resounded with bird song and, although they were difficult to spot, the birds were singing loud and clear.
We didn’t manage to get to any of the next two mornings (Wigan Flashes on 12th and Brockholes on the 19th May because we were on holiday in Suffolk, Norfolk and Lincolnshire, details of which can be found in the posts preceding this one and in summary here. The birding group’s planned visit to to the Goyt Valley on 26th May 2026 was called off because of the heat – 32 degrees in our back garden!
| Species | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| House Martin | 05-May-26 | Macclesfield Forest |
| Jay | 05-May-26 | Macclesfield Forest |
| Pied Flycatcher | 05-May-26 | Macclesfield Forest |
| Mandarin Duck | 05-May-26 | Macclesfield Forest |
| Cuckoo | 10-May-26 | Rutland Water |
| Hobby | 10-May-26 | Rutland Water |
| Cattle Egret | 10-May-26 | Rutland Water |
| Common Tern | 10-May-26 | Rutland Water |
| Red Kite | 10-May-26 | Rutland Water |
| Garden Warbler | 10-May-26 | Rutland Water |
| Grey Wagtail | 10-May-26 | Rutland Water |
| Osprey | 10-May-26 | Rutland Water |
| Swift | 10-May-26 | Rutland Water |
| Whitethroat | 11-May-26 | Lakenheath Fens |
| Stone Curlew | 11-May-26 | Weeting Heath |
| Mistle Thrush | 11-May-26 | Weeting Heath |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | 11-May-26 | Lynford Arboretum |
| Bittern | 12-May-26 | Lakenheath Fens |
| Egyptian Goose | 12-May-26 | Nunnery Lakes |
| Sedge Warbler | 14-May-26 | Nunnery Lakes |
| Lesser Whitethroat | 14-May-26 | Lackford Lakes |
| Skylark | 17-May-26 | Minsmere |
| Kittiwake | 17-May-26 | Minsmere |
| Water Rail | 18-May-26 | Hickling Broad |
| Spoonbill | 19-May-26 | Holme Dunes |
| Bearded Tit | 20-May-26 | Titchwell Marsh |
| Little Tern | 20-May-26 | Titchwell Marsh |
| Red-legged Partridge | 21-May-26 | Chosely Drying Barns |
| Fulmar | 20-May-26 | Hunstanton Cliffs |
| Garganey | 22-May-26 | Frampton Marsh |
| Little Stint | 22-May-26 | Frampton Marsh |
| Species | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| White Stork | 10-May-26 | Rutland Water |