Having decided my photography skills weren't getting any better whilst my field craft was getting there slowly I booked on to a days one to one tuition in birding and specifically bird photography on Sunday. Given that at the start of the day I was just about on full auto all the time I was really pleased with the advances made!

The day started at the raptor viewpoint in North Yorks with sightings of Goshawk and Buzzard but no Honey Buzzard, plus basic camera skills - the Goshawk did a sort of power stoop into distant prey which was so fast I wondered if we were watching the worlds biggest Peregrine! En route to the car I found a Turtle Dove from hearing a distant call - another lifer.

Next on through a number of woodland and valley sites for Grey Wag, Kingfisher, Dipper but without glimpsing Redstart or Otters [plenty of Otter spraint though].

Having practised lots went to Bempton and got stunning photos of a Whitethroat in the car park - my favourite photo to date and testament to the lessons up to that point - you could even see the spiders it was holding in its beak as it hunted for food. The normal Bempton birds of Gannets, Kittiwakes, Puffins and the other auks provided loads more practise.

Finally sensitive Yorkshire site for Nightjars and Woodcock which was amazing - Nightjars both male and female flying over our heads and the chirring was amazing. Woodcock flying high and fast doing both the high pitched single call and the grunting call.

Managed a dodgy record shot of a Nightjar which is at best kind of arty... at worst a blur!

I anyone needs a recommendation for an excellent guide to both Yorskire's best spots and/or bird photography I thoroughly recommend Marcus Conway - in 15 hours my skills were revolutionised and four lifers ticked!