From Geltsdale to the Cairngorms ...

 Sedge Warblers were all around and in full song by the middle of May at Geltsdale ...

... with male Reed Buntings looking pristine there too ...

... and a brief trip to Scotland where the Cairngorm plateau was blessed with clear skies and a male Snow Bunting flew in ... 

... the predominance of white in the plumage suggested the nominate race nivalis ... and then as it flew the open wing showed almost pure white primary coverts and pure white greater coverts to confirm its sub-specific status ...

... there were no brownish tones to see ...

... and a female appeared ...

... despite the lack of an open wing view the frosty mantle and white underparts lacking in buffish tones again pointed towards the race nivalis ...

Nearby a male Ptarmigan stood quietly on a ridge ...

... before creeping stealthily away ...

... the rather indistinct red patch above the eye perhaps indicated immaturity ...

... in the lower areas Tree Pipits were in lovely song from prominent perches ...

The Diverse habitats and Wildlife in Cumbria ... from the Hills to the Sea ...

 Ravens' nests can be surprisingly inconspicuous and this one in the Eden Valley was a case in point ... an adult perched near to the nest ...

... and sang quitely from time to time ...

... the nearby nest was high in a fork of the tree and contained three well grown young ...

... while the Ravens were well into their breeding cycle some Peregrines were yet to get underway and a lone female perched conspicuously high on a crag ...

... nearby some Red Grouse came into close view to show how attractive they can be when seen well ... the female's plumage comprising a massive range of colour and detailed patterning ..

... a second calendar year male Hen Harrier drifted all to conspicuously over a heather bank (given how vulnerable to illegal persecution he is) - the pale brown mantle feathers interrupting the otherwise grey and black plumage to reveal his age ...

... further north from the Pennines in the Debatable Lands a male Redstart sang from one of the highest trees available in the vicinity ... his song carrying distantly in the fresh spring air ...

... On the Solway coast several flocks of Whimbrel passed by uttering their lovely seven note whistles and these two resorted to feeding on the grass over a high tide ...

Back in the North Pennines and the air was filled with wader sounds ... drumming and 'chitting' Snipe, Curlews calling and Golden Plovers uttering their haunting calls while breaking into snatches of song from time to time ...

A Wheatear flitted onto rocks ...

... and near to some wet flushes a male Dunlin stood watching over a presumed nest site ...

... occasionally uttering a burst of song ...

... before creeping to another location ...

... Skylark song filled the air and birds flew fast and low between aerial songs and perched vigilantly near some presumed nest site ...