Happy Birthday To Me

Wednesday 10 Feb, only 1 year to go to the Bus Pass, but like most days that are involved with Birding it turned out to be yet another Supa One. Due to a failure of there only being 24hrs in a day I have condensed Wednesday and Thursdays wanderings to a view of some of the pics myself and wife liked best. We got around quite a bit, Wednesday we visited St Marys, Hauxley, Amble Harbour where we had Fish and Chip (unfortunately not the best) Druridge Pools and Beach, QEII and North Shields where we bumped into Susan of Big Waters Fame.

Thursday we intended going to Geltsdale but due to a couple of hiccups on the Domestic Scene we stayed a bit closer to Newcastle. We went to Lamesley Water Meadows, Lamesley Reed Beds, a drive round the Crawcrook area and a lovely lunch in the Rising Sun, Clara Vale, Thornley Woods and back to the College to fill up the feeders (which I hadnt done since last Friday).

Took loads of piccies but heres some WE liked.

The first is the Blue Tit in our Garden which normally hides in a Coniferous tree in the next garden whilst belting out his morning song but today it was in plain view for over 30mins singing his little heart out.

At Hauxley Carole took this pic which is out of focus, not framed very well etc etc but we both just love it.

A nice obliging Coal Tit which stayed still for more than the obligatory .5 of a second

Found a pond in Crawcrook with lots of "birds" on it which was 90% frozen so Carole fed all the birds with a complete Wholemeal loaf (3 for a £1 at the Greggs Return Shop on the West Road) and I scattered a bit of seed around. We spent 30 mins there at a lovely enchanting spot. Several cars stopped and said hallo and asked us was there anything special which did cause a bit of holdup for the odd car but nobody seemed to be bothered, a nice laidback part of the world. This swan just sat there looking at me and I snapped him from about 2 ft away (dont know how I managed to get an all black background as there was loads of light)

Further on at the top of the hill in Crawcrook we stopped outside a Farm Entrance to watch a couple of Red Kites soaring around. In the 10mins they were aloft I think I only saw about half a dozen wing beats. Amazing birds.

This second bird was absolutely massive and one of the farmers came out and said "He's the Big Bugger around here"

At Clara Vale which I must admit is in a much better state that the last time we went (about July last year) we spent a pleasant hour in the hides there. This Blackbird (partial albino I think is the term) was at both hides. I was informed that he has been around for at least 4years.

4 Long Tailed Tits flew around for a while and got some canny pics but I like this one the best.

Just as we left this "Tatty", as the wife says, Pheasant arrived. She oohed and aahed and poor thinged over it. Personally I think the colours on it are great and wish it had come earlier when the light was much better.

A couple of great days with the highlight being the Red Kites, the company of Carole and nearly forgot the The DVD-ROM Guide to British Birds which our son Gary bought for me (Thanks Gazza)