Up To A Century

The weather looked bloody awful but saw on the BBC that it was a bit better down Teeside so off I went to Cowpen Bewley although when I was driving through a Snowstorm just South of Easington I was a bit worried that they had got it wrong again but by the time I arrived the Sun was trying to peep through and no wind. Sauntered to the lake and immediatel spotted (with a bit of help) the Ring-necked Duck. The chap I was talking to said just sit and wait and it will come over, sure enough it did tucking into the Peanuts that the chap was throwning out for the Ducks.

The lake also had a couple of Female Goosander and a pair of Goldeneyes but neither of them came close enough for any decent pics so heres another couple of the Ring-tailed Ducks

Also present was plenty of Mallards, Coots, a couple of Gadwall and a pair of Mute Swans.

Toddled off back to the Feeding Stations and spotted my first Brambling of the year (Tick 100) and also this big fella who was out within 30 secs of the feed being put out for the birds.

Headed off to Headland (my first visit) where there were 2 big flocks of Eiders about 400yds offshore, along with 3 Red Throated Diver and a Long Tailed Duck but all I could see was a blur through the bins but a chap further along (with a scope)assured me it was. On the south side of the Headland was 40+ Oystercatchers, 15 Purple Sandpiper, several Cormorants, lots of Turnstones and 3 Seals cavorting about. A nice place to just chill and stroll along the promenade and see plenty of activity with a soundtrack of House Sparrows and various Tits in the gardens behind you.