Im Feeling A Lot Better Now

Took bad last Sunday and wasnt fully OK till Thursday so reports from weekend (didnt even look at my pics) didnt get done. I managed a couple of hours on Wednesday afternoon just to get a bit of fresh air down at St Marys. This weekend I didnt stray too far as I still didnt feel 100%. The following is just bits and pieces from the last 8 days.

Whilst at Far Pastures this Canada mistimed his approach to the pond, hit a tree and landed just outside the door of the hide, thought it was for the pot as it hit the ground with such a wallop but when I tried to see if it was OK it had a right go at me.  He tried to take off but kept hitting the sides of the hide, eventually got somebody from the hide to chase it in the opposite direction away from the hide.  The reason it kept trying to take off towards the hide was that its partner was in the pool making a hell of a racket and had walked right up to the windows of the hide (probably working on the principle of shortest distant between 2 points)

Later on took John and his Scouser friend down to see the dippers on the Derwent, unfortunately these 2 came about 5 mins after you left John

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that we had our first Goldfinches in the Garden after having Niger feeders out for over 6 months.  We had our largest Charm the other day when 11 flew in and they patiently waited in a good old fashioned "British Queue" taking their turn.  Next day Carole had put out 2 feeders so they wouldnt have to wait so long.

The garden is coming along nicely now that Spring is beginning to show its colours and the nestboxes, whilst technically not mine are practically in my garden are definitely being squatted at the moment.

At St Marys I got my first Northern Wheatear, just luv this shot of him leaping from rock to rock whilst trying to catch insects at the same time (I think)

Meanwhile back in the depths of Gateshead my first Chiff Chaff of the year, yes it is nice to hear them for a while but 2 bloody hours of the same 2 tones going on does tend to get up ones nose a bit

And up in the Bowels of Northumberland at Big Waters no rest for the Swans trying to keep their patch of water to themselves hopefully in preparation for another successful brood like last year

Down in Lamesley a standard shot of some Mallards flying into the Water Meadows but with a great background of Low Fell in the background

I spent most of today just chilling out at various places on the Derwent Walk watching Red Kites and the occassional Buzzard, what a glorious life.

Finally as Gary (Newton Stringer) would say "Aint Sparrows Brilliant" (Courtesy of a new button I found on my new Nikon D5000-Might get round to reading the instructions someday)