Weekend Digest (Too Busy Birding To Blog)

Well the weekend looked quite canny according to the Good Ol BBC so Friday morning before work quick trip round the College Campus, didnt get far though as I stopped and sat down and watched 5 Redwings having Breakfast, at least 3 of them pulled large worms then took a little while to digest them.



Got away from work a bit early and decided to head for Prestwick Carrs even though it was a little bit early (15.45). No Owls but plenty of Reed Bunting, Pied Wagtail, Redwing and some lovely Fieldfare with a few Mistle Thrushes. Got a quick shot of as this Fieldfare came into to land, not as good technically as the shot afterwards with it sitting on the branch but this just has a bit more reality to it.

Saturday morning up early 5:30am to Big Waters, no sign of live but by the time I reached the Reserve Gate there was 3 of us all with the same idea of an early start, 1 of the lads had just come to try and catch the otters. We were highly entertained for a couple of hours by the arrival and dissapearance of Canadas and Greylags

they landed and some of them left quite quickly

the chaser of course being the Female Swan which picked on individual geese although it seemed to have a penchant for Greylags,

its partner of course just hung around eating, occassionally popping its head up to see what was going on but never volunteering its services (Remind you of anyone ???). This went on for nearly 90mins with the geese retreating into the scrape and onto the fringes then waiting for the Swan to go and harass some others then trying to sneak back onto the lake. It eventually got a little bit tired to say the least and came up and collected its partner and buggered off to the bottom of the lake for a rest and possible a quiet word (haha) into the ear of its partner.

Anyway the chap who came to see the Otters left about 08.30 and the good new for him was that the Otters never turned up whilst I was there, the bad news was that the Mink came right across the Lake up onto the fringes and walked across and went under the hide.

Left about 09.45 and then went to Gosforth. Plenty of stuff on the various pools including Teal, Wigeon, Pochard, Mute Swans, Cormorant, Grey Heron and a swift glimpse of what I thought was an Otter but wasnt 100%. Out of the hides came across a couple of Wrens, Blue, Great and Long Tailed Tits and also a Buzzard. Saw several Roe Deer and they saw me first of course which resulted in the following:

Didnt take many pics but quite like the colours on this one taken in the Feeding Station.

Sunday morning and off early (getting quite a routine this) with Segedunum Warbler. Now to save all the duplication I will now insert Johns URL for his Blog and you can read all about it there and see the photos http://sedgedunumwarbler.blogspot.com/ . Have put a couple of extra ones in though, the scenery up there is amazing although most of you reading this probably know already:

Couple of pics of the Tree Creeper which John didnt put in his blog:

They might have still been there along with the Tits if a nice couple with their 2 dogs hadnt came in let the dogs run around for 2mins have a piss and crap then left.

Once again John thanks for the Company