Knot A Bad Day

Thursday morning went for a trip up the coast starting first at Newbiggin where this delightful Sedge Warbler kept me listening for 10 delightful minutes before it put in an appearance in order for its publicity photos to be taken.

Moving on to Cresswell I found 2 Common Sandpiper on the Flash by the Travellers Camp but before I could get Mr Nikon out off they flew.  I then carried onto to the pond where there were 2 Dunlin right next to the Causeway and a new family of Shelduck chicks.

Also at the pond was this delightful Stonechat just casting his eye over his territory and not even bothering to move as I fired up the camera.

There was also quite a few Sand Martins flying around and managed to get a decent-ish flight shot

Outside the Farm Shop about half a mile from Druridge Bay is a puddle on the opposite side of the road to the entrance which on my last two passings has been filled with Swallows.  I stopped this time and sat and watched for 10mins.

Excuse #37 of the year for the crap pics is that my replacement lens is broken so using a cheapo (if you can call £179 cheap)one for the time being.  Then off to East Chev to have a look for you know what but only a quick viewing of one flying over the dunes was all I got.   As I was driving into Chev 2 of these little fellas were just wandering down the track. 

I stopped about 10m short of them and sat and waited for them to toddle off whilst Mam and Dad sort of semi dive-bombed the car.  Well one of them didn't bugger off and just wandered underneath the car.  2-3mins later I still couldn't see it so had to get out of the car and sure enough it was still under the rear of the car.  I managed to chase it off and it ran back down the way it came and the parents were by now going beee-seeerk.   It eventually wandered through the gate and I got a few (once again decent-ish) shots of the parents through the window.

After a quick look round I then headed for Hauxley (Ponteland Hide) where I came across the birds of the day.   4 Knots in summer plumage were wandering around just 15m from the hide and I stayed watching them and the other birds there including Redshank, Oystercatchers, Greylag and Canada Geese, a Common Sandpiper for quite a while.