MOT Sorted

Wednesday morning off for a quick walk round St Marys prior to my 6 monthly MOT at Rake Lane Hospital which I'm glad to say didn't require any repairs before getting my certificate (just a slight change in the fuel I run on).  It was an absolute gorgeous morning and I didnt quite get a full walk round in the 2hrs I was there as I got slightly transfixed watching 2 Sedge Warblers doing their thing on 2 different bushes then flitting back and forward to each others bush

Had to keep well away for 2 reasons, I was only wearing shorts and there were lots of nettles and when I did get a bit closer the birds got quite upset so backed off, whereas other Sedge Warblers I have photographed before just sit there quite happily not bothering at all.  Give it another 30yrs birding and I might get to understand them a little bit.   I was also attracted by that weird call the Greenfinches make and when I found them there was at least 3 juveniles and a couple of adults scooting around whilst a fox was wandering around at the end of the 40yd walkway.  Once again didn't understand their alarm as they were high up in the trees and the fox was just wandering around.

Had to go to the Hospital then but immediately I got out I headed for Cresswell and as it was lunchtime a tub of Ice Cream just about covered the required Carbohydrate intake.   There was a few Juvenile Black Headed Gulls around showing off their flying skills but not much on the Pond. 

At Druridge there was a bit more action, especially in the Butterfly Department, the highlight of which was the Common Blue.  I saw at least 6 on the path up to the hides (can't remember them being there last year or was it just my ignorance at the outset of my birding).

From the hide there was some good views of a paddling Linnet, there were 3 of them altogether but this one went straight into the water, paddled round for 30secs then onto a rock for a few seconds sun then away it went.

I would like to thank Simon for letting me have a "shottie" with his lens and converter on my camera which resulted in in the above pic and that was just sticking it on automatic.    On to East Chevington and as I was walking to the hide there was a couple of Meadow Pipits on posts one of them singing his little heart out and the other one with his back to the first making just the odd sound.

The one above then flew off after a while and the other one just started preening itself.   Another great 5mins just spent watching a couple of normal Mipits..   I hope in 5yrs time I will still enjoy it as much, as when I got to the hide there was someone already there and when I asked was there anything around his reply was "No just the normal rubbish" and he then left.  When I looked at the "normal rubbish" I realised that despite how many times you see the same things it still makes me feel good as I watched Terns, Gulls, Swans, Dunlin, Shoveller doing their "own thing".