Bits and Bobs

4 Days of Birding mostly in shirt sleeve were just what the doctor ordered.  Just getting round to looking and sorting out the bundle of pics I took.  Starting with my first Nightingale at Cowpen Bewley which we arrived early for and heard it singing immediately.  Within a couple of minutes it had moved into the open unfortunately with the Sun directly behind it so it was possible to see with the Bins but I just pointed Mr Nikon in the general direction and clicked.   There was only 2 other people present when it came into the open and only stayed for a couple of minutes then seemed to burrow back into its original bush and stayed there for the next 3hrs.  It was quite a mini twitch with more than 30 people turning up but when we left it had never moved from its seemingly invisible position with its 100w speakers, with no singing cessation for less than a couple of mins obviously whilst taking its throat lubrication medicine. 

The following is the video of the Bush where the Nightingale is hid but its song can certainly be heard



My only shot where the Ring Ouzel is identifiable at Harthope Valley but you need to get the microscope out to see the white breast band

Lovely Pipit on a wall just outside Lumley,  there were at least 5 others with it going back and forward up the dry stone wall

Back at Cresswell there were at least 4 Stonechats flitting from post to post and I just stood there and they came to me to get their pics taken.  When I left 2 of them actually flew to posts in front of me then when I passed they moved onto the next ones

In Druridge the place seemed to be alive with Wheatear and this strikingly elegant one seemed to be a bit "taller" than the average

In Durhams Tirely Wood we spotted at least 6 different Butterflies within 10mins but this Small Copper definitely outshone the rest with its location selection

Back in Northumberland a very pleasant hour was spent watching the Fulmars and Kittiwakes literally within touching distance from the cliff paths

In the fields in East Chevington we watched these 2 Hares for over 10mins lazing around with the weather being so nice that this was their only feeble attempt at squaring up for a boxing match but then they just sat down again to soak up the rays

At Wynyard Park we sat in the car and watched a Kestrel hovering, swooping and diving for nearly 10 mins without any luck

In Northumberland these squirrels were definitely one of Carole's pick of the weekend