No Ice Cream This Weekend

This weekend was definitely better than the last. Started off Friday with an evening trip to St Marys. Weather drizzly but there was a fantastic flock of Golden Plover numbering into the many hundreds. Watched them for over 10 mins alternately wheeling around until a big alsatian charged in amongst them sending the whole flock soaring and the dogs owners standing yards from me admiring the way he can run and saying to me he does well for a 12 year old dosent he.

Saturday morning early start and up to Big Waters. The various birds started congregating in the top end of the lake and squawking like banshees, now I wonder what caused this ????



Yep you've got it, Mr Otter out looking for his breakfast.



As usual the Kingfisher appeared and stayed there for quite a while despite the cannon shots from the big lenses nearly deafening everyone, but he just sits there, obviously intent on where his next fish is.



The rest of Saturday was spent wandering round between Whitley, Tynemouth, Blyth seeing quite a number of birds and just enjoying a walk

I got my new (second hand) camera this weekend and as I was sitting wondering how to even turn it on whilst at Big Waters on Sunday a Water Rail appeared. Managed to switch it on and point, click several times, felt like a machine gun in my hands compared to my Fuji s8100 but the pic below was my first one taken. Whilst not a great pic the subject is. Hope its a good sign for the future.



After Big Waters I picked the wife up and did the rounds visiting a couple of places we had never been before. Went to Bothal Pond, parked in Layby and watched from the side of the road, Carole did not like it as the Cars and Lorries rush past. Is there a better place to watch from as all the area seemed to be private.

Then went to Longhirst Flash, fantastic amount of Goldfinches and Swallows mill around you as you tried to watch what is on the flash, really enjoyed myself. Quick 5min trip and you are in Linton with Carole only having eyes for the Swans and their Sygnets.

Then back to St Marys for an hour, sit and watch from the Car Park with Fish and Chips and a Cuppa is absolute heaven, only wish Seaton was a bit closer so you can finish off with an ice cream.

Back to Big Waters for an hour and a little walk round the lake, returning to Tynemouth for another Cuppa then home for 2100.

On Monday at 5.30 left house for Lamesley, the sunrises there are extremely spectacular



Lamesley is not exactly good for photographers but for sitting with a scope and bins is absolutely great. Within about 10mins after dawn the movement of birds starts and there is always something in the sky to identify and plenty landing in the small pools dotted around. Also if you leave the door to the hide just slightly ajar you get some marvellous sounds drifting in from the various passerines that wander up and down the road. I always aim to leave about 7.25 to get across the Tyne and into work for about 7.45 but today I stopped in the Ravensworth Arms a bit too long to watch about 100 goldfinches leaping from tree to tree. When I eventually turned out of the Car Park the traffic was backed all the way up to the A1. I cant believe it was all caused by the return of the kids to school. Think my early morning trips to the South might be curtailed till next Spring now.



Well enough for a few days, must set aside at least 3 days to read the 237 page manual for the camera