Another Week, A Lot of Work, Little Birding

The week started off with a swift trip to Cresswell where there was plenty of activity especially around the sandbar and somewhere in there is a Curlew Sandpiper

Then from behind the hide a Peregrine sauntered over and practically every bird was up and away.  It took nearly 15mins for them all to reappear.  Also a very confiding Stonechat came very close to the hide when I was at the other side of it without my trusty camera watching a small covey of partridges in the West Field.



A trip afterwards at Big Waters for a walk round the public end didnt produce a lot but when I sat on the bank having a cuppa a Cormorant came from within the reeds and cruised past very slowly.  I very slowly got the camera in position and within a few thousands of a second of pressing the button whilst aiming through a gap in the foliage it was off like a bullet.

At work the Dunnock I unkindly took the P out of last weekend is making daily appearances for his turn at the food but only seems to eat off the pavement and I never see him in the ground underneath the bushes where I put stuff down for Dunnocks, Chaffies, Robins etc, so I have put a bit off stuff on the pavement which automatically brings in the pigeons and the little birds have a bit of a hard time.  Also lots of Thrushes and Blackbirds have been appearing but the large flock of Goldfinches which are flying around haven't popped down for a bit of the black stuff yet although it does dissappear quite rapidly though I never see any birds on the feeder.

Friday night saw the beloved meet me from work and we shot off for an early meal out then down to Segedunum for the Fireworks display which wasn't too bad.

Saturday morning and off to Big W.  Plenty of action there but the Kingfisher had Keith crying in his beer by its non-appearance (no views now for nearly 3 weeks unless someone who cant write (hint hint) has seen one).  Then both eyes started crying when the Sparrowhawk shot past him less than 6ft away and he didn't have his gatling gun ready.  The Mute Swans were the stars of the show today especially when 2 others tried to settle on the pond and a tremendous amount of chasing which lasted nearly 30mins went on.  When it had all settled down and the interlopers were seen off they settled down for a bit of cruising.

Now its time for the obligatory pics of the Waxwing which are spread over nearly all of Northumberland now.  I even spotted a couple when I was out late yesterday afternoon on the trees opposite Netto in Wallsend.  These ones are probably the most photographed in Northumberland although the twice I have seen them the light still wasn't worthy of such an amazing looking bird.

If you want to see some great pics of these birds try my friends site here on flickr.  Also I hope he put up the pics of the 3 Goosander that flew over Big W today which I couldnt see properly from my position but he got some good pics from his.