My Blogs seem to be getting further and further apart, could write loads of excuses but its basically not enough time in the day now they are getting longer, little jobs to do when I get home such as bush pruning tidying the garden, then watching football (3 times I've watch the highlights from yesterdays match which all the papers and television keep putting it down as a Liverpool Defeat, it wasn't it was a NEWCASTLE WIN). I have even sneaked a peek at Sunderlands unlucky draw, they should have won. Well back to nature and as it was such a glorious morning on Friday I shot off early and walked onto the Tyne Bridge and snapped the odd 100 or 200 pics of the Kittiwakes starting their nesting and having some tussles with one another which I was so pleased with that I put into my Card Reader at Work for a quick look at them and to bin the unwanted 1 or 2, unfortunately when I went to bin the 1st pic I accidentally deleted the entire directory and no matter what I tried, including the ever reliable Recuva I couldnt get the pics back. I only ended up with 1 pic which I had snapped with my Fuji but then decided to do the rest with the Nikon.
Will revisit sometime when the light is better, the wind is down, there is no snow or rain.so that will probably be sometime in late May or early June.
On Saturday picked up Sedgedunum Warbler and headed for Weardale. The first stop for Black Grouse Lekking turned out to be a bit of a washout but we did see 2 Males at a bit of a distance so off we went to Teesdale where we missed the main action but there was still quite a few round. We then trawled around the Dales where the Red Grouse were all over the place, personally I think the females are more fascinating. their camouflage is amazing but makes it harder to photograph. Im heading back there in a couple of weeks time with just the one aim of photographing Grouse
We did see several Greylags but these couple looked as though they had been adopted
by a small flock of Swaledale Sheep.
The big Aaaah factor of the day was for these Jacob lambs
Wherever we went there were Lapwings displaying and guarding terroritory
A great day was again had, unfortunately spoilt right at the end as we drove along the dual carriageway near Corbridge when I spotted something at the side of the road. A quick turn around and sure enough when I pulled into a layby and walked up, it was a Barn Owl, obviously clipped by a car but in perfect condition. It was right where Carole and I had spotted one as we passed within a couple of hundred yards last December.
Sunday and off for the walk round Big Waters but first a little wander to the first hide by myself where all the Mute Swans are gathering and it seems to be a camping out spot for them during the dark hours then a couple of hours after daylight they split up a bit and wander about the pond.
At the East end of the pond a Big Waters Tick, not quite sure of the
correct British Bird Listing name but parvo flavo anatis is definitely the latin one
Up on the North Fields a Magpie obviously put off by the wind was hitching a ride
On the far side of the pond about 20 Lapwing, a handful of Mallard and a couple of Coot
were using the cut down reed from the new scrape which is now a floating island, as a place
to rest their weary wings
At least 2 Treecreepers were singing on the reserve although not this one which was
very giving very close views to Alan J, Ian D and Graeme B whilst I was farting about
looking at "floaty" things but did get there in time to take a couple of snaps
I wonder what the Mute Swans are saying, how about
"Thats Charles up there, they have been doing that selective
breeding like they do with racehorses, god, can he go!"
Up at Gosforth in the afternoon I got fed up with taking pics in the Feeding Station and 25mins
hunting/moving/sidling around for this pic gave me great satisfaction when I managed to get it
sort of in focus for a shot
Bit more of an energetic time this weekend. slept in today, didn't get up
till 04.50.
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