Quiet Weekend, Still Got A Lifer Though

Very quiet weekend mainly due to the weather.  Saturday went to Big Waters early and returned home within an hour, it was absolutely hissing it down so spent the rest of the day sorting out photos and backing up everything apart from a foray out to a restaurant for a bit of Bass, Mussels and Squid which was Bootiful.

Sunday morning and back to Big Waters where the water had risen a fair bit but a small bit of scrape was still showing although it was covered with Mallards dozing in the sun and even when I accidentally dropped a shutter nothing seemed to disturb their rest.  There was 5 Teal leisurely drifting in the bay and a Male Shoveller which occasionally raised its head then swam into the reeds then returned to its original spot and dozed off again.  A walk round with Alan J, ISD and Keith B produced nothing out of the ordinary although we did see 4 Redstarts.  After the walk I did a few fleeting visits to local places but nothing of note was seen so I worked my way down to the coast intent on seeing if I could get a glimpse of the Greenish Warbler that Jack Bucknall had found but it was like Dodgems with bikes so I gave it a miss and headed home which took me over an hour.

Next morning I picked up Sedgedunum Warbler and we headed down to St Marys for a looksee for the Greenish Warbler.  Others had the same idea so after an hour and nothing seen we headed down to Tynemouth to see if anything else had arrived.  We bumped into Tony from Howdon who informed us that the Greenish Warbler there had flew off into the park so after looking at loads of Goldfinches, a couple of Blackcaps, Robins and a few others we spent half an hour Sea Watching, not a pleasant experience for me as I thought it was such a nice day I had left my coat in the car.  Before the icicles started forming we managed to see a couple of Gannets, a Red Throated Diver, a few Common Scoter with a couple of possible Teal and hundreds of Gulls.  We headed back to the car and found that the Greenish Warbler was now showing in St Marys so off we went.  It took about 45mins before we managed to see it properly but a very nice looking bird indeed.  Didn't want to venture too far away as the skies got darker so headed for a rare visit to Holywell.  Very little mud at the public hide so no waders showing and at the other hide several Little Grebes were quite close and a few Tufted Ducks although the rest seemed to be a bit more distant than  is normally the case when I have been there.  We were kept entertained though when it decided to hiss down by the antics of birds in the Feeding Station, specially the Moorhen taking advantage of the Feeders (see video).  A pleasant weekend with the notable exception of the outstanding Greenish Warbler and the company I kept.  John is away down to Kent for a couple of weeks so I will be venturing out on Saturdays on my lonesome and on Sundays that well known Anor Birder, Keith will be away in some foreign far off place taking pics of unorganic flying things (have a nice time).

I am getting a bit better with the videos now I took time to read the manual but can only manage a step at a time.  I've managed to do the joiny uppy thing now and putting writing on the screen (although not too well yet), now I just need to get rid of John A's voice doing his commentator thing in the background and my beloveds insistence in having Radio Newcastle on at all times when she is sitting in the garden so the Spuggies can hear the weather forecast.