Howdon Wetlands 28 Mar 15

Spent a couple of hours at Howdon Wetlands over the High Tide on Saturday.

Lots of birds and lots of peace and quiet, not a human in site.

Didn't take a lot of pictures but just turned the video off and on,

so here are the results.

Menage a Trois

Well at least 1 of the Kittiwakes seemed to think that was the game they were having.  I got out of the car and the most horrendous noise was going on, so got my camera out and started filming and it wasn't till after about 30 seconds that I realised it wasn't a "domestic" as I eventually saw that there were 3 Kittiwakes in the nest.  The ruckus went on for about 15mins until one of the Kittiwakes left and the 2 left behind started aahing and oohing at each other.

2 people stopped and talked to me as I was watching and filming, I explained what I thought was happening but said I was not sure, one of them said "bit like life!!" and then carried on to her destination.

"The Happy Couple"

Kittiwakes On The Quayside

I have been popping down to the Newcastle Quayside on the way to work for the last couple of weeks to see the Kittiwakes.  Their numbers have been mounting so I decided to take a few pictures yesterday morning.

Big Waters - Patch Tick

On Sunday Carole and I headed up to Big Waters for a couple of hours.  We did a quick walk round the public area looking for Chiff Chaffs but no luck so up to the hide and heard Willow Tit from the boardwalk but no views, the same happened in the hide.  6 Oystercatchers were seen and on the island was a Swan fast asleep which I suspected was a Whooper Swan but it took nearly an hour before it stirred and slipped into the water.  A Greenfinch in the Feeding Station was an unusual occurrence and also 3 Yellowhammers were quite a colourful sight.  The rest of the crew came in after their walk and stayed for a 15 minute chat before Carole and I headed off for a Toby Carvery.  Here are a couple of pictures from our brief visit.

Catch Up

Once again leisure time is hard to find nowadays but managed to get out for a quick walk round Big Waters on Sunday as my beloved wife reminded me on Saturday that it was Mothers Day on Sunday.  I also reminded her that she was not my mother but was informed that if she say she wants to go out for a meal then we go so had to leave a bit earlier than usual.  So here are a couple of pictures.  

Quite a few frogs in the dipping  pond with a bit of spawn

At last my first LBBGull 

The White-fronted Geese are still around

At Prestwick Carr the Short-eared Owls are still drawing in the photographers
although not too close for Carole and I when we popped up for an hour

 

We did get away to Norfolk for 5 Days and one of the places we visited was Breydon Water which was absolutely awash with Birds

For about 10mins this Kestrel kept flitting from telegraph pole to telegraph pole and watching us as we walked round the perimeter of the water 

At the Quayside in Newcastle I spotted 2 Black-headed Gulls with white ring and black lettering.  I managed to get one of their numbers and within an hour received the following information back from Date Lutterop at the Bird Ringing Station in Griend, Waddensea, Netherlands
On 12-7-2014 EA4Z (metal ring 2507298) was ringed as an adult (>2cy) male in the colony of Griend, Waddensea, Netherlands (53.250, 5.250). Weight 291 gr. Wing 331 mm. Head + bill 84,2 mm. Bill height 8,2 mm. The breeding season was just over, the broodpatch started to fill, so it was probably  a breeding bird at Griend.  This was the first sighting of this bird. 

Unlucky 13 Again - Brilliant

Off around Big Waters again on Sunday, very windy with a couple of showers but nothing to worry us hardy Northern souls.  Most birds were doing the right thing and keeping their heads down out of the heavy blowing South Westerly and it wasn't till we were heading back to the hide when the 13 White-fronted Geese came out of nowhere from a dip in the ground and only managed a quick snap of them before they headed off to another field but at least we knew they were still around

I picked up my first Oystercatcher of the year and also a Grey Wagtail with an odd Fieldfare and Redwing and a few Lapwing already laying claim to their favourite field.  We got back to the hide and the pond gave up a couple of Goldeneye, Teal, Canadas, Gadwall, Cormorant so here are a few pictures:

Haven't done a picture of a Robin for ages

 One of the 3 Hares that were together that we saw although if you look to the right of the one in view you can just make out another lying down

Then all of a sudden the gaggle of geese just appeared without warning and landed on the lake in front of the North Scrape and within about 10mins came closer than ever before to the main hide.

 

 

and finally, yes you've got it another video