When Is It Going To Get Warmer ??????

Well into the New Year and the cold weather is beginning to let up a bit HOORAY.  Managed to get out a few times since the 1st so heres a few photos of places I've been and things I've seen although I was counted out for a couple of day with a Viral Infection but thank god for anti-biotics.   Trip to St Marys was quite productive with most of the normal birds you would find there on view including several Goldeneye in North Bay and a couple of Cormorants who seemed to be giving an Eider a bit of grief.  Googled it but couldn't find any reason for the animosity they were showing unless they were possibly fishing very close to the Eider but the Eider was squawking away at them also.

Meanwhile back on the patch at Big Waters on Monday a very small bit of water was showing although this was soon frozen over again when we arrived on Saturday with only a small handful of ducks seen.  In the Feeding station the Yellowhammers were showing well along with a Brambling and a couple of Water Rail.

A trip to Gosforth on Monday afternoon brought several deer sightings.  The lake in front of the Pyle Hide is still frozen solid.  A walk round with Nigel and a stop off at another hide enabled us to see a Fox getting within 1m of a Bittern before it shot off. 

So back to work on Tuesday and after promising myself not to put anymore feeders up for the local toerags to pinch I decided a couple of cheapies from Poundland would do and within 2mins of putting them up and a few Fatballs the Tits and Finches along with a few Blackbirds were feeding away.

Saturday came round and off to Big Waters as mentioned above.  Noticed a couple of Bullfinches skulking in the undergrowth.

A bit of repositioning of various perches has gone on in the Feeding Station enabling one to get some better pictures including this delightful one of a Dunnock

Despite the frozen lake approx 40 Pinkfeet circled around whilst we were out walking, looking for a place to land and when we got to the lake there was roughly the same amount on the lake but putting the bins on them we soon realised they were Greylags therefore the Pinkfeet must have landed in the fields out of view (Alan J used this as a great example of his counting method LOL).  Finally a nice out of focus mood shot of two wandering Mute Swans after being chased by the resident couple

Finally on Sunday off to Gosforth again and the Pyle Hide was standing room only again.  Bitterns from a distance again although on a wander round I did come across my first Grey Herons there, possible early returners looking for a prime nesting site.  Well heres hoping its not a 4 layer clothing weekend again.

End & Beginning of A Year

New Years Eve and I decided to make a final visit to Gosforth as I hadn't been for a while.  It was like going to a new site, the reeds round the boardwalks have been completely flattened and you can see for "miles" as they say.   Got the Pyle Hide and within a few minutes 2 Kingfishers were chasing each other round the lake, perching alternately right outside the hide.

A Fox came scampering across the ice but before I could get Mr Nikon working it darted into the reeds but if you strain your eyes you can just see it darting away.

A good wander round produced a couple of Treecreeper, Nuthatch, several Long Tailed Tits but unfortunately, just like the other ponds and lakes, nothing to see.  Anyway a quiet night at home with Carole for the New Year.  Set off at 9 to Big Waters and the first birds I encountered were a couple of lush Bullfinches and on arrival in the Feeding Station a Brambling put in an appearance.

Alan J arrived (so the Brambling went) and put the food out and immediately the place was full of Pheasants

Once again lots of Siskin high in the trees but only a couple of them dropped in for a bit.   With the decimation of the foliage you can now see into the wood just a bit which gave us the chance to watch a couple of Water Rail wandering round.  There also seemed to be an influx of female Blackbirds.

I waited for 9 months last year to see 2 birds and unbelievably saw 2 Goldcrests and a Redpoll on the first of the year.  The Redpoll being a new Big Waters tick.  The place was overrun with Chaffinches today, this particular one should have rung NHS Direct to get someone to fix his neck.

The end of the day saw me achieving 36 Species for the start of my first full year of proper counting and starting 4 Lists, Overall, County, Big Waters and Garden

Big Waters Roundup and have a HAPPY NEW YEAR

Since my return from holiday I havent really strayed far, the last 3 days spent solely at my favourite Big Waters Patch.  The pond is still frozen although there is several tempting bits of slush dotted around which even managed to lure 25 Mallards to land on the ice, the first ducks since around the 18th December.   Even with the absence of the ponds normal inhabitants there has still been quite a variety of birds seen.   These include a Jack Snipe, Snipe, Buzzards, Sparrowhawks, Goldcrest, Treecreeper, Bullfinch, Redwings, Fieldfare and we even heard a couple of geese but didn't manage to see them.   Below is just a smattering of pics that I took in the last couple of days (no Robin ones though even if I did take over a hundred (ish)).

The first is one of the most commonest birds around although in the right light it is an absolute stunner, the Great Tit

 There have been several Yellowhammers around although they dont tend to linger

One of my favourite birds the Fieldfare although they tend to stick to the trees on the edge of the Boardwalks

A very bad pic of a Goldcrest.  Have seen one every day for the last 3 days, amazing considering I spent ages at the beginning and the middle of the year looking for one without success

Several Goldfinch searching for seeds dropped from an Alder onto the Boardwalk

Yesterday we had a record number of Mute Swan on the pond, 5, although the resident pair soon saw the interlopers off.  They waddled the full length of the pond to get rid of one then when the other pair landed they came back the full length to see them off also.

Every so often a small flock of a dozen or so Long Tailed Tits enter the Feeding Station and have a quick snack then after a couple of minutes they are off again

A Goldfinch sits on the wire awaiting his turn on the Niger Feeder

A stunning female Reed Bunting which in my opinion is prettier than the Male

A couple of Siskin on the Niger Feeder, they tend to hog the feeders although they dont feed continously unlike the Goldfinch who after a short while bugger off

A few Greenfinch who always seem to feed together no matter which feeder they go to

Finally the Tree Sparrows, one minute there is not one to be seen then 30-40 fly in and stay for ages.  An absolute magic bird

Could have put a lot more pics in but you must be bored by now so to all the Children and their partners, Grand Kids and any of the Great Grand Kids who can read yet plus to all my friends have a HAPPY NEW YEAR

Merry Christmas

Happy Christmas to everyone.  We have just returned to England on Wednesday from a week in Tenerife where we saw a few new birds.  It was really warm with the Temperature never dropping below 22, apart from near the summit of Mount Teide (c 2,500m) which was really awesome with terrific winds and the car temp guage showing 2degrees with snow whipping around (shades of Northumberland).  Even though we returned to bloody awful weather it was great to head up to Big Waters although there was not exactly a lot there with the pond completely frozen and just a few Gulls standing on the ice.

The first bird I really noticed walking along the boardwalk was, of course, my favourite Robin

Inside the hide Alan J and John B had done their duty and filled all the feeders and were trying to keep their extremeties warm.  Didn't stay too long although quite a few Yellowhammers, Chaffinches, Tree Sparrows and a multitude of the normall occupants feeding away quite merrily.  When we walked out the Car Temp was now at -10c.  Went home and picked up Carole and did a quick shop for Christmas Provisions then went to St Marys.  We added a bit more feed to the ever increasing piles and watched at least 3 others also during the hour we were there.   Quite a variety of birds knocking around now and the following pics show most of them although couldn't get a good shot of the Lapland Buntings.

Feeder Stealing B******s

For the 3rd time this year all the Feeders at my little Feeding Station outside the College have been stolen.   It makes about 15 in total so I will stop hanging them up now and instead just hang a few Fatballs from trees, apples on nails and nuts and seed placed in strategic places.  Still getting quite a few visitors though including the ones pictured below, lots of Goldfinches, Chaffinches, House Sparrows although the pigeons seem to just go skimming over and never bother dropping in at al.

Heres a couple of shots of Skylarks from earlier on in the week at St Marys. Big Shout Outs to the guys that seeded the place.

Well just about sorted for the hols on Tuesday although have got a couple of days to nip up to Big Waters and across to the West Coast to Caerlaverock.

Snow Buntings at Blyth

Went to Blyth Harbour on Sunday morning looking for the Snow Buntings and after mingling amongst the 5 photographers there, all of whom were snapping the Sunrise (LOL - at least the 2inches I saw of it behind the clouds) and after a brief chat they all dissappeared.  2 of them said they had seen the birds I was looking for the previous morning and had taken a couple of pics but had deleted them when they got home !!!  Anyway they soon arrived and after a little while so did Tom and Tim.   Didn't recognise Tim at first as he was wearing this sort of hat, obviously for a bet, which looked so "chic".  Now returned to the Blog after the 5min laughing fit has finished.   I got some decentish pics a few of which are below.

I then went to pick up the beloved and we went for meal at Limoncellos (think thats how you spell it) on the front at Whitley Bay.   This was for convenience so we could nip along to St Marys for a wander round but wong make that mistake again.  Anyway on with the pictures and will do the pics from St Marys later as I am sure you are all gagging to see them

What absolutely stunning looking birds

Saturday - Frozen Big Waters

Arrived at Big Waters later than usual on Saturday, thought Keith might have turned the heater on in the hide to warm it up and get a cuppa going.  Should have known that you cant trust anyone from Blyth.  So sucked an extra polo mint and warmed my hands up in time to get a snap of this poor pheasant jumping on top of a feeder cage to get a bit of food and then hanging on for dear life (maybe he forgot he had wings) before making a less than elegant departure from the Feeding Station

Then the obligatory Robin Picture (aaahhhhhhhh)

Immediately after the feeders being filled a couple of Bramblings appeared and kept us entertained for a little while.

The lake if you hadn't guessed was completely frozen over apart from a 1ft by 1ft square in the North East corner which was surrounded by all the ducks and Gulls jumping in and out.  A walk round with Alan was quite productive seeing a lot more than we expected including a lot of Siskin, Snipe, Grey Heron, Carrion Crow, 5 Lesser Redpoll, Goldcrest, Redwing, Fieldfare and this gorgeous Yellowhammer.

A look at the Hide from the Public end of the lake shows the beauty and bleakness of the place at the moment.

The nice smooth lake though must have allowed Santa to land and drop a few things off as we spotted one of Santas little helpers struggling through the snow with his present bag on his back