Saturday 23 January 2010

That's More Like It!

Up sharp with the Beagle (not a euphemism, honest!) and once her cock-a-doodle poo (one from Viz) was done and dusted, or rather bagged and binned it was 'Good Night, Lily, Good Morning Stag Rock!'  Maccy D's best Latte and Sausage & Egg McMuffin munched en route, with Beethoven's 7th belting out (from Nicholas Cage's 2009 film, Knowing).  Bliss (I am a man of simple taste!!)!  Anyway, arrived at 0800, tide high and sun up.  But effin' freezin'!!!!

Anyway, loads bobbin' about or flyin' north, so added LT Duck, Slav. Grebe, RT Diver as well as many others to 2010's list.

Most interesting bird was one that flew in low and landed on the sea for 30 seconds or so.  Thrush-like, in fact Fieldfare-like in terms of movement and size; all dark with a lighter patch at the top of the tail.  On the sea, it appeared quite calm as opposed to what I would imagine a thrush to behave like if it settled on The Briny.  After a brief respite, it was off again, south, and eventually landed in the dunes in front of the Castle.  Searching revealed nothing.  Whilst bobbing, its wings were longer than its body (just) and slightly upturned at the tips.  Petrel?

Moving on, Monk's House Pool was quiet, as was Newton Stringer's patch (met Linda the Bag Lady (as she called herself) and her mad Poodle) and so to East Chev.  Water high, Coots abound!  Added a few ticks here, and a few more at Cresswell (two GC Grebe and ten or so Brent Geese).

Straight in at 12.30 and out again with 'The Lilster' to WHBP.  I have never seen so many Wood Pigeons as there were at the north edge of the place where the trees along the River Blyth start.  Easily a few thousand, as was evident when two Buzzards went through and put them up!  A dozen LT Tits, similar numbers of Mallard on the Flash and a pair of Gadwall, several Mistle Thrushes and plenty of Fieldfare made the patch count today 26.

Thursday 21 January 2010

Don't Delay..........

................spend a minute or two (literally) and complete this, please.