Having basked in the hurricane birding yesterday at Hartlepool and thereabouts, today was chores day (Tomorrow? Now that's another matter!). Still managed 10 minutes at Arcot, adding Mute Swan, Teal, Tufty, Wigeon, Mallard and Pintail to the 2010 Patch Race.
Like PC Wanderings' latest blog update, the lot were caused to lift by One Man and his Harris Hawk. And typically, the only bird not to return was the Pintail, a fabulous drake.
West Hartford at lunch (dog walking) was as dead as a dead thing, the highlight being two Common Buzzard together over the River Blyth.
Saturday, 5 February 2011
Friday, 4 February 2011
Mixed Bag
In summary:
Greatham Creek at 8am - good start with Knot and other waders west of the road bridge, and flying south to the east of it, a Little Egret (seen again twice at Saltholme later). No sign of the B-n Grebe tho'.
No Peregrines at the power station, and no white-winged gulls at either tip despite two visits to each. However, Latte later at Saltholme showed them at Seaton Meadows Landfill on BirdGuides, and whilst consuming caffiene, Peregrine fly past, distant but clear and NW.
Only one Long-eared Owl at Saltholme, and almost glued to the junction of branch and trunk so as to remain upright in the by-now, back to gale force winds (it was still and calm at 9am but quickly got back up to speed by 10am).
Back for Seaton Meadows - Take 3 - but this time viewing south from North Gare Road, over the Common, facing into the wind, so shaky optics (ooo-errr!!!), but immediate success with the juvenile Glaucous monster in the centre of the flock, giving the crows a hard time.
No time to eek out the Iceland nor anything else as it was home time.
Greatham Creek at 8am - good start with Knot and other waders west of the road bridge, and flying south to the east of it, a Little Egret (seen again twice at Saltholme later). No sign of the B-n Grebe tho'.
No Peregrines at the power station, and no white-winged gulls at either tip despite two visits to each. However, Latte later at Saltholme showed them at Seaton Meadows Landfill on BirdGuides, and whilst consuming caffiene, Peregrine fly past, distant but clear and NW.
Only one Long-eared Owl at Saltholme, and almost glued to the junction of branch and trunk so as to remain upright in the by-now, back to gale force winds (it was still and calm at 9am but quickly got back up to speed by 10am).
Back for Seaton Meadows - Take 3 - but this time viewing south from North Gare Road, over the Common, facing into the wind, so shaky optics (ooo-errr!!!), but immediate success with the juvenile Glaucous monster in the centre of the flock, giving the crows a hard time.
No time to eek out the Iceland nor anything else as it was home time.
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Two Ticks
Work at Aykley Heads yesterday gave an opportunity to return north via Ch-le-St and the chance of a Scaup and Mandarin. Guided in by my birding sat-nav (Foghorn), the car park was easily located, but the sum of my clearly hole-ridden pockets was a meager 50p and 60p was required. When you get to my age, 'living on the edge' entails leaving your car without a ticket for 20 minutes!! Sad or what?
Anyway, 50% success as below:
I would have posted a Scaup photo here, and a pretty good one, but since yesterday the blogging system throws it out!
The Mandarin lived to fight another day!
En route home, popped in to the Burton House PH again, the Waxwings still there, first two, then up to about 15 and very mobile in the apple tree. Male Blackcap was in the conifer next to the fruit and darted in, fed, and quickly went back to hide.
Anyway, 50% success as below:
I would have posted a Scaup photo here, and a pretty good one, but since yesterday the blogging system throws it out!
The Mandarin lived to fight another day!
En route home, popped in to the Burton House PH again, the Waxwings still there, first two, then up to about 15 and very mobile in the apple tree. Male Blackcap was in the conifer next to the fruit and darted in, fed, and quickly went back to hide.
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