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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)