Friday 28 May 2021

Here comes the Sun ..

... and its entire readership. A hot bank holiday is forecast and the $£%*&?@s will descend on the Druridge Coast. Already the Snab car park is occupied.


Calm, Calm





Magnificent

Photos do not do it justice but the pale fringing on the breast feather is a delight.





Home Patch Mega


Green Tiger Beetle




Roe Deer

The fawn was close by but well hidden.



Grey Partridge


Attention






So glad I'm not on Twitter any more. I would have been very rude about several  groups of people this week and then probably regretted my comments later. I guess this is the world we live in. 'Me Me Me'. Well I suppose I'm no different.

Probably time for a change of scenery.

 

Saturday 22 May 2021

Colourful


Excellent

Don't worry there is worse to follow.





Grey Squirrel

Copying the local Nuthatches.


Lords-and-ladies
or
Cuckoo Pint

Arum maculatum




Red Kite


Barnacle Geese
(flock of 11)

Left Yellow 4,  Right Blue 1
Ringed as 1 year old bird in 2020, Netherlands


Spotted Flycatcher

'Patch Birding' has its rewards.


A timely phone call from APr (Cheers) got me onto this Osprey just in time, as it was chased over the North Pool (Chev) by Curlews.




Ooh that has got to be painful.









 

Monday 17 May 2021

So Slow


Well so far it has been a funny spring. This was only my second Common Sandpiper of the year.


Spot the 'Odd One Out'


Little Gull and Black-headed Gull


Brown Hare



Aaah so cute. The Goose farm has opened several new branches. The general public love these birds. Big enough to see without binoculars. So pack your local reserves with them and keep everyone happy.


Reed Warbler

(Showing Well ... 'birderspeak)

It is not long ago that the place to catch a glimpse of one of these was to visit Gosforth Park. This year there are 10+ singing males at DBCP. Amazing when you see the size (small) of the reedbeds.


Alder Fly
Sialis Sp.

(Possibly Sialis fuliinosa?)

Zoom in and you can see the eggs on the stem.


No Mow May

Don't you just love a nature reserve!

 

Thursday 13 May 2021

Patch Joy


Oystercatcher


Whinchat 
(12/05/2021)


Yellow Wagtail


Wood Sandpiper
(13/05/2021)

I came across this beauty at East Chevington today. Obviously it wasn't on the main pools. It was in a small flooded area of the dunes with no cover. I approached the bird and instead of flying off it continued to feed.




When I returned an hour later it was still there. I saw a group c7 birders in the hide so informed them of its presence. I think they were almost as happy as I  was to see such a splendid wader close up.



St Mark's Flies


Stonechat (ad male)

On the same day I saw the Whinchat I also noticed the first Stonechat fledglings.


Wall Brown


No words necessary!

 

Tuesday 11 May 2021

Putting on a Show


Wood Sandpiper



Cuck oooo
Cuck oooo


Meadow Pipits on 'Guard Duty'


Hanging around. Still present for its fourth day. The Drinker Moth caterpillars are taking a hammering.


Grasshopper Warblers

Don't you just hate it when they skulk in the undergrowth. Such a difficult bird to see.


Note that this one also has some black on the bill, but not as extensive as the 'hide' bird.


Intruder
Intruder


Cinnabar Moth


Druridge Pools


House Martins

Only recently arrived but straight down to nest building and repairing.



'Mud Glorious Mud'