Fabulous Finch Flocks

Siskin

Plenty of Thistle heads and Meadowsweet seeds providing a good food source for the Goldfinches and a few of their associates. They are quite flighty maybe because the Sparrowhawk population also seems to have increased.

Redpoll

Wagtails and Pipits are on the move, along with a trickle of Skylarks.

Bar-tailed Godwit

Still enough Wheatears to keep the pulse racing ... wait until late October for the heart stoppers?

Bar-headed Goose, one of seven in the bay.

Early morning on Newbiggin Golf Course

Snow Bunting Beacon Point, Newbiggin

Pink-footed Geese

Plenty of these on the move!

One more!

Lunar ...cy

02:18

Who in their right mind gets up at 02:00 to do this?

Bonkers

02:21

02:24

02:31

02:35

02:43

02:53

02:59

03:04

03:07

03:18

03:33

No Apologies ...

A text from ATh informed me of 2 Male Bearded Tits at Chev Saturday late afternoon. Sunday (after the F1) I checked out the reedbed. No Luck.

A walk round to the SE corner and bingo!

It is amazing how one bird (or 2 in this case can brighten the day).

Apologies to JA but they really do exist :-)

Not only did they show but they were really close.

No apologies for all the photos but they're just brilliant (the birds not the photos).

The rest of the day was pretty dull (not really).

2 Arctic Skuas, 3 Sandwich Tern, Treecreeper (a rare bird on the patch), Redpoll, Lesser White-fronted Goose, Bar-headed Goose, Sparrowhawk, 2 Wheatears and an ever increasing Pink-footed Geese flock.

That Time of Year ... aah or aaargh?

Update on the Redshank 225. It was ringed 15/08/2015 Ythan estuary as a juvenile. I observed and photographed the bird Hauxley 04/09/2015.

300 Pink-footed Geese Chev today (25/09/2015) and a few Greylags. Bothal is THE place for Canada Gs at the moment. 5 Bar-headed at Chev.

Above and Below Autumn contrasts

Missing Twitter currently but it has made me a nicer person. Not slagging off  NWT every second of the day. Just one thought though! A few months ago I cancelled my subscription by stopping my DD, within 2 days I had letters (snail mail asking why and enclosing another DD form to complete). Last week I sent an email to NWT (who boast a team of 60 workers) I am still waiting for a reply?

Ponteland hide well worth a visit especially with some big tides soon, although this may clear the fragrant odour which visitors and locals are enjoying presently (or do they just like my splash of Brut)?

Brent Geese back at Holy Island so when there are few migrants about the day always has its rewards.

Anticipation

Willow Tit (Newbiggin)

This time of year is always one of excitement. My trip to Newbiggin started with a small warbler threading its way through the irises. Patience was needed as it was sure to give itself up, and sure enough a snarling call and a brief flit through the fence was enough to confirm its ID. Sedge Warbler!

This warbler played a similar game at Chev but it was close to its nest site so not so much of a surprise. Reed Warbler!

This adult winter Little Gull was a welcome visitor to the Ponteland Hide, Hauxley. Although one of the Black-headed Gulls took a dislike to it?

Not a Partridge and Not a Pear Tree?

Magic Moment

Pintail (Druridge)

New path at Hauxley

Y-bW at Druridge this morning only gave brief views but was very vocal. So I headed to Spittal car park and was greeted by a loud pssweet, however it came from this Pied Wagtail not a Y-bW.

Still a few butterflies on the wing.

The beach at Hauxley ...Rock Pipit and Wheatear.

Whinchats at Chev, Hadston and Newbiggin and a Redstart at Hadston my other highlights.