Brown, Brown, Brown ...

but everyone a stunner!

Herring Gull

2nd Winter

Ringed Aust-Agder Norway 24/06/2015

Observed Telemark, Norway 17/09/2015

Observed Amble, UK (TM) 24/01/2017

Observed Amble, UK (DE) 14/02/2017

Reed Bunting

Pochard (Orangey/Brown)

10 (9 male) Chev

3 (3 male) DBCP

Northumberland Wildlife Trust

Love Them

Northumberland Wildlife Trust

Thanks

Black-tailed Godwits

Twite

no I said TWITE!

Stonechat

Now that's a bucket!

Buzzard

Triplets ... I said, not Cutlets?

Triplets for this pedigree Texel (above).

Great chat with farmer who obviously has a passion for his sheep.

Cultivated ... sorry!

COLD

Well what a miserable few days. Dark, wet and a cold wind that penetrated all the layers I was wearing. Thoroughly unpleasant.

At least the natural world offered plenty to cheer me up.

.

Pacific Diver made it on to my WeBS count on Sunday. It has been flying around a lot in recent days and I thought it might leave. But, apart from a quick excursion to DBCP, it seems settled at Chev.

Cuttlebone (or Cuttlefish bone)

It's actually a gas filled, internal shell of the Cuttlefish and used for buoyancy. Lots of small ones washed up on the shore this morning.

Hazel

What a treat on a cold day. The male flowers nice and obvious and rarely given a second glance.

However, get in closer and you find the female flower with the bright red stigmas.

Fabulous

Even the twigs have dense reddish hairs.

Plenty to See

Watched this Water Rail preening for over 10 minutes. Quite a treat!

Knot

The falling tide at Newbiggin hosts a fantastic number and variety of waders just now.

Purple Sandpiper

Most Stonechats are now paired up. We can probably expect some early fledglings this year (End of March?).

Ruby Tiger Moth caterpillar

Roe Deer

(Capreolus capreolus)

Nice pale Redpoll. Not an Arctic though. Apologies for the pathetic shots but it was dark.

Aaaah!

Teasel