A Few Hours on the Patch

The feeding station still failing to attract the Redpolls even though there were only a few metres away. There is obviously lots of food in the alder cones still.

The population of Pink-footed Geese has risen to over 5000 (in three different flocks). The Ross goose still remains but as always it is very distant.

Finally the one (two) that got away. The Fox below and today on a snowy background a White Stoat (Ermine) both evaded the camera.

Looking Back

About to throw out some old journals and came across a few interesting ones. Thought I'd better give them a scan before dumping them all. (I will post on Twitter when I'm getting rid of them in case someone wants them.)

With last year's decision to reverse the acceptance of this record it made interesting reading about the initial decision. I remember the bird well! I entered the Budge Hide unaware of how many people could get into that small space. I manage to make a complete nuisance of myself as there wasn't room for one more. The only person I remember in the hide was MPF. Someone kindly let me look through their scope and I tried to estimate its position in the field. The following photographs of coppicing are timely, as when I left the hide I was able to scan the field from the road (impossible now the vegetation has grown).

I managed to locate the bird, through my scope, really easily and my most vivid memory was that of the bird ducking down as a Curlew flew over calling. It was clearly  a very different bird. (pity it wasn't an adult like the cover photo on BB).

Goldeneye

Two different looking Tufties

This Heron, on waste ground Hadston, got a second look because of the brown carpals. It didn't have any more brown and my thoughts of Great Blue quickly disappeared  ... got to try harder.

Aaaagh ... best thing at Hauxley today.

Local Patches

Lots of brding over the last few days. Too many highlights to mention. A few of note though: Egyptian Goose at Druridge and Chevington, Swallows, Sandwich terns, Willow warblers and Ruff

Shoveler at Druridge

Willow warbler at East Chevington

Chevington feeders supplying a welcome splash of colour.

Bunting on Beach

Early morning at Chev, roe deer, stoat, brown hare and whooper swan.
The feeders were busy and a Bunting on the beach was nice, even though it was an unexpected reed Bunting.

Bird Spotting

Blue Tit playing hide-and-seek. (As successful as me hiding behind an elephant.)

Reed Warbler hiding in the reeds. (But couldn't keep his mouth shut; reminds me of me!)

A Red Kite with a darker bird had me dreaming of the two birds on the Farnes yesterday. Pleased with the Red Kite, the smaller, darker raptor was one of the Juv Marsh Harriers.

Finally as the North Pool had been revealing a nice muddy edge and regular sightings of Water Rail; several people predicted Spotted Crake. So 15:30 today, a Spotted Crake (Juv) walked back and forth. It was often obscured by the reeds but wouldn't pass the Grey Heron (at one end of a 5m strip of shallow water) and  Snipe at the other end. It revealed the white leading edge when it was startled by the Snipe, and the obvious buff undertail coverts where the main clinching obs. The flank makings were fairly difficult to make out which led me to think it was a Juv.