End of Year (2019)

Richardson Dees Park

Kingfisher

Very obliging bird but always in the darker areas of the park. Fabulous oasis in the middle of Wallsend. Arboretum, Park and Wallsend Hall Park all inter-connected.

Easy to have a full day out there if you head for Wallsend Swallow Pond (Rising Sun Country Park)  as well.

Rothbury Riverside

Bullfinch

Dipper

Robin

New Year's Eve

Cragside

Lovely to see 5 Whooper Swans on the North Lake, Nelly's Moss. Most unexpected.

Oops forgot Title...

Mediterranean Gull

Jackdaw

Interesting Plumage

Great week along the coast, good sunrises and good birds.

Goldeneye

'Don't look back!'

Scaup (Drake)

Marsh Harrier

Bullfinches in early morning light.

Topping up the Vitamin C levels.

Black Redstart

Eventually the camera adjusted to the early morning light.

Dunstsanburgh Castle

Grey Heron

Ivy-leaved Toadflax

The Hirsel

The Hirsel

This estate is just outside Coldstream in the Scottish Borders. A lovely place to visit (a little muddy in places). Great woodland walks, open spaces and a lake (Parking £1:50 for the day).

Winter Heliotrope

Ladybird

'Reindeer Food'

 

Bullfinch

Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Long-tailed Tits, Buzzard and all the other common resident species.

Highlights however were a calling Chiffchaff and best of all a Bittern flying over the lake and landing in the reeds.

The power of the Nikon P900. The Buzzard is in the top right of the right hand tree. The picture below was taken from the same position, handheld on full zoom. Imagine what you can get with the Nikon P1000.

White Dead-nettle

(Dead ... because they don't sting.)

Hogweed

 

I am reliably informed (thanks MPF) that the colouring is due to anthrocyanins which protect plants from the cold weather conditions. This colouring changes a plane flower into a stunning one.

Around the Corner

Fields full of winter Thrushes from Chevington to inland sites like Powburn.

Bullfinches have started pairing up.

The locals are stalking Roe Deer

Snowdrops

... I even ventured into the hills. Buzzards, Siskin, Meadow pipits and Crossbills. There seems to be a huge pine crop everywhere which probably explains the lack of Crossbills on the coast this winter.

Well spring isn't far off with Skylarks singing (10 at Chev).

Looking at Me?!

Another Bullfinch

TD and JD picked out this bird at Druridge. I returned later to try and get a decent shot. Unfortunately my camera was more interested in focussing on the branches rather than the bird.

Little Owl

East Chevington was 'waderful' today. The Spotted Redshank (found by JF) gave itself up, A Grey Plover in amongst 150 Golden Plover was a nice find. 10+ Black-tailed Godwits showing how the water levels on the pools can be a great attraction for birds. If only the Wildlife Trust would manage the reserves better we could have stunning habitats for visiting birds and the general public.

Where are the Thrushes?

Post holding telephone cables Druridge. (Tree without branches as far as this Woodpecker is concerned.)

The light quality recently has been poor, as a result lots of grainy photographs.

This was a surprise find flying over the reedbed and into he trees.

Thoughts of American Wigeon as I scanned and found this green-headed bird. However a quick glance showed it had a lot of Malard characteristics. (Wigeon x Mallard hybrid)

The birding has been hard this week but I've still managed some good common finds: Woodcock, Twite, Short-eared Owl, Bearded Tit.

This year I haven't found anything really extraordinary and yet I've had more time to look. I think it goes to show that finding unusual birds is 99% luck. Right place, right time!

Even today as I walked round the last cove at Newbiggin, a bird with a white rump flew away from me. October 31st it had to be good. Surely not my fourth? I carefully made my way around the point and there it was ... 'Bog-Standard' Wheatear. A late bird and good to see ;-)