Sunday, November 28, 2010

November 28 2010

The morning after the night before, and I’m out in the garden with my custom made Snow-Ometer, it’s all very high tech but as you can see, it gives very accurate results…
Home-CIMG1779
… so after that experiment, I head out onto the roads, to gauge the slipperiness of the ice, all in the name of research you understand!
I can confirm that the A189, the Spine Road was, on a scale of 1 – 10 with 10 being not slippery and 1 being “oh my god I’m going to die!”, a 5. I got along there no problem, not so the woman in front, who ploughed into the near side crash barriers.

I arrive at Cresswell, kit up and head for the hide (on the way down three Woodcock lift from the ditch) and on opening the shutters, I see this…
Bittern
…and it stayed in the same place for 2 hours, and when it did go it just slinked off right into the reeds. The pond was 50% iced over with most of the duck hauled out on the far bank. Seven Red-breasted Merganser (5 drake) are all confused, they are in full display mode. Plenty of Teal and Wigeon, lesser numbers of Mallard and only a pair of Gadwall and a single Shoveler. Two Whooper Swans swim out of the reeds to be joined by three which flew in. Pink-footed Goose are heard but the flock is out of sight. A male Sparrowhawk catches a Starling but somehow it gets away and the spar flies off with no catch. I think these Magpie may have seen it before me,
 


So after the Bittern had gone, I head up to Druridge, stopping to try for the Twite. I did hear them but couldn’t see them.
Druridge had a canny flock of Goldfinch, with Siskin in with them
Goldfinch
 
The water was down from my previous visit so I can get to the main pool. A Shoveler shows nicely…
Shoveler
… and a Wigeon whistles for the mic. The Wigeon were pairing up with Coot. The Coot were diving for the weed that they eat and the Wigeon were scavenging from the Coot, first time I’ve seen that!
 
 


On the way back along past Bell’s Farm some Pink-footed Geese are near enough to have a go for some pictures
Pink-footed Goose

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Yellow-billed Stork

The Gambia

Yellow-billed Stork Yellow-billed Stork Yellow-billed Stork

Woolly-necked Stork

The Gambia

Wooly-necked Stork Wooly-necked Stork

White Stork

Spain

White Stork White Stork White Stork

Hungary

White Stork

Slovakia

White Stork

Black Stork

Northumberland

Black Stork Black Stork

Durham

Black Stork

Spain

Black Stork Black Stork Black Stork

Hungary

Black Stork

Slovakia

Black Stork

Siberian Stonechat

China

Siberian Stonechat Siberian Stonechat

Common Stonechat

Northumberland

Stonechat Stonechat

Long-toed Stint

China

Long-toed Stint

Black-winged Stilt

Spain

Black-winged Stilt Black-winged Stilt

The Gambia

Black-winged Stilt

China

Black-winged Stilt

White-cheeked Starling

Japan

White-cheeked Starling

Spotless Starling

Spain

Spotless Starling

Purple Glossy Starling

The Gambia

Purple Glossy Starling Purple Glossy Starling

Long-tailed Glossy Starling

The Gambia

Long-tailed Glossy Starling Long-tailed Glossy Starling

Common Starling

Northumberland
Starling
Starling
Starling

Black-faced Spoonbill

Japan

Black-faced Spoonbill Black-faced Spoonbill

Spoonbill

Northumberland

Spoonbill

Spain

Spoonbill Spoonbill Spoonbill

Hungary

Spoonbill Spoonbill

Mottled Spinetail

The Gambia

Mottled Spinetail