Blyth Estuary/Cresswell/Shibdon Crake

17th August had a look at the Blyth estuary a Redshank every few yards along both shores , with Curlew spaced further apart all keeping to their patch,25 or 26 Heron sitting in the centre of a field showing the area does not much disturbance, beside the boat yard Ringed Plover on the mud Water Rail calling from the reeds but no sign of anything else, Kestrel and Magpie sat about 2' feet apart on the fence eyeing each other and a young Fox playing along the field edge.At least 25 Heron in this group
Looking across to the north west a footpath runs along the south but nothing on the other side

Most buuterflies looking a little worse for wear probably from a bird strike.

The 18th headed up the coast stopping at Woodhorn flash ,but only a couple of Common Darter around, also looked at QE11 pond for gulls especially looking for juvenile Common as you can get close here (with the right bread)but only a few Black headed around carried on to Linton pond not been much since the tip closed ,really miss my Gull watching sessions.

Snab point the next stop for a bit of Cetacean watching ,well thats the theory after an hour later still nothing so on to Cresswell.

The water level still high so no sandbar ,5 Greenshank Common Sandpiper & and a Ruff along the west shore, also 2 Goldeneye and a Pintail with a Buzzard high up. Stopped at the point for another 45mins but still nothing.
The 19th I headed over to Shibdon to see the Sptted Crake not seen one for awhile , it was a suuny day so I stopped at Big Waters to look for Dragonflies ,found a Southern Hawker hanging up so took my fill of shots , but only the one ,also Azure, Blue Tailed and a few Common Darter, Small Copper 3 , and a Wall Brown.

Shibdon ,went to the hide after having a scan from the edge, the Crake showed after about 10 mins coming into the open but someway off, you definitely needed a scope took some digi shots ,but the bird was not out the same time as the sun ,which makes a huge difference to digiscoping

One Greenshank (expected more waders) 5 Little Egrets, 2 Water Rail, Common Terns

Fungi always catch my eye ,so I have to take a couple of photos, not the usual look underneath !

Could only get three together.
The Egrets favouring this huge Willow as does the Cormorants
In company with a Juvenile Water Rail
Looking over from the hide , the bird being in the far corner !!! , the water level has been dropped.
It spent some time in the open , but the distance is really to far and the light not good