More "Legs"

Is it just me but isn't it a mouthfull saying Greater Yellowlegs numerous times then add Lesser Yellowlegs into the conversation , then try saying either when your numb with the cold ...............................

What a difference a couple of days makes in birding terms, I and several others headed off to Hauxley in the semi-gloom of Saturday night in the hope of seeing this County first, just in case it  was one day wonder, I was going to say it now seems settled but I see it has relocated to Chevington again. There are now many images of this great bird ,but there is nothing better than getting your own photos .

 This one from the wader hide , as I said it was odd this is a very big hide and everyone crowded around the end window as the bird although it could not get much nearer was hidden in the corner. It did take two brief  walks out , till eventually it flew off from right beneath us .

 While looking at the Grey Phalarope , I turned to answer a comment from another birder and right in front of us the "Legs " just walking past

 I'm guessing that is some sort of snail it is about to swallow

I noticed this White- front  as I walked past it had its head up although distant, till I walked along to check it out ,where it lay prone either playing dead or doing it 's best to hide. What do you do in this situation , carrying all my gear and trying to get over the fence to check it out  seemed a non starter , having seen the geese further along , this bird was gone on my return, so lets hope it  caught up with the others  !!

I thought I had been tracking the wrong bird till I had a good look at this photo . The Redshank is having a real go at the Greater Yellowlegs , which is nearly submerged.

There where a few opportunities of flight shots but always too distant this is the best I could get as it came over to the right of the Ponteland hide

This is near as I got to the Phalarope you could see it across the pond right outside the "Eric" hide  a mass of lenses sticking out the windows  with somebody using a flash, it eventually came over but only briefly , long enough for a digi shot in the previous post.

Greater Yellowlegs & Grey Phalarope

An early start at Hauxley to catch up with the Greater Yellowlegs , I had seen it on Saturday but it was rather late in the day and no chance of any photographs. Started at the Ponteland hide and was surprised to find it empty, the Grey Phalarope still around but no sign of the "legs", scanned from the Tern hide and could see the bird just to the side of the new wader hide so I legged it around . It was odd to see this large hide with everbody huddled around the end windows as the bird was so far in the corner  you couldn't see it .   So when it did show I was unable to get the camera on it so I digiscoped it . After getting my fill of both birds I headed off to look for the White- fronts located just along the beach road I counted at least 65 -70 . Headed back to the Ponteland hide just to have my late lunch with the hope the Phalarope & Yellowlegs would come over to that side which they did to some extent ,"Erics"hide  on the far side was packed one guy to the side had his tripod over the fence while he looked through his scope on the other side  !!!!

Ended the day at East Chevington , with Green Winged Teal, Short Eared Owl and a few Thousand Starlings but they only performed briefly and all had dropped in by 10 past 4

With the hide packed I got some digi, and actually unknown at the time it's trying to cough up a pellet   !!!

I was just going to bin this one but  watching it the bird actually does cough up a pellet it's so quick

The Grey Phalarope was rather distant so again I first got some digi

Surprised with this one as I was looking at the monitor the Phalarope came into view and at one stage chased off the much "Greater" bird in size and name.

The Phalrope drops in near the Ponteland hide

65-70 and perhaps more White-fronted Geese just North of Hauxley