Geese ,Geese and more Geese

Tuesday 8th January was as you know a much brighter day but very cold with that westerly adding to the chill factor I headed up the coast via Lynemouth stopping at the flash  which held about 100 BH Gulls but the field had  a few hundred Wood Pigeons  and a flock of Corvids  with 3 Redshank being the only waders ,passing Cresswell Pond several cars in the car park as usual these days so I headed to the next one Long Tailed Duck noted just on the edge of the reeds buty could not make out much else in the strong light, I could hear Pinkfeet so immediately looked up in the sky seeing non I realised they where in the field going up the hill ,Greylags in the foreground but hundreds of Pinks  behind and disappearing over the hill , a succession of cars pulled up along the fence  I waited till they moved on and with camera and scope in the car and the window down parked along near a small pool.

Eventually they moved closer and many started to bathe in the pool ,with so much water around they probably are spoiled for choice, There cackle was loud and constant along with a low groaning or moaning sound which I've not heard before obviously some form of conversation was going on . I checked as far as I could see but no neck collars or colour rings could be seen , so I just enjoyed the spectacle till another car pulled up and they all moved off again so I headed North.

Pulled up the field that usually holds the Twite but no sign for me only Goldfinch flock with a few Greenfinch in, I got talking to farmer who was dumping manure in the field (this may bring something down as it spreads out)as he could not get to his usual site due to the flooded fields , I asked if the geese posed any problem "yes" was the reply the field with winter wheat in was there evening  roost he said it was now like a ploughed field and would probably be lost "but what can you do you just have to get on with it" was his last words.

Druridge Pools by the screen held good numbers of Teal & Widgeon I scanned through them but further north just beyond the old coal road a huge number of geese , I walked along with the scope but checked the outfall are on the beach for Snow Buntings first just in case , got myself on a slight hill and scoped the geese they just went on and on covered the field then into the next and even more in the adjacent  field no way could I count these so I counted 100 and multiplied it as I went through them I reckon up to 5,000 probably way off the mark  but it's not science its just an observation , again no neck collared birds to be seen and as far as I could tell all where Pinks, another flock of about 30 Goldfinch with a few Greenfinch fed around the cattle field(which is always worth checking) and a single Stonechat sat on the fence in front of me . 

Called again at Woodhorn on the way back no geese on the way up although you could miss them as they where down in the dip nearer the rail line Picked 2 Greenland Whitefronts in with the Greylag why they keep returning here is a puzzle , I found another bird with a few Greylag in-between the South flash and Summerhill Pond .

 Pinkfeet bathing in a small pool formed in the field by the road at Cresswell

 I estimated about 800+ here although they are also over the hill

This is about as near as they came ,till another car pulled up and they rapidly walked off

 Not the best digi pics I know but does show the extensive black

 The two birds kept close company and mostly with just there heads showing , so I had to endure the honking of horns etc, till I got some pics (funny you would think they would not let 12 year olds behind the wheel of a car )

And even a bit of video

Kicking off the New Year with 60

Well I made it out fairly early for a New Years day ,the first bird seen a Blackbird as I walked home in the early morning as it was still dark, got sorted and was out ,first stop the stubble field Snow Buntings flying around within seconds also a large flock of  Yellowhammers,Tree Sparrows Greefinch & Reed Bunting ,(Yellowhammers)some years I have found these hard to get in the early days of the year ,next stop Marden Quarry took about twenty minutes to get the Lesser Scaup with Goosander as a bonus . Desert Wheatear the next port of call ,parked at the power station I was the  only car but when I got to the beach I could see about a dozen birders tracking the bird along the beach much nearer Newbiggin, great I thought going to have to leg it right along the beach , a guy coming towards me asked is there something around ,yes a Desert Wheatear I said but its right along there ,but as luck would have it just as I said it the bird dropped in about 30' away  so there I was standing looking right down on it as it sat on the cliff side ,luckily I had brought the camera not thinking I would get to use it ,what a little star.

Headed further up the coast checked the Geese at Woodhorn most over a small rise no sign of the Bean Goose but White-fronts just over the hill , next stop Cresswell  checking fields for geese as I drove along, most of the Pinks where a field over from the road checked the few I could see, a helicopter over put the lot up but instead of them heading off they circled and most landed in the field near the road , I picked out some Bean and White-fronts as they first landed all with heads up but as the fed it was hard to find them , a Pinkfoot with a neck collar noted as IVD waiting for info on it, swing your scope round 180  and you could scan the finch flock which had mostly Linnets with Greenfinch ,Goldfinch, Chaffinch and some Twite . Stopped at Cresswell on the way back three Short -eared Owls near the car park two settled along the hedge before they all disappeared, also a pair of Stonechats nearby. Second last stop of the day back at the windmill to look over the ash lagoon but no sign of any SEO's , so the last stop of the day checking the geese out as they where now more in the open, picked out the Tundra  Bean Goose, and the four White -fronts of the Greenland race, so even though it was still light I was frozen stiff and unable to think where I could get anything new for the day I headed home , great start to the New Year 364 days left to go birding this year  !! 

 Lesser Scaup always gives itself up eventually ,but why is it always dull here

I digiscoped this one as it was some way off , so I thought  better get something before it disappears

 There must be several thousand Gigs of photos of  this bird around , so obliging for the patient  !!!

 That Alula is still dropped somewhat

Neck Collared Pinkfoot IVD

 Short Eared Owl hunting the dunes at Cresswell

 Not the best of shots this but I do like the look of concentration !!

 Another shot which looks a little odd as you can hardly see the left wing

These shots are actually the wrong way around as the bottom photo is with the camera ,I then set up my scope and took this , but trying to get the twigs out of the frame I moved just to far and it was off.

Stonechats  working the wall as I went back to the car

Tundra Bean Goose Woodhorn the White -fronts just too far.

Cresswell pond 28/3/11

Stopped off at Woodhorn area to look for the Greenland White-fronts which were in a field with Pinkfeet & Greylag  ,5 birds and also a European one took a few photos they seemed settled here with plenty of eyes to watch out as they feed about 12-15 Pinkfeet in with the flock.

Cresswell the next stop, American Wigeon  picked out near the pool edge although distant, about 120 Pinkfeet in the field next to the hide and a single Brent Goose with them , a pair of Mergansers on the pond the male with bouts of display as where some of the Goldeneye only 2 Snipe noted they are thin on the ground these days, not seen any Otters around for some time either, used to be seen regular here. A Heron took an Eel by the sand bank and after making very sure it was dead swallowed it actually swallowed it about three times as it kept coming back up ,it then spent a great deal of time trying to clean its bill in the water and a couple of times pushing it in the sand. very pleasant day adding some decent birds to my Birder on the Bus list. 

 Greenland White-fronts Woodhorn area

Eurasian White-front Woodhorn area. 1st Winter?

 American Wigeon Cresswell pond

Single Brent in with the Pinkfeet Cresswell pond a bit hazy looking into the light although the American Wigeon came onto the grass much nearer the haze was to strong.

 With many determined pecks and a few spearings the prey succumbed sort of ! when you watch Otters eat them they do it with such ease.

 Cresswell Pond looking West the Wigeon flock is just left of the fence

Cresswell Pond looking onto the sand bank, road and dunes beyond