Long Eared Owl

While we had that spell of "showers" last week a break in the clouds saw me head to Druridge  in the hope the Long Eared Owl would be in flight also taking advantage and perhaps hunting near the hide , it was not long before one showed although distant it gave good views in the scope and a couple of times coming fairly close although the light was still very dull for flight shots and I failed to get anything decent .At one stage a juvenile flew up to meet it as it returned to where they where roosting in a pine , it caught prey several times and then sat obligingly on the fence so I got some digi via the scope , a juvenile dropped in front of the hide also , I was glad to have dragged myself out of the house even on such a dull day  the LEO's performed brilliantly . 

A couple of videos stitched together by the production team    !!!!!! seeing Leo's out in the daylight it's worth a go .

 Having them sit still helps with exposure on such a dull day

 I took numerous flight shots and really should have had some better results , most problems being the inability to get a focus as it flew past

 Juvenile Heron in stealth mode ..

You've Guessed It !!

Yes you have probably guessed that this is another post of  a visit up the coast taking in Cresswell Pond , Druridge Pools , and East Chevington  this was a reasonable day with some sunny spells and I spent a long day looking for subjects to photograph , Cresswell  still had about 10 little Gulls and 3 Avocets, but little else of  note ,Tree Sparrows are nesting in the roof of the barns in the adjacent farm, I remember as a child when when most boys used to go bird nesting that Tree Sparrows where very hard to get they used to build a large untidy dried grass nest way up high in a Hawthorn  now they seem to either only use nest boxes or buildings.
Druridge Pools in the am held nothing out the ordinary so I checked for insects  etc
; Ringlet ,Meadow Brown , and Speckled Wood  on the wing .
East Chevington 2 Marsh Harriers on show  and by now it was warm and sunny and I had now swapped my rain hat for a sun hat and headed off in search of flowers, plenty of Common Spotted , and Northern Marsh Orchids , Birds Foot Trefoil very common , Rest Harrow, Milkwort, and carpets of Bloody Cranesbill , hundreds of Twayblade  a rather bland looking Orchid till you get a good look at it , also some very nice Marsh Helleborine  and I even found a new flower to me in the form of  Lesser Meadow Rue . Back at the car the Marsh harriers showing well  I videoed one sitting  on a small bush  a Barn Owl came over and quartered the site eventually flying off with prey.
Headed back to  Druridge and  encountered another Barn Owl , plus a M/F Marsh Harrier, the only sign of Long Eared Owl was one bird sitting on a fence post , the light failing I headed home but was surprised to find another Barn Owl hunting near Cresswell , turned out to be one fantastic day .

 About ten Little Gulls at Cresswell

 Speckled Wood at Druridge

 Twayblade

 Birds Foot Trefoil gets it's name from the seed case  which resembles you've guessed it a Bird's Foot

 Marsh Helleborine this one with a small beetle.

 Common Blue

 Lesser Meadow Rue  the flowers look more like bananas

 Long Eared Owl  not the quality of some more recent photos of these birds , but I'm pleased with it as it was right over the other side of the field !

Tree Sparrow at Cresswell

 Barn at East Chevington

 Druridge

and Cresswell by now it's getting dark and the end of a fantastic day !!!!
Marsh Harrier

Foxy Photos !!!!!!!

Spent Saturday at one or three places ,a few Silver Y moths around today , the lesser Scaup still at Marden Quarry I got some good digi shots of it and a Great Spotted Woodpecker but had forgot to put the card in the camera so now they are on the internal memory and I don't know how to get them off as yet. Came across this Fox it was at first hidden in the grass but to my surprise it just kept coming closer and closer till I had to reduce the length of the lens to get it in , I felt sure the shutter sound would scare it off but no it may have been that it was investigating , the wind in my favour till suddenly it must have got a hint of my "Lynx" and contrary to the ads it was off so it does not work on FoX .

Holywell Pond held little to hold me for long a Hawker from the hide failed to be identified so I headed off to Prestwick  Carr one Short Eared owl on show and one Long Eared deep in cover with a Little Owl calling briefly.

Prestwick Carr

Another couple of photos from Prestwick Carr and another short video of a bird sitting on the fence I am getting into video more as it can show some behaviour difficult to capture in a still shot, so its practice ,practice just need the subjects ...Sandhill Crane would have been nice   !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 This is at least a nice pose as it looks intently at us looking intently at it !!!!!

 A visit to Holywell Pond before going to Prestwick this Med Gull in with the Black -Headed

 This Heron came just along the shore so I tried to just capture the head

Could not resist this rabbit as it and others came out late afternoon in front of the East hide at Holywell

More of the LEO and SEO's

Pleased this week to have another one of my photos this one  the Bonaparte's Gull at Seaham , published in Birdwatch magazine.

Here are  somemore  of my photos of the LEO and SEO's

 Those eyes are just stunning and really bring the bird to life

 some of the Short Eared Owls in the late afternoon sun they always kept there distance although in reality giving stunning views you do need a fairly large lens to capture detail.

 Three birds briefly drifted over the track not giving me time to change my settings so they are a little dark

 I like the pose of this one just looking down at me looking a little puzzled

 and just a series of the same bird as it drifted across the track and down behind the hedge

 Spotted Redshank that plied between St Mary's , Beehive Flash and Holywell Pond also another Adult Med Gull here they seem to be  regular now I wonder if they may be spreading out from Newbiggin

 It seemed to eat a large amount of fish and always looked as though it was masticating or crushing it before actually swallowing . Still not sure if it actually caught the fish or they are dead or dying near the edge as I have also seen Black-headed Gulls and a Ruff eating fish here.

 The Leo has turned away again but has some nice light on its side !

One of a run from the top picture just looking down again as it relaxes

SEO/LEO

Well first the Sandhill Crane what a fantastic but  brief event , it was past before I heard about it  so all I could do was follow its progress South , AC even got some good flight shots of it , a fantastic  one off opportunity for a County first .

Sorted a couple of shots of the Owls at Prestwick Carr the Long Eared was in deep cover  and mostly either kept its eyes closed or was looking down .

 Coming to at the time a favoured post with prey.

 Some digiscoped shots as most of the flight shots turned out rubbish this night

 Absolutely cracking birds  and a privilege to watch

 Penny for your thoughts !!!

This one had tufts erect so not as relaxed as it could be , but with cars going past and people chatting