Gosforth Park....Binless !!!

Last week I paid a visit to Gosforth Park, when I arrived at the feeding station  I automatically reached for my bins to find I had obviously left them on the hall table , how the hell I can come out without them  is beyond me as even if  I'm not going birding I will still put them in the car, so I had two cameras monopod and clamp,Scope  flask and sarnies and had to resort to using my 400 lens to check stuff out. Well I was out so make the most of it and I walked around the entire reserve then back to the hide, most bird life was on the south side where I also encountered a Roe Buck crossing the field, got into the hide set the scope up and had a look through the wildfowl which was mainly Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall, 2 Mute Swans ,2 Canada Geese I'm not a fan of Canadas the feral population has grown enormously over the years this must have an impact on other water birds. Well birding without bins is a complete waste of time how those guys go around Prestwick etc: with just a camera is beyond me , I headed back to the feeding station which is starting to run down as many birds have paired off and looking for nest sites so I headed off home where sure enough my bins lying just where I had left them...!!

Roe Buck with the nearby housing estate in the background he is in a hurry to get over to the woods

...........and he seems rather excited !

 A few Wigeon came near the hide so you have to take advantage of such opportunities as they soon moved much further off

 A very common wildfowl but nevertheless a nice bird either in flocks or individuals

 Male Wigeon

Filtering out food through his bill 

Prestwick Carr

Last week it was such a miserable day I decided not to turn out but mid afternoon the sun came out and it was terrific so I headed up to Prestwick Carr as I have not been for a week or two and still not caught up with the shrike , just as I got up the hill towards Cramlington the sky darkened and it absolutely poured down but it just looked as though it be a shower so I pressed on . Parked at the top of the lane and headed down SEO could be seen through the hedge quartering the field  when I reached the gate there where three birds but well apart and some way off ,one landed on the fence so I got some hasty digi shots  and a shot of a Buck Roe Deer with its head just showing in the tall grass . Reports received that the GG Shrike had been seen down by the lane of the Bridle path now this is a long walk so I thought I would give it a go before it got to dull  but I scanned with the bins just a short way along and thought I could see the shrike along the hedge but a long way off so scope up a sure enough there it was but I could see from its location it would be impossible to see from the bridle path so that would have to do for today. The Owls by this time where coming somewhat nearer but the light was also fading and despite taking numerous photos have deleted them all after posting one flight shot, still it was fantastic to see  them giving stunning views through the scope, I headed home happy looking forward to a glass/1/2 bottle/ or bottle of wine ? (only 1/2 bottle in the end)