Shorties

A brief seawatch from St Mary's Island this am resulted in only a Black throated Diver on the sea and a Merganser north , with some Purple sandpipers in the foreground . Walking back near the willows the Short Eared Owls where out and about  first one then another and briefly a third , hunting mainly over the wetland putting up Snipe first 6 then up to 20 , then ranging further  afield giving some cracking views  I rattled off numerous shots with varying results  so I have just put in lots for this post .

Mandarin & Short Eared Owl

Just a few images from the month 

Short Eared Owl from near Stobswood /Widdrington never came close harried by Corvids for most of the time

 The Barn Owls at Cresswell are certainly drawing the crowds this late evening just before darkness drops in digiscoped image

 Whilst it out flew the Crows it did prevent it from hunting over the grassland

 You can see the fascination  of Owls with the bright eyes looking down at you as they drift past silently

 Probably the closest it came lucky I had brought my DSLR as as good as it is the SX50 struggles with flight shots

 When Shorties drop on the ground they just blend in , I don't know why its wing is outspread it was not successful in hunting

 Slightly out of focus shot but I do like the wing spread

The recent Mandarin on the Wansbeck and with some sunshine to boot what a stunning bird these are  oddly the DSLR shots where very poor whereas the SX50 seemed to handle the bright sun and bold colours very well.

                                      

These two shots taken from the bridge before it went to settle with Mallards on a small island 

                                     
A section of the large flock of Pinkfeet at Stobswood that held the Ross's  goose spend some time on the pools with more a couple of fields over but no where near as many as previous it seems at this stage that many have moved on taking the Ross's with them

Prestwick Carr

Late afternoon and I headed to Prestwick Carr in the hope of Owls I did not go too early just enough time to have some daylight for a walk around down to the sentry post and back again to the platform just as well despite the sunshine it was freezing, Bullfinch ,Chaffinch, and lots of Goldfinch along the track hedge of the bumpy road , Willow Tit tantalised me with good views which I tried to capture  but they move around so fast all I photographed where twigs . I stopped now again to scan with the scope hoping for a roosting LEO hidden deep in the bushes but no luck .  Three Kestrels and two Buzzards encountered , heading back to the platform in the now fading light a  Tawny called from the plantation I got set up on the platform and just scanned and scanned the fading light gradually reducing how far I could see six Roe Deer hopped over a fence one by one and disappeared into the long grass . I tried the scope it seemed to gather more light but obviously a much narrower field of view , then suddenly a Short Eared Owl popped into view as it hunted in the distance, at one point it hovered in the air for what seemed like a few minutes but was probably only 10 or so seconds  I eventually lost it so looked through the bins but could not see very far at all , Surprised just how much more light the scope pulled in would not have seen the bird without it , Picked it up again with the scope and followed its progress till it was lost behind a hedge . I now turned my attention to the Moon and accompanying planets which where showing well but I dont have the gear to get any good shots , but in the setting of the Carr they did look impressive .

   

Willow Tit it took many shots to get anything decent , these birds move so fast
 

 Willow Tit with background Great Tit

 Field Vole

The Moon , Venus and Mars (just visible) much more impressive at the time , while I was looking through the scope at them something flew over my head I only heard the swoosh of wing beats , gave me quiet a fright in the near darkness no idea what it was .

Seaton Sluice to Holywell Pond

Saturday i took yhe fairly short walk from Seaton Sluice to Holywell Pond  via the dene then the old railway track rather quite through the early part of the dene before you cross the small bridge and head up the hill and through the wood edge onto the old rail or wagonway track , not sure what it was it's clearly man made banked on both sides . Seemed to be lots of magpies around just now groups of 6 or more and groups of 20 -30 I wonder if they move during the winter or could some of these be from the continent . A single Pinkfoot in the flooded potato field but a couple of skiens over one I counted c140, the pond held the usual wildfowl a SEO was a nice one for the year as it quartered the  east edge , 60+ Greylag in the east field and 4 Grey Partridge, just a pleasant afternoon out , I would recommend this walk there are numerous permutations through the dene itself an onto St Marys or follow the wagonway and eventually come out at the farm and head down to the Cem via the edge of the golf course

 Melton Constable pub in the middle then looking onto Blyth bay

Redwing

 obliging Kestrel

Looking from the track back onto Holywell Pond this pond is good for waders at the right time of year.

Short Eared Owl

An afternoon at Holywell Pond a Short -Eared Owl hunting on the rough grass on the way down to the hide , single Scaup on the pool the only bird of note.

 Short -Eared Owl hunting on a bright sunny  afternoon it did make a kill but it was robbed by a Kestrel that swooped in the Owl dropped the prey and the Kestrel looked for it in the grass eventually flying off with its prize

 Numerous Rats feeding on the spillage from the feeders