Waxwing walk

Well today I could not go far another bout of Conjunctivitus  this time my vision was slightly  blurred so no driving for me some ointment from the chemist should soon see it OK . Headed up towards Cramlington on the bus ,walked along the Horton Burn from the Old Fire station(actually it looks very modern but has been replaced with one at West Hartford) right through the estate to Nelson  ,so sign of Kingfisher or Dipper apart from the odd Blue Tit there was nothing . later in the distance I could see the outline of some birds sitting in the treetops they look like Waxwings to me and sure enough legging it much nearer the bins revealed the outline of numerous Waxwings 14 in all later increased to 18 most where well spread flitting into the air apparently flycatching but what ,I have no idea todays light as you know was rather dire  so even though they where obliging the light was not and I could only get what I  describe are poor record shots ,pity as they frequently flew off there perch and returned to the same place. As I was taking some shots  being stood still some Siskins had moved to  just behind me feeding on Alder again they where very close but shooting against the light is never good , but never mind 2 more birds for the parish list . headed towards Northumlandia to look for Owls over the opencast but only a Kestrel which ended the day.

Edit :  I had sent a report of these waxwings to Birdguides but apparently I sent a control message and not a report message , go figure !!! 

 2 of eventually 18 waxwings

 The face of Northumblandia someone stood to the left to give you the scale

 Siskins on Alder

 Waxwings will tolerate you just so far and then their off

Waxwings

I had forgotten  about taking  these,the Waxwings near Asda, I was working so just called in on passing the four birds sitting above me as I sat in the car but they would not come down till I moved . they have been thin on the ground although I have been looking , checking any berry source I could find, but as I don't use Asda  I never got around that way , not sure how long they stayed in total but numerous birders caught up with them, so that's probably it till next winter .

Yesterday coming through Cramlington on the bus picked out some Waxwings along Horton Drive which seems to attract them every year not sure how many there was  I saw 3-4 ,but past so quickly.

Thursday 17-11-11 headed off to Big Waters to have a look at the two Bewick's Swans that have been around for a couple of days, dont think I saw any last year and the year before just two birds late in the afternoon .

One of these birds seems to have a gape in the bill more so than the other bird , Whoopers would have the odd nip at them or at least one , I counted 19 Whoopers but did not count everything  as I wanted to head next to Prestwick Carr and try and catch up with the Great Grey Shrike , it had been seen in the morning but I knew others had tried and failed and that was my fate no sign of the bird .

I did however have 4-5 Short- eared Owls , 4 Common Buzzards 3-4 Kestrels , numerous Fieldfare a single Willow Tit along the track as where numerous birders & Photographers. I also failed to get any flight shots of the owls but did get a couple as they sat around and a very short video more a silhouette , but it gives a feel of the night.

 Two Bewick's not as regular  as years past

They kept loosely together

 

Whooper Swans near the island Big Waters

This bird had a pronounced gap in the bill not sure if it is just the way it's holding it after feeding or slightly deformed ?

I  cant see any difference in the bill patterns of these two birds . 

Now that's a pose pity it was so far away

And finally a very short video ,just before it got too dark  !!

Waxwings ...19th January

19th January  went along to Holywell Pond via Cramlington  to have a look for the Waxwings only four birds present ,also a male Blackcap, the light was rather dull as is usually the case when birds are showing well , on to the pond a couple of Mistle thrush on the track but the pond held very little so I called at the harbour ,RN Grebe still round got some video but it was too shaky and noisy ,more shots of colour ringed Shags and that was another day over.

Included this as the bird has just fluffed up its feathers making it look rather bulky

 Digiscoped images

"Whats that noise ?"

"Probably just one of those tossers with a camera "

Waxing ...............2010

Finally caught up with a few Waxwings which I found for myself , and a couple of hours along the estuary ,a lot of the snow has gone but so has the nice sunny days and it was rather dull and overcast over  the last couple of days of 2010 , about a dozen Waxwings feeding on a few berries of White Hornbeam, a flock of about 80+ Fieldfare  feeding on those orange berries of Pyracantha  also present a flock of 120 Linnets with about 12 or so Twite in amongst them, they are all very flighty though this area is popular with dog walkers  .The field opposite was awash with waders obviously feeding on what ever has come to the surface after the thaw

 Waxwings dropping in to feed on White Hornbeam, they like to perch on a higher tree nearby and then drop in to feed

 They seemed to drop a few and I should have checked them to see if they where being selective or just clumsy

 Fieldfare a winter speciality had some over the house the other day but not in the garden

Two of the Twite in with the Linnets ,the flock very mobile when not sat atop the tallest trees

Fieldfare will probably end this year and start 2011

A Walk in the White Stuff

I had a walk around the area past a couple of old reservoirs most birds seen where along a stream through an estate , its not till you look in the gardens till you realize just what a haven they are , last years tree with white berries which attracted a dozen or so Waxwings is still laden, the berries must be unpalatable to thrushes ( though I can't see why) the sides of the stream free from snow with a mob of Chaffinches & Tits just keeping ahead of me ,also a number of Song Thrushes, and a pair of Bullfinch , the first reservoir had some open water with a few Mallard and plenty Moorhen, its times like these that you realize how common they are at least 15-20 on this small area .

Out of suburbia and into the fields 4 Greylag in the middle of a field a long way off but still they took off instantly, more Skylarks over and 2 dropped into a field , an area usually alive with birds had nothing at all and this was the case for most of the walk, the area around the other reservoir also usually has a large mixed flock of Finches and several Bullfinch with the occasional Barn Owl but again nothing , it was not until I got back around to the estate , when a male Reed Bunting popped up just in front of me the perfect pose, camera raised & focused,refocused and focused again ,idiot I had knocked the close setting off !! another shot missed , checked the Waxwing tree again nothing, but just next to a bus stop a single Redwing caught my eye so popping away just as a Bus pulled up and me, pointing my camera up at what looked a bare tree........anorak !!
Slim pickings on this tree, don't just look at it get it down your neck !!
Its behind you !!! ........................ only two photos on this walk , my legs where aching when I got back home , it's hard going through snow