Harwood Forest

Harwood this week for the Crossbills parked just along from the turnoff to Harwood plenty of Crossbills in the nearby trees so I tried to digi them a bit breezy even here  the birds showed well but very active by the time I got the scope on one it had moved, Siskin Goldfinch and Chaffinch also around  it was a bit to overcast and cool to expect any Adders but I had a good look anyway. Cycled up the long drag and around to the more open area of Tutehill Moss where I just set up the scope, counting well over a hundred Crossbillls going in all directions some landing nearby but too far to photograph glad I got a couple of shots earlier. Two Great Spotted Woodpecker several Buzzards all too far away (actually nowadays I can see as many and sometimes closer much nearer home who would have thought it a few years ago !!!)  also in the distance a Raptor caught my eye through  the bins getting it in the scope I could see it was not a Buzzard it turned to avoid a Corvid and revealed itself to be a  Ring-tailed Harrier not sure where  it actually was located. It became rather duller so I headed back to the car where I hung around for ten mins or so but no Crossbills . Headed up to the Gibbet another 5-6 Crossbills here on the fence and the ground  even though I pulled up well short they all flew off, unfortunately no sign of any other raptors for me . Called at West Hartford looking from the road only a few gulls on the pond  a Fox heading for me turned and picked up something from the grass before heading out of view so ended the day.

 That's one powerful bill they have

 Not the sharpest but it does show the bill structure

 Found this lonesome pine trying to grow on a fence post

 It always look bleak if the suns not out !!!!
The long drag it s very hard to cycle up and dangerous to go down if you go tooo fast !!

Fox at West Hartford not sure whats it's picked the strong wind blowing the scope

March just ticks over..................

This week I can't remember just where I have been I did go to St Mary's on the bike a couple of times and also back to Druridge Bay ,most of the duck on the fields south of the track, still plenty Teal and several Shoveller 30 odd Tufted and a very large Otter spooked everything it went onto the small island for a second or two ,back into the water and disappeared, it was good to see Teal so close to the Oddie hide unfortunately your looking into the light ,no sign of any Geese ,and no sign of any Twite only 3 Red Throated Divers on the sea and a few Wigeon ,with 1 Stonchat on the fence of the dunes, Cresswell had 8-10 Tree Sparrow down the track to the hide the water level having dropped exposing the sand bank, and attracting Curlew Redshank & Lapwing .

Thursday I came across some Newt fencing , not the most attractive stuff I have seen about 1 mtr high used to confine in this case Great Crested Newt or other creatures, also used to confine prior to moving snakes etc, from a site due to be developed, not something I have seen before , but obviously a search on the net shows it is very commonly used , I remember the days when Newts where very common and could be found in most ponds , or is my memory wrong and they were even then on the decline.

I had to go to Cramlington so I called in at West Hartford 40 plus Teal and a couple of Gadwall with a dozen Oystercatchers, I took a detour to get to the water without spooking eveything only to have a Heron fly low over the water lifting the lot and they all settled out of sight , no small birds of any sort here this day , but it does have the potential for anything to drop in , I wonder what its lifespan will be as development can not be far away !!!!

October 1st.............................. already

It became sunny and warm late morning so I thought I would just check perhaps for the last time this year , a small pond which I have permission to visit on private land, several snipe lifted from the edge and usually a Heron or two if not at the pond then in the fields, I came across this stuff at the edge, larger than Rabbit droppings gelatinous balls dark brown all seemed individual pieces all along the west shore but presume just blown over that way as yet no idea what it is , any ideas ?
Common Dater still in good numbers but no sign of anything else , Goldfinch in small numbers as where Linnets, Chiffchaff singing as it fed in the tops , it gave me something to try and photograph anyway.
Went to Cramlington on the way back and then via West Hartford, a couple of weeks ago as I passed here a Lesser -black Backed Gull was feeding on roadkill in the middle of the road, not seen one do this before ,although it's probably common, about 50 Lapwing and a single Redshank was all I could see. They are building a new fire station here, the build is completely fenced off and workers have to go through a turnstile to get in or out , it looks very odd !!!!
It looks like I should have gone seawatching given the numbers of Poms seen , I thought about it but would have had to come back early anyway so my loss it seems .
This stuff looking a bit like Bladder Wrack pods no idea what it is ???

Chiff singing its head off

Single Redshank on West Hartford, actually the pools look OK ,but are drying up fast

22-12-06

Another visit to West Hartford for the Owls a much better day sunny and calmer weather,the owls where on show as soon as I got there flying across the rough grassland and mixing it up with each other but always at a distance took a few shots but still nothing special so I just enjoyed the view as they seemed to play with the Crows that tried to have a go at them .