That Old Chestnut Man ...............

Walking across the local market the other day I saw something I don't recall seeing for years ,a bloke selling "Hot Roast Chestnuts  " I remember  one used to stand on the same corner every winter in Blyth and you could see them on the streets of Newcastle etc:, and if I recall they used to be all from origins abroad , now the only thing I can't remember is the price they where back when ?????, but I do know the price now which  is £2 ,not sure what you get for that  though...........could be just the one,very large ! .looking on old google the "Hot Chestnut " section it seems I have been missing out as among other things  you can hire the actual ovens for your party ,anyone for a roasting ??, probably not me though I never even got to a Fondue party .

Name That Bird..............!!!!

Tuesday I called at Cresswell , huge number of Wigeon & Teal present , Long Tailed Duck, Scaup, and 4 mergansers present also about 5-6 Goldeneye Water Rail calling  c80 Dunlin dropped in with 2 Knot 85 Curlew and 2 bar Tailed Godwit, good light in between heavy showers , Barn Owl showed briefly till more heavy rain not a bad couple of hours actually apart from no photos I do not have a Digiscope camera now going to have to get one for those longer shots etc:, today sorting through my stuff on the computer I came across this, it was a card I  got sent , most are easy but one still eludes me , so I thought I would include here to make up for lack of photos of aforementioned birds ,but only one of these where seen at Cresswell 

Med Gull PAU2 ...Header

Details received of Med Gull PAU2 as featured in the header.

Ornithological Station
Museum and Institute of Zoology Polish Academy of Sciences
Nadwiślańska 108, 80-680 Gdańsk 40, Poland
phone (+48 58) 308-07-59, fax (+48 58) 308-09-82
e-mail: monikaz@miiz.waw.pl



Sightings and recoveries relating to the Polish colour-ringing programme of Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus

Status
O trapped and ringed R roosting
V controlled; ring read * ring found
T controlled; bird trapped A ring added
X found dead C ring changed
& shot
B breeding

Colour ring number: RED PAU2 metal ring number: Gdansk FN 08382

Colour ring position: right tarsus metal ring position: left tarsus

Ringing data


St Date Age Place Coordinates Ringer/observer
OB. 07.05.2006 > 3 CY PACZKOWSKI RESERVOIR, KOZIELNO, WROCLAW, POLAND 50.29 N 16.58 E KOŁODZIEJCZYK, P.


Life history


VB 21.05.2006 > 3 CY PACZKOWSKI RESERVOIR, KOZIELNO, WROCLAW, POLAND 50.29 N 16.58 E KOŁODZIEJCZYK, P.
VB 27.05.2006 > 3 CY PACZKOWSKI RESERVOIR, KOZIELNO, WROCLAW, POLAND 50.29 N 16.58 E KOŁODZIEJCZYK, P.
VB 04.06.2006 > 3 CY PACZKOWSKI RESERVOIR, KOZIELNO, WROCLAW, POLAND 50.29 N 16.58 E KOŁODZIEJCZYK, P.
V 24.07.2006 CRIMDON BEACH, NORTH OF HARTLEPOOL, DURHAM, UK 54.72 N 01.24 W FORSTER, C.

V 18.12.2007 SEATON CAREW, NORTH EAST ENGLAND, UK 54.39 N 01.11 W ROWBOTTOM, M.
V 03.03.2008 AD SCALBY MILLS, SCARBOROUGH, NORTH YERKSHIRE, UK ADDEY, N

V 28.10.2008 WHITLEY BAY, NORTHUMBERLAND, UK 55.03 N 01.27 W HODGSON, M. S.

V 04.01.2009 AD SEATON CAREW, COUNTY DURHAM, UK 54.39 N 01.11 W DEIGHTON, A.
V 25.10.2009 AD NORTH SHIELDS, FISH QUAY, TYNE RIVER MOUTH, UK 55.01 N 01.30 W TURNER, D.

TB 23.05.2010 > 3 CY MIETKOW RESERVOIR, WROCLAW, POLAND 50.59 N 16.40 E KOŁODZIEJCZYK, P.

V 05.10.2010 ST MARY'S ISLAND, NORTHUMBERLAND, UK BULLOUGH, B.

V 21.10.2010 WHITLEY BAY, NORTHUMBERLAND, UK 55.03 N 01.27 W HODGSON, M. S.




Monika Zielinska

Squacco........My Snaps !!!!

Started the day off with a quick look at the sea from Seaton Sluice it had flattened off amazingly but the sun was so bright a group of Scoter & Eider was all I had ,called at St Mary's Island only a few Goldcrests around so I headed back to Morpeth for another try for the Squacco..................boy did it show well giving great views as it fed in the shallows, it seemed to have no problem getting fish the water was not as high on Monday but now a large shallow area with some good cover was its preferred area, the sun was very strong it was a problem to get the right exposure. Mid afternoon it started to fly up and down river  even coming over to land just below the wall a great bird giving us all a good show 

I must have taken loads of shots like this 

                                        

 Not in focus at all this shot but I do like the pose  !!!!

 Off on one of it's flights down stream

 Dropping in with the Mallards

 I think these are set on auto .........and the guys have gone off to the pub !!!!

 Another couple as it drops in on the far bank !!

September ends October begins !!!!!!!!!

What has gone wrong with Blogger   !!!

Just a few images from the past few days trying to get some self found birds with not much luck still the pleasure is in the looking, its great fun staring at bushes looking for movement and how long to give it ,visited Blyth Harbour 2 Kittiwakes with colour rings but as yet can't get any info.

St Mary's Island Pied Fly on the track and a few Goldcrests in the triangle 

Went over to Cambois its a great area but you have to know it ,had a Brambling near the ash docks ,but only Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, and a Peregrine along the old rail tracks ,went to the area behind the  Power Station , Common Redstart & Whinchat .Called at St Marys later in the day as it was still  good light a few birders where looking for a Barred Warbler coming to feed on Elder Berries in the late afternoon it gave reasonable views but would not stay still..

Still a few Speckled Wood around I found the one below just as it had become trapped in a web it was some way off in bramble so not the best of shots but interesting !!

Saturday I was up early and at St Mary's just after first light tramped over the whole area very disappointing . for some reason I was aching all over and decided to give up and head back home passing the butts I noticed the Barred sitting out in the open getting some sun , but there after it became elusive  , a nice male Blackcap also feeding on Elder......  What a contrasting day freezing cold in the early morn then warm sun , but as soon as it went in it was cold I thought this bird will only show again if the sun does .

Barred Warbler at the butts

Speckled Wood becomes trapped in a web and instantly the Spider is down and  finishes it off

It then starts to wrap it in the web not sure if it is also adding  to it !!

Fascinating to watch as it turns it around and around

Bringing the wings in

A neat  and tidy  parcel

Now retreated to its lair