12-02-08 Holywell, The Dene. & St Mary's

Northumbrian Birding
Tuesday and yet another sunny and at times warm day, so got the bike out and headed via the tracks to Holywell stopped at a point where there was plenty of bird activity with Blue, Great & a single Marsh Tit, with Goldcrests then I noticed a small bird picking through an Ash tree hovering now and then to pick off insects it was a bit distant and I could not get any nearer as the tree was in a field got a couple of shots just for the practice, a ChiffChaff which has probably overwintered or perhaps given the long spell of good weather may have moved north, as I was waiting for it to reappear I could sense something behind me turning, but looking towards the light I thought it was a dog going off but thought it would have barked at me, then across in front of me a Fox , it stopped and had alook at me then dashed off into the thick cover, no sign of Red Legged Partridge on the way up I have had 30-40 on this run many times , at Holywell another tree blown down but it lets a little more light onto the pond, a smart white Mallard not an albino, but it does look good (one of the Castle Island crew perhaps see later post) Summer Great Crested, and about 15 Pochard, Goldeneye,Tufted, Teal etc:, Great Spotted in the willows and a Reed Bunting actually feeding from a hopper, I know they come to feeders but I have only seen them feed in the open. A Lesser Black Backed Gull was my first for the year on to St Marys via the dene with nothing unusual nor at St Marys again plenty of Snipe on the wetland , still searching for a Jack Snipe to photograph, no sign of the Water Pipit today, a small flock of geese flew out to sea and landed on the water about 40 birds but I could not make them out could have done with the scope there is a limit to what I can carry on the bike ,but another good day out, the temperature drops rapidly as the sun goes, it was freezing cycling home.
Chiffchaff in the sun
Fox also out in the sunshine

Great Spotted with it's tongue out
White Duck (perhaps one the Castle Island mob)
Reed Bunting on the feeders don't remember seeing this before, but it's probably common
1st Lesser Black Backed of the year