Northumbrian Birding

Saturday the 5th Garganey still at the wetland ,called in to have a quick look to see if the Cranes where still there dead Red Legged Partridge gave me a good view of one , called at Linton Glaucous 1st y, another Swallow+ 3 Sand martins, with three Chiffs singing in the woods,Longhirst flash another Glaucous with 1st y Iceland & 14 Whooper, Bothal pond 2 Ringed Plover and about a dozen Sand Martins .
8th an afternoon at St Marys no sign of the Garganeys, Fox spent the whole afternoon asleep in the grass I waited for it to get up for some action but it was still there when I left, no sign of the Water Pipit either, water levels here also very high and plenty of water in the fields .
9th Bothal pond was the first stop not much to report there, Longhirst the next stop I was just pulling in to the gap by the trees when I noticed a Stoat with it's head down a hole right out in the open it ran away into the hedge,so I reversed out quickly and it looked at me from behind the tree,and went back to digging in the hole after a Vole perhaps, I was just going to get what I thought was some great shots when a car pulled into the gap and it was off, the annoying thing was they just sat in the car trying to look over the hedge with bins your not going to see much here with that approach,a good chance missed for me I was gutted !! ,2 Buzzards over ,Linton had a 1st y Glaucous but it was great to see a Little Gull feeding on and from the water looked very small amongst the Herring & Black Backs,ended the day with 2 Barn Owls they showed well but the light was very poor.
10th Tried for the reported Great Grey Shrike with no luck 1st Wheatears for the year with 2 males weather very changeable plenty of Sand Martins over the pools water levels very high here and at Cresswell.
Garganey at StMary's just a different view from under the chin looking like a platypus
Curlews into the wetland as I waited for the Fox to get up !!
Little Gull looking small and dainty amongst the big boys !!


Barn Owl showed well but the light was very poor

Digiscoped Barn Owl about 1/2 sec exposure
My first Wheatear of the year ,one of two from Druridge to East Chevington