6-1-09 Swallow Pond

Tuesday I went to Swallow Ponds, there has been reports of Crossbills , so it was fairly bright but bitter cold , first problem I came around the bend from the coast road towards that roundabout beside the pub ,traffic at a standstill but slowly moved forward to find the roundabout was all under traffic light control, eventually got through no sign of any work going on it was very odd, the queue was way back down the road past ASDA to the next garage, what a nightmare,on the return I had to head for Wallsend and come back around, as I wanted to go to Boundary Mills as apart from selling those tasteless Golf sweaters, they also have a good selection of art stuff & there is an outdoor clothes shop next door.
Anyway parked at the centre and walked around the tracks looking for the hoped for Crossbills , the pond was almost completely frozen only a very small open patch , Water Rail on the edge by the screen, why is it they skulk around till it's frozen then sit out in the open, I saw a Magpie mobbing something in the distance it looked like a bird of prey but could not make it out ,later as I walked around that way I saw a Harris Hawk sitting on the fence which flew around giving good views ,very nice bird seems to be at home there, the cold got to me and not much around so I headed off, apparently the Crossbills are still in the area.
View from the steel screen , just a small bit open on the right

Plenty of Teal & Wigeon around

Dunnock just below the screen

Water Rail on the edge

Harris Hawk

Harris Hawk, displaying ????

Harris Hawk, a common bird of falconers