Cresswell to Hauxley 17-5-09

Cycled from Cresswell to Hauxley on Sunday, checked over Cresswell from the road and Bells as I topped the hill, Druridge the Spoonbill was over the far side head tucked in it came over to the pool and got chased by a heron a couple of times, Otters on the main pool, East Chevington the northpool south end is getting shallower attracting gulls and about 12 Sandwich Terns , I checked out the pond near the visitor centre in the hope of a marsh tern plenty of Black headeds and a Little Gull.
Hauxley I only got as far as the Ponteland hide already three photographers in and it was only a Lesser Black Backed sitting on the edge that got me to stay ,everyone left , the Lesser called and was joined by another it coughed up a chick looks like Moorhen or Coot , which the smaller bird swallowed and they circled and called pair bonding, four Whimbrel dropped in settled for a bathe giving my best views yet of them, they where there for some time till something spooked them and they took off calling loudly. Common Sandpiper, Redshank & Heron near the hide a Little Ringed Plover dropped in but some way off it did work its way over but seemed to take forever, a Helicopter pushed all the Geese onto the pond including 2 Pinkfeet and the 2 Bar headed Geese

Spoonbill drops onto the pond to feed.

pushed over by a Heron it drops in again

Little Gull

I took lots of shots of these two as they pair bonded, the female coughed it back up again as it was sticking in the throat ,it took it over to the water dipped it and re-swallowed......nice. I will put the run onto my Gulls blog.

Thats my girl !!!!!!!!!!

You just have to take shots of Pied Wagtails when they show so well !!!!!!!

Four Whimbrel drop in they called more like Curlew, but gave the loud flight call as they left

Nice to see at close range for a change

One of the Bar-headed Geese

Heron works the area from the hide

Little Ringed Plover