Seaton Delaval to Holywell to Seaton Sluice

Last week I went back to Holywell Pond via the avenue then through the dene and on to Seaton Sluice ,trust me to pick the day of heavy snow started off at the church yard beside Seaton Delaval hall with a GSW high in the nearby trees with nothing in the graveyard the large Yew tree not having owl pellets for years now,it was about this time I heard the heavy thunder it seemed to go on for ages but minutes later it started snowing but I was now committed the plan had been to go and find the Pinks being a nice bright day I might have got some shots of the Bean goose , so plan "B" head that way anyway incase of a break in the weather but if not head for the reserve hides. Well legging it through the whiteout  along a track there right in front of me some very large Highland Cattle I 'm not normally bothered by cows etc: but thought the sight of me coming out of the heavy snow might spook them and I can't run that fast with scope/tripod/camera etc: so I gave them a wide berth having to go through all the wet area of the field ,but as it happened it brought me along the edge of the potato field so looking through the gloom tried to find the geese ,not a one to be found  so it was off to the hide . Two Buzzards around first of the year in the parish but not much else a very large number of Wood Pigeons around still, a flock of Curlews over and a couple of Redshank. I headed off to go through the dene and out to the south to look for the geese as a flock of 60 ish headed that way , no Dipper for me along the stream heading out onto the fields looking towards the cem at Whitley no sign of any geese ,they could be anywhere by now. Headed back into the Dene and eventually came out at Seaton Sluice  so I thought why not have a look at the sea not much around but amazingly I did have a Black Throated Diver south passed by a Red Throated heading north. 

 GSW calling from the tree tops

 The path to St Mary's

and looking south

Looking from the graveyard across the fields the Oberlisk to the left

another view of the GSW I thought it may have turned around for me

 The following are views through the Dene all taken with my phone

 A one point there are paths on both sides of the stream with others heading North & South with many permutations

 This stretch being tidal you would expect to be good for waders  but apart form a couple of Redshank thats it .

Seaton Sluice harbour with Blyth in the distance