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| The Waggonway today |
More spring than mid winter, making a laughing stock of the 'alternative' weather forecasters who had this winter down as the start of the new ice age.
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| Hazel Catkins |
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| Gold Finches and a Blue Tit taking a bath. No ice age this year. |
Walking along the Waggonway towards Holywell Dene, I scored early with four Tree Sparrows by Whitley golf course - my first record of this species in Whitley Bay. A single Goldcrest by Churchill playing fields was also quite unusual. I rarely see these on the coast outside of autumn when they can be found in their thousands on a good year.
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| Tree Sparrow |
Into Holywell Dene and the feeders were pulling in the crowds; Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Robin, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Blackbird......... and a Little Grebe on the Dene.
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| Nuthatch doing a classic pose |
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| Great Spotted Woodpecker |
Along past St Mary's Wetland, and I see there are now a number of bird tables. A lone Woodpigeon took advantage.
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| St Mary's - bird tables! |
On passing by the Brierdene Car Park a Med Gull hung around for scraps.
