Great Spotted Garden List

Great Spotted Woodpecker

The bird species at my new gaff are still throwing up a few surprises. How about Kingfisher flying through the garden yesterday, on it's way to poach a few Sticklebacks from my neighbours pond.

The Greenshank flyover was probably less of a surprise!

The garden list keeps growing:

Black-headed Gull
Blackbird
Bluetit
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Chiffchaff
Collard Dove
Dunnock
Feral Pigeon
Goldfinch
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Tit
Greenfinch
Greenshank
Grey Heron
Grey Partridge
Grey Wagtail
Greylag Goose
Herring Gull
House Martin
House Sparrow
Jackdaw
Kestrel
Kingfisher
Lapwing
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Linnet
Little Owl
Magpie
Mistle Thrush
Moorhen
Nuthatch
Pheasant
Pied Wagtail
Robin
Snipe
Sparrowhawk
Starling
Swallow
Swift
Tree Sparrow
Willow Warbler
Woodpigeon
Wren

Bay Watch 09/01

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.

Hazel Catkins

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.

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.

Nuthatch doing a classic pose

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.

St Mary's - bird tables!

On passing by the Brierdene Car Park a Med Gull hung around for scraps.

Gosforth Park - Friends round for dinner

I'd hoped for a view of the Bittern yesterday, but horizontal rain coming in through the hide led to a hasty retreat to the comfort of the feeding station, for a pleasant hour 'shooting' the visitors and putting the world to rights with Paul and Morgan.

Holywell Dene & Pond

I parked up at Holywell village and headed east towards the Dene and then took a turn northwards towards the Obelisk eventually heading back to Holywell going along the south of Holywell Pond. A mild and sunny day meant a chance of taking some photos with some light to work with and without getting hypothermia, again!

On reaching the Dene a flock of Blue, Great and Coal Tits were feeding when a single male Bullfinch flew in to view.

Bullfinch

Then a heron flew up from the Dene into the field above.

Grey Heron

Heading north a flock of 8 Linnet and 15 Yellowhammer were feeding in the stubble field.

Yellowhammers take cover in the hedge

Along the south of Holywell Pond a new path is under construction

Great Spotted Woodpecker by the hide at Holywell 

And on the pond ..... a few Tufties, couple of Gadwall, a Mallard and a pair of Mute Swan.

Mute Swan

Shrike Out

A reported Red-backed Shrike near Shilbottle was gone by the time I arrived. There were a few birders present but no-one could find the bird. Not a bad place to spend an hour in the warm summer sunshine though.

I visited Hauxley NR on the way back and spent another hour trying to photograph an elusive Lesser Whitethroat without success. Plenty of other subjects to point a lens at.....

A family of Great Spotted Woodpeckers at

 the farm next to where the Shrike was last reported.

Tree Sparrow

Orange Tip

Longhorn Moth - 148 Nemophora degeerella