Four Candles

With snow today, and Robins in the garden, the trusted garden fork was strategically placed to get a classic Christmas card shot. They landed everywhere but!

Baltic

A trip to Maud Terrace in West Allotment, to photograph Waxwings, was a chilling experience. I arrived to find 25 birds in a ringer's mist net. After assisting in extracting and bagging them, I stood with a couple of photographers waiting for the birds to return to feed on the Rowan berries. It was a fruitless wait, and only prolonged by a kind resident who popped out with a much needed cup of coffee.

The birds kept promising to land but a Mistle Thrush was on guard, and after two hours I was  hypothermic.

As a consolation I snapped a few garden visitors before beelining for a hot lamb casserole.

Bolam Lake

An unproductive trip to Harwood Forest was made up for a visit to Bolam Lake on the way back. The birds here are so tame in the winter months as visitors leave seed around the visitors centre.

Robin

Coal Tit

Bunting & Lark Fest

Can you spot the Buntings & Larks?

Thanks to a constant supply of seed from local birders, St Mary's is still pulling in Skylarks, Snow Buntings, Lapland Buntings, Reed Buntings and Twite. And the Black Redstart is still on the beach at Hartley just north of St Mary's Island.

Heads down for the feast

Skylarks are less confiding now they have a good energy source

Seasons Greetings

Wot. No Green-winged Teal?

Er no, but I had a nice walk from Whitley Bay along the Waggonway to Holywell Dene and then onto St Mary's Wetland and home along the beach for Sunday lunch at the world famous Cottage Kitchen. I got home just as the heavens opened - perfect timing.

I saw 43 species including my first Treecreeper of the year and my first on patch Bullfinches. And that Med Gull again (Brierdene car park)- whereas a few weeks ago I couldn't find it, now it seems to be stalking me.

Pied Wagtail in 'paddy field' along the Waggonway

Holywell Dene - White water rafting anyone?

Robin singing in Holywell Dene. Another sings further down the track and a Wren joins in.

PS. If I can shake a leg early tomorrow there maybe some Green-winged Teal action tomorrow :)

A Sound Day

Sunday was perfect for trying out my new toy, an Edirol R-09HR Wave/MP3 Recorder. Perfect because there was no wind and the birds were singing. The results are further down this blog - best with head phones. The heavy breathing and slobbering is Dill my Golden Retreiver, not me.

I started my walk of the patch from the start of the waggonway in Monkseaton and headed north as far as the Brierdene where the fields to the north had 200 geese, mostly Greylag and 30 or so Pink-Foot.

The waggonway was alive with birds, Great Tit, Robin, Magpie, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Dunnock, Robin, House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Blackbird.

I took a turn east at the start of the Brierdene and headed across to St Mary's Wetland.

 

The Brierdene

 Greylag & Pink-Foot Geese

 

St Mary's Wetland

Here's a few recordings I took along the way.


Blackbird in my neighbours garden.


A flock of Long-tailed Tit pass along the waggonway.


A Magpie is nearby as a Greenfinch sings.


A Blue Tit sings.


A Robin in full song.


Great Tit sings as the Brierdene flows by.


The sound of St Mary's Wetland. See how many species you can pick out.