No new Geese

The weather was to bad to go up the coast last sunday so Steve Holliday and me postponed the trip until today.

We stopped on the roadside at Widdrington and watched 33 Whooper Swan in a field as well as Buzzard and Sparrowhawk.

A quick and quite stop at East Chevington produced not a lot, so off to hauxley where we spent about an hour and a half from 9.

When we arrived there were 5 Whoopers near the reception hide with Mallards and a Shellduck. From the Eric Hide there were 2 Goldeneye, Gadwall, Drake Red Breasted Merganser, 83 Wigeon, 31 Teal, Carrion Crow, Moorhen, Curlew, 7 Mute Swan (which chased the Whoopers) and 2 Pheasant which flew from island to island.

A nice Silvery Peregrine flew over the ponteland hide.

After half an hour a few Greylag flew onto the water including one GreylagxCanada Goose Hybrid which was to far away for the photo which it deserved. Then more and more Greylag landed, totalling 395 birds including one which had an orange neck ring.

In amongst the Greylags was the Tiaga Bean Goose which landed on the far hillside, but no sign of any Greenland White fronted.

There were also 51 Canada Geese and 5 Snipe viewed from the main path.

Around the car park and feeders there was Chaffinch, Blue tit, Great tit, Tree Sparrow, 1 Starling, 11 Pheasant, Magpie and a Sparrowhawk.

Next was Hemscott Hill Links where there were 90+ Twite in a cow field. They stayed on the ground for a while but occasionally lifted onto the fence. Had a good look at them and noticed the white number 7 pattern on there wings as well as there bright yellow beaks.

At Bells pond there were 3 Whoopers and 2 mutes and 150+ Pink Footed Geese nearby but no Snow Goose.

We decided not to bother with the packed Cresswell hide but manage to see an Otter from the roadside.

Linton Lane next, and first we explored the area behind the lane and flushed out a Snipe.

900+ Pigeon went overhead. A couple of hundred Pink Footed Geese flew out of the field behind the smaller pond, they circled overhead for a while before joining two other groups and then they all landed back in the field.

As we walked back down the lane the Geese all flew off south. I never realised what a noise over 600 hundred Pink Footed's wings could make.

On the bigger pond there were Pochard, Tufted, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, BH Gull, Common Gull, GBB Gull and Herring Gull as well as more Pink Footed overhead.

Last stop was North Blyth where 12 Collard Dove were in the middle of the road. 10 Grey Heron where roosting on the pier with 1 Merganser underneath. 35 Linnet where on a fence and 18 Common Scoter flew across the sea. If you want to see more of my images from today go to Birdguides northumberland page because I can't be arsed to upload them onto this post as it takes 10 minutes for one to upload and then you can't change there size ect.. it's really starting to annoy me.