Was out again today with Steve Holliday and D McKeown. First we went to Castle Island for a WEB’S count.
There wasn’t anything much to report just, Shellduck, Canadas etc.
A quick stop at Killingworth Lake where we dipped on the Mandarin and Drake Scaup but I did get my first look at a Male Goosander.
Next we went over the border to Far Pastures to look for Red Kites. In half an hour we had 3 including one overhead.
Nothing from the hide but did have a Willow Tit feeding on peanuts in the Car park where it gave good views.
Before today I hadn’t heard a Willow Tits distinctive call and once I did I recognised it as a call I heard last year near Nelson Hill making it a patch tick.
Next we headed back into the county and across to Allendale to look for Black Grouse.
We checked a field at Sipton Shield and found three males, Lifer, Big 200!!!
I was glad to have such a good bird as my 200th.
On our way to another southwesterly location I saw three Ravens fly over at Sipton Burn, - Lifer.
We got out the car and heard them call, another very distinctive sound.
At the South Westerly location in the county I got my third lifer of the day, a Ringtail Hen Harrier plus a further 5 ravens.
A quick look at Arcot Pond on the way back added Oystercatcher to my patch year list.
200 at last…it’s about time.
There wasn’t anything much to report just, Shellduck, Canadas etc.
A quick stop at Killingworth Lake where we dipped on the Mandarin and Drake Scaup but I did get my first look at a Male Goosander.
Next we went over the border to Far Pastures to look for Red Kites. In half an hour we had 3 including one overhead.
Nothing from the hide but did have a Willow Tit feeding on peanuts in the Car park where it gave good views.
Before today I hadn’t heard a Willow Tits distinctive call and once I did I recognised it as a call I heard last year near Nelson Hill making it a patch tick.
Next we headed back into the county and across to Allendale to look for Black Grouse.
We checked a field at Sipton Shield and found three males, Lifer, Big 200!!!
I was glad to have such a good bird as my 200th.
On our way to another southwesterly location I saw three Ravens fly over at Sipton Burn, - Lifer.
We got out the car and heard them call, another very distinctive sound.
At the South Westerly location in the county I got my third lifer of the day, a Ringtail Hen Harrier plus a further 5 ravens.
A quick look at Arcot Pond on the way back added Oystercatcher to my patch year list.
200 at last…it’s about time.
67- Oystercatcher
2 comments:
Sounds like a cracking day.
I think the Mandarin went into hiding, or back to WW Park to escape the paparazi that invaded the lake :))
Good bird to have as your 200th lifer, ive also had ravens at sipton.
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