More inland Raptors!

As the title says I was inland searching for Raptors with Steve H this morning further north at Winter’s Gibbet.
On the way up we stopped quickly at Bolam Lake where the Redhead Smew was showing well at the far side of the lake.
Also there were 65 Mute Swans (making some strange noises), 7 Canada Geese and GS Woodpecker and Nuthatch calling from around the car park.

We parked at the lay by opposite the Gibbet and spent around two hours waiting. There was a slow breeze and the occasional shower but most of the time it was sunny, perfect weather to spot raptors in.
In the two hours we had 22 Fieldfare, 20+ Starling, Skylark, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Raven and two displaying summer plumage Golden Plovers.
In the way of Raptors we had 1 Kestrel, 8 Buzzard and 1 Goshawk which after we watched it for about ten minutes was chased by a Peregrine!
It was a male Goshawk, which lifted out of the plantation opposite the lay by and soared over the trees for about ten minutes. After being chased by the Peregrine it went back into the plantation and came out again for another five minutes.

Both Goshawk and Smew are favourites of mine, and both in one-day was a good way to end what’s been a good birding month for me.

Last stop of the day was Arcot Pond were I added two new birds to my year patch list. The first was a lone Greylag Goose which swam the length of the pond, the second was a Curlew which flew over the pond and landed in a near by field.
Also on the pond were 4 Oystercatchers on the dead wood along with the LBB Gull and BH Gulls.
4 female Goldeneye, 6 Mallard, 6 Pochard, 4 Teal and 4 Coot were there as well.
I had 34 Pink Footed Geese fly over CLV on Tuesday.

68- Greylag Goose
69- Curlew