Fire and Gold

Back at home again this weekend so I went with SH and DMcK to do the WEBS count at Castle Island this morning.
After a fairly quiet count we headed for Newbiggin and the Mound.
Just as we were about to turn into Newbiggin Steve got a call saying that the Radde’s Warbler was at Druridge Pools again.
We thought we would have a go at the Radde’s first so drove straight to Druridge.

We went to the area where the Radde’s had been reported but after a half an hour wait without a sniff of any Warbler we went to the Main Pool Hide.
The Glossy Ibis was tucked into the far left corner bordering the reeds and I got brief views as it waded through the water. Also a pair of Scaup were swimming and diving along the back of the pool.

Instead of going to the Mound we went to St.Mary’s instead where news of three Yellow Browed and a Firecrest was filtering through.
When we got to the north end of the wetland we had just missed the Firecrest by ten minutes and were told that it had gone back into deeper cover.
A Yellow Browed Warbler called nearby but never showed so we walked around to the
other side of the willows to get a better angle.
It soon paid off as a Yellow Browed Warbler moved quickly through the trees and out of sight.
Although I did see a bird move through the trees I cannot comfortably say what it was so it looks like I will have to wait for another day to see a Yellow browed.
Whilst it moved through the willows it flushed out a Firecrest – Lifer.

I always thought the day that I saw a Firecrest I would have a new favourite bird and now I do.
We had brilliant views over a half an hour period as the Firecrest moved through the trees, stretched its wings and even stood still on the branches.
At first I could only see its Greenish back and Lemony wash on its breast but once it turned around the fiery crest and black markings on the face were very clear.At one point we though two were present but it turned out to be a Goldcrest, which was even closer, and probably close enough to photograph unlike the Firecrest which was always diving in front of braches at a photographable opportunity.