North Blyth

 Weather forecast was for sunshine and showers so I decided on a trip to North Blyth to see if I could connect with the Snow buntings again ,on my way down to where I had seen them before I could see that the sun was going to cause me problems as it was nearly into my face .                                              I had just finished putting some seed out when eight buntings landed on the concrete wall further on I waited a while but they seemed content to stay where they were so I walked round to get the sun in a better position and managed a couple of early shots,I then moved back to my original position keeping the wall in the background to try for better pictures . 

This one was just enjoying the sun on its back.

Thanks for looking every one

have a good CHRISTMAS and NEW YEAR

STAY SAFE

Joe

 

Twite through the bars.

 It was a dull and damp morning as I set off on my quest for more Snow bunting photos at North Blyth. As I parked up the dampness turned to light rain while walking down to where I had seen them the day before that produced nothing and further searching was the same (quest over).On my way back I caught site of a small flock of Twite feeding the other side of some metal railings. Here's a few pics. 

It would appear that the Snow Buntings and the Twite have moved on now.

thanks for looking

STAY SAFE

Joe.

Snowy afternoon.

 Having not had a good morning trying for the Crossbills again I thought I would try for the Blyth Snow buntings, grandad duties prevented me from going in the morning however that worked in my favour with the afternoon sun.

A nice afternoon and always nice to see.

Thanks for looking

STAY SAFE

Joe.

Not my day

 It was a beautiful sunny morning as I walked down the track to the dipping pond to spend a few hours with the Crossbills or so I thought but alas it was not to be,best of the sightings came from along the main walkway and they were always on the tops of the pines so I only managed one decent shot of a feeding female.

When I was looking at this on my computer I came across a couple of unpublished pics from last weeks trip to tynemouth.

There is a lot of photos of this little bird around.

Thanks for looking

STAY SAFE

Joe.

Tynemouth revisited

 A second visit to Tynemouth for the Black Redstart led to a rather surprising discovery in the shape a Woodcock nestled into the concrete structure at the base of the pier I thought the bird was dead,this was later confirmed by a second birder on his arrival. A very showy Redstart had our attention for the next hour or so a really smart looking bird this.

We had both taken many photographs of the Redstart and the other birder left, whilst I was packing up two Crows made there way over to the Woodcock and to my surprise and the Crows as he was just about to have a peck the bird jumped up and flew off here's a photo of the bird taken on arrival and it never moved from that position in the whole two hours I was there .

Thanks for looking

STAY SAFE

Joe.

Crossbills

 Having been to the Rising Sun a couple of days ago in search of the much photographed Crossbills I came away a little disappointed having only seen one singing male at distance and very briefly at that so a second visit was on the cards this morning.Things started off very slowly with only a few fly-byes, birder numbers started to increase to about eight just in time for the action to start here's a few pics.

It all added up to a very nice second visit,well worth it in the end.

Thanks for looking

STAY SAFE

Joe

Tynemouth.

 Having failed to see the black Redstart on Wed afternoon I decided for another try on Thursday morning this time I had more success and it was a much better day weather wise, things got off to a slow start with the bird being very unsettled and at a fair distance it did settle a little but stayed quite distant as can be seen in the following pics.

                                              All the photos are quite heavily cropped.

Its just looking to see if I had gone yet !

They never seem to fail year in year out always turning up.

Thanks for looking

STAY SAFE

Joe.

Redstart !

I had a couple of hours spare yesterday so a quick trip to Tynemouth to see the Black Redstart was on the cards (or so I thought).

On arrival two other people were there with the same intention as me, I was greeted with been here two hours and not seen it yet little did I know that was going to be the theme for the rest of the afternoon,the two people left and I was joined almost immediately by Simon a bit of a catch up followed then we got our eyes on this stunning Purple Sandpiper which stood out a mile from a second bird close bye, if only there had been a bit of sun on it (it was indeed almost purple).

 

These Rock Pipits kept us busy darting and chasing each other around" hoping one was the Redstart."

And likewise this Grey Wagtail

Alas no Redstart but still worth the trip for that Purple Sand.

Thanks for looking

and STAY SAFE.

Joe.

Nice surprise

 A visit to the members hide this afternoon produced a nice surprise and a first for me on the pond in all the years i have been going there.

A flash past the front of the hide first thoughts was Sparrow hawk which i thought landed in the tree off to the left but further investigation proved it to be a Little Owl wow never seen one here before,here,s a few pics.

Shortly after that a pair of Mistle Thrushes landed in the same tree and started calling.

All together a nice afternoon

Thanks for looking 

Stay Safe

Joe.

Red Flanked Bluetail.

 Another tip-off from Paul C saw me driving down to w/bay to view the RFB along with twenty or more other birders ,high up in the tree canopy and being kept on move by the resident Robin it wasn't easy for me to get many usable images at all but here's the best of my bunch .

Very nice to see again .

Thanks for looking and

STAY SAFE.

Joe

Spoony on the pond

 A phone call from Paul C had me making a quick dash down the pond as a Spoonbill was on the island ,this is a first for me on the pond i believe it to be a juvenile bird as it is still carrying its black tipped primary feathers,here is a few pics and bifs as it left heading south east.

Thanks for looking

Stay Safe

Joe.