Baikal Teal

 08.01.24 I could not resist a drive to Bishop Middleham for the Baikal Teal which is a lifer for me. Although it was a little black dot on the water (it was miles away from where we were) I did manage to pick it up thanks to a couple of gentlemen who let me look through their scopes. While at Bishop Middleham I went for the long staying Hawfinch which showed reasonably well in the top of a tree but I wish I had a blue sky behind it.

This is a 200% crop of the original image of the Baikal Teal and it still looks like a dot.

Hawfinch.

Third Time Lucky

Last Friday I once again tried for the Hawfinch at Bishop Middleham and this time I hit lucky there was at least three in the Hornbeams. A bit too distant for the shots I really wanted but hey ho. Quite a few Redwing were in the field opposite the Hornbeams so I took the opportunity to get some pictures. Off to Hardwick Park next and the Red-crested Pochard showed well. A male Kingfisher was a bonus.

Hawfinch

Redwing

Red-crested Pochard

Male Kingfisher. It was fishing in a small beck, a net covered it and the Kingfisher would fly through this net to catch small fish then fly back through the net to eat them.

 

Distant Birds

Friday in Northumberland and every bird, apart from the Twite at East Chevington which came within feet of me, were always far too far away to get any decent images that’s why most of the images here are all biggish crops.

Twite

Snow Bunting also at East Chevington

Dunlin

Ringed Plover

Dunlin at Cresswell

Dunlin in flight

Golden Plover

Curlew

Male Goldeneye at Druridge

Female Goldeneye

Hawfinch at Morpeth

Taken at East Chevington I think I know what these birds are but just in case I'm wrong any help with identification would be appreciated