Clara Vale & Burdon Moor

 It’s a week since I paid a visit to Clara Vale, the first time this year. No Kingfisher in the four hours I was there but still some canny stuff and it’s always nice to have some good crack in the hide. It was then onto Burdon Moor where I got my first Chiffchaff of the year.

Redwing.

There were plenty of Ivy berries to keep them going.

Female Yellowhammer.

Long-tailed Tit.

This Roe Deer casually walked past the hide.

My first Peacock Butterfly of the year.

And my first Chiffchaff of the year at Burdon Moor.

Song Thrush.

Long-tailed Tit.

Male Stonechat doing what comes naturally.

Female Stonechat.

Hovering Kestrel.

It dived but came up with nothing.

Then landed in this tree.

There were at least four Roe Deer in the field eating the grass in the late afternoon sun.

Durham Dales

 Last week my wife and I had a drive up onto the Durham Dales looking for (mainly) Black Grouse. We managed to find some in a couple of different locations. We were also looking for boxing Brown Hare and once again we did see them but unfortunately, we didn’t see them boxing.

Black Grouse from two different locations.

Brown Hare.

They looked to have already paired up so no boxing.

Lapwing.

Another Brown Hare from a different site looking through a fence.

This Curlew was circling above the moor and at one point it came directly above me.

Skylark.

Lamesley & Burdon Moor

 A few images from Lamesley (I haven’t been there for ages) and Burdon Moor.

Very distant Buzzard with its bait.

Male and female Shoveler.

Female Shoveler.

Male Kestrel with a Vole.

Long-tailed-Tit.

Gathering nesting material.

Goldcrest why is it they nearly always have a twig in front of them.

Reed Bunting.

The same male Kestrel with a different Vole.

Roe Deer in the late afternoon sun.

One of at least three Brown Hare that were in the field all of them ran off when a couple of horse riders came through the wood.

Brown Hare & Red Kites

 A couple of days out last week and there were Red Kites at Burdon Moor and Brown Hare locally. 

Red Kite at Burdon Moor one of two.

A coming together. 

I could be wrong, but I saw them both with what could be nesting material.

Local Brown Hare having a bit of a clean.

Feeling a bit frisky.

I thought I was in for a little boxing

But she could not be bothered

So, he just sat and watched her.