Rainton Meadows

An afternoon trip to Rainton Meadows today to see the Mandarin Duck. They were always far too far away for anything but record shots but it was nice to see them. A Mediterranean Gull seen from the hide was at one point standing close to what looks like a Common Gull but I’m not sure on the ID of that one.

Male Mandarin Duck

Female Mandarin

Male & Female

Mediterranean Gull

Med on the left Common Gull on the right?

Seventeen Whooper Swans flew over here are a few of them

 

Waxwings

A Tweet from Alan (thedragonhunter) while I was sitting in Thornley Woods hide yesterday got me hot footing it to the club at Rowlands Gill where around 80 Waxwings he had found were periodically eating the berries from a Rowan tree. They were flighty; every time a car went past, they flew to what could be described as a perching tree. Then it was down again to the berries where a feeding frenzy took place. Redwings were also occasionally feeding in the same tree and even this made the Waxwing flighty. I only wish the light had been better.  Great to catch up with Alan again and we had a canny bit of crack.

Love the shapes they pull trying to get at the berries.

Redwing

 

Waxwings

Fantastic to see so many Waxwings at Whickham today there must have been over 100. It’s a shame the light wasn’t better. Hope they hang around until the weekend.

 

Hartlepool Headland

I just could not resist a trip to Hartlepool on Saturday for the Eastern Black Redstart. What a cracking little bird it was but while I was there a Robin was chasing it all over the place. A Glaucous Gull spotted among the other Gulls seemed to be sheltering from the wind. Turnstone, Purple Sandpiper and Ringed Plover were on the rocks while a flock of Linnet were on the sand.

Eastern Black Redstart

Glaucous Gull

Linnet



Turnstone

Turnstone

Purple Sandpiper

Ringed Plover

 

Natural perch or not

I don’t mind I still love taking pictures of Kingfisher and will never tire of doing so. Here are a few I took the other day. A visit to Far Pastures last Thursday and what should turn up but a Green Sandpiper. It wasn’t there long so I only manage a couple of shots but still nice to see. I also saw three different Deer while I was out.

Kingfisher

Preening

Green Sandpiper

Willow Tit

Blue Tit feeding. I like the way it is hanging upside down

Male Roe Deer

Female Roe Deer

A different Male