Nearly four hours…

 …and only one male Crossbill. I’m going to have to go back for the female and juvenile.

A couple of visits…

 …to Burdon Moor over the last few days unfortunately produced nothing but the regular birds never the less they are always nice to see.

Male Stonechat

Female Stonechat

Male Stonechat

Kestrel

It probably sounds a bit daft but at first I thought this Kestrel was a rock in the field until I stepped back and had a closer look

One of two Buzzards seen

Second Buzzard

Fieldfare

A couple of Magpies

I had a drive…

 …to South Shields the other day primarily to see the Snow Buntings that have been there for a while now. They did show a few times but were very flightily flying off if anyone on the pier got too close. A bird that wasn’t bothered at all about people was a very obliging Turnstone that was on the pier wall and posed for pictures. A pair of Eider Duck was also nice to see, as was a Pipit in the dunes. The sea was quite wild with massive white horses breaking near the shore and looked great through the long lens I had on the camera. 

Snow Bunting

Turnstone

Male Eider Duck

Diving Male Eider Duck

Female Eider Duck

Pipit

The sea was a bit choppy

Gull fighting the wind and waves

I haven’t done…

 …any long exposure photography for a very long time so I thought with the autumn colours on show it was about time I did it again. Yesterday I had a walk around the Causey Arch trying out this technique.  I quite enjoyed it so I might give it ago in a different location and I will take my wellies so I can get into the water.

Lest We Forget

 

Burdon Moor

 I haven’t been out with the camera for a few days so I thought I would have a walk around Burdon Moor yesterday. Not much about however I did manage to get some images of a Kestrel tucking into a Vole. I assume the Stonechats have now taken up residence and they put on a canny show.

Hovering Kestrel

The first time I saw it swoop down it came up with nothing

Second time it came up with a Vole

It then took it to a post

Then proceeded to devour it

It had a scratch

A preen 

Then back to hunting

Male Stonechat

Female Stonechat