I stayed very local today and didn’t leave the village however I still manage to find some canny birds.
I was walking toward a tree and spooked a Red Kite (I
hadn’t seen it sitting there). It flew off and circled around then landed in
another tree. Luckily for me it landed right next to another Kite.
One of them flew off.
Leaving the other by itself.
Treecreeper foraging through some moss on a tree.
Wren.
Fieldfare.
Mistle Thrush.
My wife walked into the kitchen this morning and shouted through to me “look what’s sitting on the bird bath”. I knew straight away what it would be and sure enough sitting looking straight at me was a Sparrowhawk. I’m pleased to see it back in the garden but I bet the Starlings and other birds aren’t. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy New Year and here’s to some great wildlife photography next year.
Two days I had a drive up on to the Durham Moors in the hope of seeing Red Squirrels in the snow. I was a little disappointed when I got up there because not only was there less snow than we had at home, I only saw one Red Squirrel which was slightly concerning as you normally see at least two running around. The squirrel that I did see never left a feeding box while I was there so I took a couple of shots just to say I had seen one then left the site to have a drive around. Here is what I saw not a lot but it is always great to be out and about.
Red Squirrel, I would not normally take shots like
this but it did not move away from here.
Robin. At least six were around my feet and squabbling
with each other.
Buzzard.
The resident Little Owl came out as soon as I pulled
up in the car.
These Tufted Ducks were on the stream leading to the reservoir.
As were these Goldeneye. I saw around six of them.
A few days ago, I had a couple of hours in the hide at Clara Vale. The pond was frozen so unfortunately no Kingfisher so then I decided to try and get an image of everything I saw (with more success with some than others). The only things I didn’t manage to get were a fly through Sparrowhawk a Magpie and a GSW. Not a lot for a couple of hours but it’s always nice to be out.
Willow Tit.
Tree Sparrow.
Blue Tit.
Great Tit.
Coal Tit.
Moorhen.
Pheasant.
Dunnock.
Blackbird.
Chaffinch.
Stock Dove.
A rubbish shot of a Robin.
A rubbish shot of a Nuthatch.
One of two Roe Deer.
The one on the right looks as though it has something wrong
with its eye.
American Tree Rat.
Female Gadwall, Teal and a Mute Swan on the ponds and that was about it. In the carpark and along the lane all the usual suspects were there and I actually got followed along the lane by most of them, first time that has happened.
Willow Tit.
I saw at least three of them.
Treecreeper.
Female Reed Bunting.
Male Reed Bunting.
Goldfinch.
A couple of days ago I visited Hedley Hall Woods a place I haven’t been to in a very long time. The holly trees next to the car park were full berries and feeding on them were Blackbirds and Thrushes however every time a car went by, they were off. I then had a walk around Burdon Moor just to see what was kicking about. Sometimes at Burdon Moor the birds are really close then at other times they are distant as was the case this time.
Redwing.
Kestrel.
Blackbird.
Buzzard.
Mistle Thrush.
Yellowhammer.
