Pow Hill

 My wife and I had a quick visit to Pow Hill the other day after lunch in the Derwent Arms at Edmundbyers (very nice it was too). We were going to have a drive around the area but the weather wasn’t great so we gave up on the idea and went home (I know, I know I’ll never make a wildlife photographer if I don’t go out in all weathers 😊).

Red Squirrel. The only one we saw and the only image I got

Coal Tit. To say that there were loads would be an understatement.

I have never seen a Coal Tits tongue before.

Blue Tit copying the Coal Tit.

Goldcrest. It was right down in amongst the twigs and it was dark there and they never keep still so I didn’t manage to get a very good shot.

Robin.

 Fungi in some pine needles.

Fungi in some Rabbit droppings.

Clara Vale & Far Pastures.

 It’s been a few days now since I visited Clara Vale & Far Pastures. I went to Clara to see if a Kingfisher would turn up and I wasn’t disappointed, a male did. Although distant he put on a canny show. Another bonny bird put on an even better show a cracking male Bullfinch turned up outside the hide. Once again, the lane at Far Pastures turned up trumps with at least four Red Kite and the same number of Buzzard. On the pond were at least a half dozen Greylag Geese the first I have seen on there for a long time. I will have to get out with the camera again as I have finely caught up and have nothing left to process.

Male Kingfisher. He caught several small fish while I was there.

An unsuccessful dive. If you don’t look to closely you would think this image was almost sharp.

A cracking male Bullfinch eating seeds.

Yellowhammer.

Tree Sparrow.

One of at least four Buzzards at Far Pastures.

A second Buzzard.

The third Buzzard I didn’t get a picture of the fourth.

N2, a female Red Kite, was fledged in Sunniside in 2017 and bred with male H5 in 2020.

N2 checking me out.

This Red Kite looks to have a satellite tag attached to its back.

A third Red Kite.

A distant Sparrowhawk.

A Wren singing its heart out.

Coal Tit.

The same Coal Tit being photobombed by a Robin.

The same Robin.

Nuthatch.

Blue Tit.

One of at least half dozen Greylag Geese the first I have seen at Far Pastures in a long time.

Up on the moors

I had a drive up onto the Durham Moors the other day looking for Crossbill. I found them as soon as I pulled in to a carpark. The were around the tops of the trees all the time I was there but not once did they come down for a drink which is what I wanted them to do. However, some of the other birds did. 

Crossbill.

This Crossbill is being photobombed by a Siskin.

Male Siskin having a drink.

Female Siskin drinking.

Two females.

Male and female.

Goldfinch.

Coal Tit.

Mistle Thrush.

The resident Little Owl.