Lamesley

A few images from a couple of visits to the hide at Lamesley recently. 

I thought at first these Redshanks were going to mate but it turned out they were having a right old battle.

Snipe.

Buzzard, or as they used to say at the camera club “another bird on a stick.”

Buzzard preparing to do what comes naturally.

Three, not very good images, of one Buzzard chasing another Buzzard off.

One of the Buzzards from the previous set.

I believe, looking at the markings, this is a third Buzzard.

Lapwing from a later visit to Lamesley. 

Over the border…

 …into Northumberland at the start of (I can’t believe it) last month. I haven’t been up to Northumberland in ages so to put that right my wife and I had a drive up to see what we could see. Some birds were very distant (so big crop) some were quite close but it was just nice to be out and about watching them. Oh, and we had a very nice lunch up there in the Widdrington Inn.

A very light Snipe in among the hundred or so that were there. I have never seen so many together.

One having a stretch of the wings.

Little Grebe coming in to land. Once again, I have never seen so many in one place.

It then stretched its wings.

Fly away Teal.

Curlew.

Something spooked these Pochard

However, they soon came back and settled down.

A distant Little Egret.

An even more distant male Hen Harrier (honestly there is one there) with a Crow.

The male was hunting over the fields.

As was this distant Ringtail.

An equally very distant Marsh Harrier was also hunting over the same fields.

A couple of Buzzards were a little closer.

Back to being behind

 And I start with Rainton Meadows last month.

Great White Egret.

It struck

Caught a fish

And ate it.

It stood for a while 

Preened.

Then gave its self a shake.

Snipe.

The back end of the Bittern that was at Rainton Meadows for a while (this unfortunately was the best I got).

Four-spotted Chaser.

Common Darter.

A rubbish shot of a Brown Hawker but this was the best I got.

I was looking for the Small Red-eyed Damselfly but didn’t see any so here is a Blue-tailed Damselfly.

Common Blue Damselfly.