Durham Moors

 19.05.22 A trip up onto the Durham Moors produced some canny birds. So far this year although I have seen both female Pied Flycatcher and Redstart, I haven’t managed to get any shots of them, but if I get the chance I’ll keep trying.

Wood Warbler. Cracking bird and song.

Male Pied Flycatcher.

Male Redstart. It was chasing the male Pied Flycatcher but lost it briefly and I managed to get these images.

Meadow Pipit.

Female Red Grouse.

Male Red Grouse.

LEO and Cuckoo…

…etcetera has made for a canny couple of days.

A Long-eared Owl, one of a pair spotted yesterday.

Brown Hare one of at least six seen yesterday.

Cuckoo posing on a wall up on the Durham Moors. One of three seen and heard a couple of days ago.

It flew into a nearby tree.

Moved to a different spot and had a bit of a stretch.

However, other birds like this Blackbird constantly harassed it.

As did this Meadow Pipit.

After been continually harassed it flew off.

My first Wood Warbler of the year.

Male Pied Flycatcher

 

With the Governments…

…lockdown restrictions being eased a little I thought I would take a drive up to the Durham Dales. Now at any other time in the Dales the star of the show would have been Wood Warbler however yesterday there was another star. With the help of Clinton, Rachel and Derek I managed to get a lifer, Dotterel. However, this star bird had a canny supporting cast.

The star of the show but unfortunately, the Dotterel saw me before I saw them so every image has the birds with their backs to me.

Now for the supporting cast starting with Wood Warbler.

Followed by Redstart

Then Pied Flycatcher

This is the only shot I managed of the female Pied Flycatcher

Golden Plover

Great-spotted Woodpecker

This is what it thought of having its picture taken

Meadow Pipit

My first Green Hairstreak of the season