Burdon Moor

 Here is part two of my walk around Burdon Moor.

Goldfinch.

It was picking then eating the catkins from this tree.

I was leaning over a wall to get the shots of the Goldfinch when this Wren popped up in front of me.

Male Reed Bunting.

The Skylarks were soaring up into the air…

…then parachuting down to the ground.

Buzzard.

A first for me if this is a Tortoise Beetle.

A Peacock butterfly on a Dandelion.

A different Peacock butterfly on a Dandelion.

A small caterpillar crawling on the wall that I was leaning on.

Burdon Moor.

 Burdon Moor is, to me, a strange place because it is either famine or feast. Some days you can be there and see and hear nothing other days you see and hear loads. Last Sunday was one of those days where I saw and heard loads so I am doing this Blog in two parts. Part one.

This is my first Willow Warbler of the year and they were singing everywhere.

I could hear two very close to each other and this one seems to be taking a dislike to the other one being there.

This Willow Warbler is just sitting minding its own business.

While this one is singing its heart out.

The Stonechats were showing well.

This female is gathering nesting material.

Chiffchaffs were holding territory.

Meadow Pipit probably wondering what I am.

This Meadow Pipit was also gathering nesting material.

This Linnet was on the same fence line as the Meadow Pipit.

Dunnock singing its heart out too.

My wife and I…

 … drove up onto the Durham Moors over a week ago to see some Wheatear so imagine my surprise when we went on our local walk a couple of days ago and came across not one but three males in a horse field less than a mile from home.

Male Wheatear one of three.

I know it’s a rubbish picture but I wasn’t expecting to find these so close to home.

This is what I was hoping to find on our walk, Brown Hare.

Chiffchaff were singing from nearly every hedgerow.

Collard Dove one of a pair.

The other one.

Linnet have returned to the gorse bushes.

This Curlew was in the same field as the Hares.

Derwent Reservoir

 Part two. It wasn’t only Crossbills that used the small puddle to drink from other birds used it too. One, a Treecreeper, did something I have never seen a Treecreeper do, it had a bath in the puddle. There were two Treecreeper around at the time and either both of them had a bath or one did it twice I’m not sure but it did happen twice.

Treecreeper as you normally see them.

It came down to the puddle.

Then it started to have a bath.

It went all coy and turned its back.

I’m not sure if this is the same bird having another bath or a second one having a bath either way it was great to watch.

Female Siskin having a drink.

Male Siskin.

Coal Tit.

Chaffinch.

A Mistle Thrush.

A Goldcrest right above me.

A distant Buzzard.