Whilst shopping at Killingworth this weekend my hubby and I popped over to the lake but to my dismay I did't have my binoculars in the car, typical as I was keen to see the Great Crested Grebe. Never mind, I din't give up and we headed past the Swans, Coots and Canada Geese that were hounding us for food and peered out over the lake. I think I saw the Grebe diving way off shore but without my binoculars I didn't count it as a tick. Never mind next time.
Today we had 
a coupe of hours to spare between lunch and being a taxi service for my 17 year old 'larger spotted whinging teenager' so we headed off to Cresswell rocks which was a wash with Curlew, this picture was taken the other day as my photographer hubby was off photographing the rock formations. Never mind there was plenty of Oystercatchers, Redshanks and I am sure I saw a Ringed Plover but it was a quick glance before it popped behind a rock. We then headed off to the ponds between Cresswell and Druridge to find the rickety old hide replaced with a new one. I was quite comfortable despite the wind blowing a gale. I counted at least 12 Heron on the far bank plenty of Lapwing and my favourite Wigeon which were happliy feeding not far from the hide. I was soon joined by a lovely couple who were obviously experienced birders and they spotted a couple of Snipe, they showed me where they were and even let me look through there scope but alas they popped behind the reeds and I didn't get my tick. Never mind I did spot the Shoveler, Teal, Mallard and Black Headed Gulls. I saw what looked like a Redshank but couldn't get a good look at the colour of the legs. I was still straining to identify it when the lady said she saw a Greenshank, after looking it up in my bird guide I am happy to get a tick even though I didn't identify it myself. The bird was very obliging by coming closer to the hide just as my hubby and daughter popped in after their walk along the beech. It was a good couple of hours, fingers got numb, face was stiff with the cold but I could of quite happily sat for another hour or so because there was so much to see and record.
a coupe of hours to spare between lunch and being a taxi service for my 17 year old 'larger spotted whinging teenager' so we headed off to Cresswell rocks which was a wash with Curlew, this picture was taken the other day as my photographer hubby was off photographing the rock formations. Never mind there was plenty of Oystercatchers, Redshanks and I am sure I saw a Ringed Plover but it was a quick glance before it popped behind a rock. We then headed off to the ponds between Cresswell and Druridge to find the rickety old hide replaced with a new one. I was quite comfortable despite the wind blowing a gale. I counted at least 12 Heron on the far bank plenty of Lapwing and my favourite Wigeon which were happliy feeding not far from the hide. I was soon joined by a lovely couple who were obviously experienced birders and they spotted a couple of Snipe, they showed me where they were and even let me look through there scope but alas they popped behind the reeds and I didn't get my tick. Never mind I did spot the Shoveler, Teal, Mallard and Black Headed Gulls. I saw what looked like a Redshank but couldn't get a good look at the colour of the legs. I was still straining to identify it when the lady said she saw a Greenshank, after looking it up in my bird guide I am happy to get a tick even though I didn't identify it myself. The bird was very obliging by coming closer to the hide just as my hubby and daughter popped in after their walk along the beech. It was a good couple of hours, fingers got numb, face was stiff with the cold but I could of quite happily sat for another hour or so because there was so much to see and record.
No comments:
Post a Comment