Cresswell and Druridge beckoned us yesterday afternoon and we were greeted by a very loud Lapwing squawking and flying around the small pond outside the farm at Cresswell. We decided to plonk our butts down on the wall and sit and wait for something to come to us and we were not disappointed. Sandmartins and swallows were doing a very nice acrobatic display over the pond and plenty of Pipits showed well and we got a canny shot with my camera. (see photo on right of blog) We were only sitting for a few minutes or so when the Barn owl flew over and perched on a fence post at the far side of the pond. What a magnificent bird and although the shots doesn't do it justice it was fabulous to see. We have looked many a time for and it to be about and it was worth the wait.....
On the way to the hide a very friendly birder had spotted some Sedge warblers and Reed Buntings so I got my bird book out so I would know what I was looking for. We were not disappointed, as soon as we got settled in the hide a very noisy male Reed Bunting made it's presence known. On the pond there was plenty of Heron Feeding and a few Oystercatchers and Mute Swans were close to the hide. On the far banks Cormorants and Shellduck were catching the e
vening sunshine. An Arctic Tern was displaying it's fishing skills very successfully and just before we left the hide a Coot paddled past. On the way back to the car we spotted the Sedge Warbler but we didn't get a photo unfortunately but we did get a lovely shot of a couple of Stonechats which hung around on the fence posts for quite a white. We headed off down to Druridge for some photo's of the sunset and after a mistaken identity of a bucket being a bird we found a deserted beach. I was looking out to sea for some birds when I saw a fin.....yes a fin just off the beach. Me being a dolphin fan ran down the dune screaming like a banshee, binoculars in hand. Mike was yelling at me to get my camera out but I was all fingers and thumbs and left the photographing for him.
There was a pod moving up and down the beach and another one further out, I did see one breach out of the water but was unable to get a shot. I have always gone to Scotland to view Bottlenose Dolphins and to see a pod so close in was a real delight. It's shame my daughter wasn't with us as she sponsors a dolphin at the Moray Firth.
A great afternoon with 2 ticks and dolphins.
On the way to the hide a very friendly birder had spotted some Sedge warblers and Reed Buntings so I got my bird book out so I would know what I was looking for. We were not disappointed, as soon as we got settled in the hide a very noisy male Reed Bunting made it's presence known. On the pond there was plenty of Heron Feeding and a few Oystercatchers and Mute Swans were close to the hide. On the far banks Cormorants and Shellduck were catching the e
vening sunshine. An Arctic Tern was displaying it's fishing skills very successfully and just before we left the hide a Coot paddled past. On the way back to the car we spotted the Sedge Warbler but we didn't get a photo unfortunately but we did get a lovely shot of a couple of Stonechats which hung around on the fence posts for quite a white. We headed off down to Druridge for some photo's of the sunset and after a mistaken identity of a bucket being a bird we found a deserted beach. I was looking out to sea for some birds when I saw a fin.....yes a fin just off the beach. Me being a dolphin fan ran down the dune screaming like a banshee, binoculars in hand. Mike was yelling at me to get my camera out but I was all fingers and thumbs and left the photographing for him.
There was a pod moving up and down the beach and another one further out, I did see one breach out of the water but was unable to get a shot. I have always gone to Scotland to view Bottlenose Dolphins and to see a pod so close in was a real delight. It's shame my daughter wasn't with us as she sponsors a dolphin at the Moray Firth.A great afternoon with 2 ticks and dolphins.
FABULOUS !!!
Michelle, It's possible that you have had two species of Dolphin as the picture above looks to me more like Harbour Porpoise as the fin is blunt tipped and triangular in shape. Bottle-nosed Dolphins generally have a sickle shaped fin with a slightly hooked tip, although they are variable. The behaviour you desribe though 'breaching' would be unlike Harbour Porpoise and much more typical of Bottle Nosed Dolphin.Was this picture of the single cetacean?
ReplyDeleteThe picture was one of about 3-4 near the shore but the breaching was of a much larger group further out. When I saw the picture I thought they could be harbour porpoise because of the fin and also they swim differently, but the breaching was of a large adult and I definatley think a dolphin
ReplyDeleteNice one which where the two ticks ? you can't count the bucket !!
ReplyDeleteBrian
The ticks were Barn Owl and Sedge Warbler...the bucket looked like a bird...really
ReplyDelete