A Better Day at Last.

Little Owls

Siskin

Crossbill - male

Crossbill - female

Wigeon - Seaton Common 26.2.11

Kestrel - North Gare 24.2.11

Female Smew at Hurworth Burn Reservoir on 24.2.11

Have not done as much as I would have liked this week what with the weather and visiting hospital but have managed to get out and about today. Decided to have a run over to The Stang Forest and Tan Hill today and visit as many sites on route as possible. Checked out some smaller ponds on the way including Smallways Lake on the A66 which had good numbers of ducks and geese including a single Bean Goose.

Stopped for lunch in the Stang where we managed to see a flock of Siskin and 5 Crossbill including a very colourful male. We also saw a large raptor which we are sure was a Goshawk. Further up the road at Shaw Farm we had 12 Black Grouse, a large flock of winter thrushes and Golden Plover. As we approached Tan Hill Pub we saw a raptor soaring over the moor which turned out to be a female Hen Harrier and further along the road two Raven and two Skylark.

On the way home we also managed to see two Little Owl sitting together near Hurworth in Darlington.

A Day in the Lakes.

Goosander

Heron

Got up early today, made a picnic and headed over the Pennines to the Lake District. The weather was cold and visibility not too good but we had a really good day. Had a walk around the lake at Grasmere before heading off to Ambleside and then onto Windermere. The only birds of note were lots of Goosander on most lakes, Goldeneye, Nuthatch and a Yellow Legged Gull at Bowness.

Scraping the Barrel.

Buzzard - Crathorne

Seal - Greatham Creek

Mute Swan

Coot

Well it has been weeks since we have posted anything on our blog but hopefully this is about to change. What with the weather and having to rely on weekends to get out and about things have not been too good of late. Sylvia is now on a weeks holiday and weather permitting she may get out and about and get some half decent photos. In the meantime you will have to make do with what's here. We have not even been able to catch up with the Green Winged Teal at Bowesfield but it isn't that we haven't tried. We did however manage to see three buzzards today on our travels. One at Crathorne and two circling above woodland near Carlton In Cleveland, all three just outside our area in North Yorkshire. We also caught up with at least 100 waxwing in Thornaby but the weather was too dull and dreary for any photos.