Red-rumped Swallow - new lifer.

The day started well for Sylvia with a Sparrowhawk in the garden. Then thanks to a few messages, Sylvia managed to catch up with a Red-rumped Swallow at tea-time. I was at work until 18:30 when I got the message and dashed to catch up with Sylvia at Bowesfield Marsh. When I arrived I was told it had just been lost from view, but within 5 mins it flew past within 6 foot of me and landed on a distant fence. Managed a couple of record shots before going home very happy.....................might check out the area tomorrow to see if it's still there.

Red-rumped Swallow

Sparrowhawk

Check out that coat!

"Not more sheep photos" said Mick but couldn't resist taking this one. They say it is the wet that can kill the lambs rather than the cold, poor things. Also some photos from the past couple of days.

Pied Flycatcher - North Yorkshire

Male Redstart

Willow Warbler

A trio on the wires, House and Sand Martin and Swallow

Swallow - Crookfoot

Corn Bunting - Hurworth Burn Reservoir

Long Tailed Tit

Linnet

Sedge Warbler - Dormans Pool

Wren

Collecting nesting materials in Swainby.

Dodging the downpours again

Yellow Wagtail

Grasshopper Warbler

Linnet

A quick trip out inbetween torrential rain saw Grasshopper warbler reeling and visible at distance at Dormans Pool. Yellow Wagtail showed briefly at North Gare and a very wet Linnet was there also.

Firecrest

Firecrest

A quick visit to South Gare this morning to see the Firecrest which although mobile gave these stunning views.

Hoodie

Went to Seaton Common to see if the Hooded Crow was still there, it did show at distance in the pouring rain. It was pretty mobile and disappeared for long periods and never came very close.

The Avocet are now sitting on the Saline lagoon island and a Little Ringed Plover was also there.

Wish the weather would improve but no sign for a while yet and the summer migrants are slow in returning.

Hooded Crow

Hooded Crow

Skylark

Little Ringed Plover

Avocet

Avocet (colour ringed)

Not everything is black and white!

Went up to the moors again today to see what I could find before the wet weather arrived. As usual the weather forecasters got their timing wrong and the wet weather arrived as I arrived at my destination.

Not to be totally put off I braved the very heavy rain and located the male Pied Flycatcher again along with a female in the area, a Buzzard braved the rain with a rapid fly through the area being mobbed by Jackdaws. The Fieldfare flock was still in the area (100+).The Nuthatches were working hard and looks like they must have young.

Moved on to another area of the moors to locate the Ring Ouzels, again the weather was like a monsoon when I arrived, but not to be put off - out of the car, into the rain and located the birds (4+) in a few minutes, then back to the car to dry off.

By this time I'd had enough...................back home for a coffee and some warmth!!!

Ring Ouzel

Ring Ouzel

Pied Flycatcher

Nuthatch

Pied Flycatcher Returns.

It was sunny when I came in from school and Mick was on his day off so we decided to make the most of the evening and have a run over the moors.  On the way we saw a Red Legged Partridge posing like a statue followed by a pair of Crossbill perching high in some conifers high up on the tops.  On reaching our destination we had no sooner got out of the car when it began to rain and came in really black.  We did however (without even leaving the vacinity of the car) see our first Pied Flycatcher of the year.  We managed a couple of record shots before the light was too bad.  We also had approx. 100 Fieldfare fly into the tree tops being chased by a Sparrowhawk.  In all not a bad hour or so finished off with fish and chips from Stokesley.

Birds in our Garden

We have put a new bird feeder in our front garden and have had more birds recently than ever before.  We have  pairs of Long Tailed Tit and Goldfinch feeding continually each day along with Robin, Blue Tit, Great and Coal Tits.  Starling visit later on in the day with Dunnock, House Sparrow and Wood Pigeon also.  The best bird this week however was the male Bullfinch which visited one day - a first for our garden.

Long Tailed Tit

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Coal Tit

House Sparrow

Goldfinch

Starling

Robin

Wood Pigeon

What weather, where are the birds?

Have spent the past few days looking for summer visitors but not much around at the moment.  Have heard a couple of Willow Warblers and managed to see a couple of Swallows in Yorkshire but not much in Cleveland.  We visited South Gare after the horrible weather had passed away on Wednesday and saw the Iceland Gull, two Sandwich Tern, flock of Linnet, Turnstone and Ringed Plover.

Iceland Gull

Iceland Gull

Iceland Gull

Kittiwake

Grey Wagtail

Sandwich Tern

Linnet

Ringed Plover

Turnstone

Treecreeper