Happy Easter

'Happy Easter'

This cross was at the entrance to the church near the river in Hutton Rudby.

Pair of Dipper along the river

Would you believe that on the 2nd April last year we had Orange Tip, Speckled Wood, Peacock and Comma at Weary Valley and the Bluebells were out!!!!

Waiting

Still waiting for the first migrants to turn up, but still no sign of anything. Had a look around Tilery Wood and Cowpen Bewley today, nothing special except a fly pass by 6 Crossbill.

Yellowhammer

 Tree Sparrow

Robin

Greenfinch

More of the same.

A quick couple of hours birding today didn't throw up anything different. Hartlepool headland gave close views of a female Common Scoter and a fly by Kittiewake. The marina still held the Black-throated Diver and Mergansers. 

Cold cold cold.

Braved the biting cold and wind today and had a few hours over at Teesmouth. I can't remember a time when I have felt so cold, the snow was only light and intermittent but the wind was so cold, the forecast is more of the same, so I don't expect to see many spring migrants for a while.

Today's birds were Avocet at their normal spot 30+ birds now on their breeding grounds and a Male Common Scoter on Greatham Creek. Hartlepool Marina held the Black-throated Diver, Red-breasted Merganser and female Common Scoter. The Med. Gull was in prime condition at Newburn with its now fully black head. At Saltholme it was very quiet with only the usual birds still in residence, along with a female Pochard.

Avocet 

Common Scoter 

 Black-throated Diver

 Med Gull

Red-breasted Merganser

Little Egret 

Pochard fem.

 and nice Mr Fox !!

Not getting out.

No opportunities to get out for the last week as we are surrounded by bad weather and busy at work. Did get a visit from a Sparrowhawk today to brighten things up a bit.

Whiteout

Went for a run over the western moors today. The Stang was very quiet, but signs of birds moving back to their summer habitats with Oystercatchers and Curlew along with Lapwing and Golden Plover numbers increasing. Got some reasonable views of Black Grouse at one of their sites. Across at Kirby Stephen the Parrots were squabbling in the High Street. At Smardale the Red Squirrels and Greater Spotted Woodpeckers looked very photogenic................pity the sun had stopped shining . On the way home we got caught up in whiteout conditions on the A66 without any idea it was coming...............nice if you like hazardous driving conditions!!!!!

 Black Grouse

 Greater Spotted Woodpecker

 Kirby Stephen Parrots!!

 Lapwing

 Nuthatch

 Red Squirrel

 Then it snowed!!

Still quiet on the patch.

A trip around Teesmouth this morning didn't throw up anything new with the exception of Avocet being back on their territory at Greatham Creek. The weather was still very cold and breezy so I didn't linger for long today.

Avocet (New arrival)

 Cormorant (in full head dress)

 Golden Plover (on the move)

 Fieldfare (nearly time to head home)

Common Week

Nothing scarce in the area that we have seen, so have been snapping some of our more common birds. The weather has started to take a turn for the worse again so we don't expect to get any summer migrants for a while yet.

Blue Tit

Marsh Tit

Siskin

Treecreeper

Chaffinch

Great-crested Grebe

Kestrel

Golden Plover

Red Grouse

We also came across a partially leucistic Black-headed Gull

at Nosterfield last weekend.