Red-breasted Flycatcher and Pectoral Sandpiper.

Managed to see the Flycatcher today at Hartlepool Headland after failing yesterday, it was extremely mobile so only managed a record shot. Down the road at Saltholme the Pectoral Sandpiper was showing at distance and again only managed a very poor record shot........may be next time.

 Red-breasted Flycatcher

Pectoral Sandpiper

Bearded Tit and Great Whites 'a plenty'.

Saline lagoon on Friday played host to the Great White Egret which gave some pretty good views. On Sunday visited Leighton Moss where the Bearded Tits were showing very well with 8 being seen on the path to the public hide, a Curlew Sandpiper was viewed from the Eric Morcombe hide,along with Spotted Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit and Kingfisher. From the main hides 3 Great White Egrets were seen together and 5 Little Stint.

 Bearded Tit

8 Bearded Tit on the Causeway Path

 Curlew Sandpiper

Great White Egret Reflections (Leighton Moss)

Kingfisher

 Great White Egret at the Saline Lagoon

Yellow-Browed Warbler

Took a trip up to Hartlepool Headland this morning before the rain set in. The Yellow-browed Warbler was very mobile and difficult to pin down. The Red-breasted was absent so assume its moved on, other than a very elusive Common Redstart the Headland was quiet. On the way back home went to see the Great White Egret that was distant in a drainage ditch between Seal Sands Rd. and Holme fleet.

Before setting off this morning spotted at least 4 Grey Wagtails outside our house along with a large Tit flock moving through....nice.

Yesterday we had visit from a cracking Sparrowhawk, it did manage to catch a House Sparrow but managed to get itself stuck in a Pyracantha bush in the process !!

 

Flycatchers galore and a Crane to end the weekend

A large movement of birds this weekend with Flycatchers being in evidence in many places, Spotted, Pied and Red-breasted at Hartlepool along with Yellow-browed Warbler, also lots of Wheatear moving through. 

A Fea's Petrol passed along the coast but failed to visit the Hartlepool coast!!!

A visit to Nosterfield gave us a 'bonus' Common Crane our first of this year.

 Red-breasted Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

 Wheatear

Brambling

 Common Crane

A weekend of expectation.

The weekend started looking for migrants moving through the area, did manage a Pied Flycatcher, Whinchat and several Stonechat but missed out on the Wryneck seen in the area. Decided to have a trip over the moors on Sunday and ended up at Leighton Moss, where we managed to see 3 Great White Egrets, 3 Kingfisher, Curlew Sandpiper and Marsh Harrier. 

Kingfisher from earlier at Dorman's Pool

 Great White Egret

Kingfisher

 Dragonfly in flight and at rest

 Pied Flycatcher

Goldcrest

Glossy few days.

Eventually caught back up with the Glossy Ibis as it toured the local area. Flying between Saltholme, Nosterfield and Staveley and back again. 

The Marsh Harrier is back at Dorman's pool.

It seems to have taken a fancy to chasing Little Egrets don't think it's caught one yet?

Turnstone at Hartlepool

Sanderling at Newburn bridge

 Sylvia had a trip to London mid-week with tea at Buckingham Palace 'cafe' and an afternoon at the theatre watching 'Wicked'.

 Back to normality with this Dragonfly at Nosterfield and a couple of Common Whitethroat at Dorman's pool