The Abominable Monster!

Monster in the snow!

Got even worse than this.

High Force.

Lapwing back on territory.

Turnstone

Sanderling

Keeping oneself clean!

Ringed Plover

Purple Sandpiper

Reed Bunting - Mr.

Reed Bunting - Mrs.

Goldfinch

Not a very productive couple of days regarding wildlife photography but managed to get something strange in the deep snows of Upper Teesdale near Langdon Beck on Sunday. Tried to get over to Alston but decided to turn back as the road got narrower and the snow drifts at the side of the road got deeper. Have also posted some photos from Saturday taken along the coast at Hartlepool.

Photos taken by the monster by the way!

Quiet Monday

Great Crested Grebe with fish
Nuthatch

Nuthatch

Tufted Duck

Brown Rat

Another father and son day today, still sharing the camera as no sign of the new lens and the 'bigma' is still getting repaired. Started off at Saltholme but this was quiet, moved over to Cowpen Bewley where things were also quiet - even the Ring Necked Duck has moved away. Tilery wood was a dead loss so drove over to Hardwick Hall CP. A few more birds around here with GS Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Great Crested Grebe to name a few.

Owl Delight

Little Owl
Terrible Picture! - Happy Couple

Hare

Siskin

Golden Plover

Hen on the hills.

Peacock on the wall.

Marsh or Willow Tit?

Roe Deer

Determined to enjoy the beautiful weather today before Sylvia goes back to school on Monday. Managed to get shots of a Roe Deer along the road to Swainby early morning then had excellent views of a Sparrowhawk and a G.S. Woodpecker whilst having coffee at Scugdale. Then we decided to go somewhere we had not been for a while and after lunch had a run towards Reeth and over to Tan Hill. There was still a fair bit of snow on the tops but the roads were clear and dry. The only grouse we could see on the run to Tan Hill were Red but we did manage a Black Grouse on the road back down beyond Stang Forest which was a bonus as we thought we had blanked on them for the day. Also saw another two G.S. Woodpecker along there as well as a flock of Lapwing with 5 Golden Plover and a Hare enjoying the last of the sun. Before we got home we went to see if the Little Owl were on their territory and were rewarded with two sat at their hole and a third further up the road, a good end to a good day.

Corus - TCP - the final sad day.

That's it for Steel making on Teesside.............................what more can you say.

Buzzards and Grouse

Red Grouse

Had a walk around Swainby today while Sylvia did a bit of horse riding (unfortunately she fell off today - she's a bit sore but hopefully nothing more drastic!!)

Very quiet in the area only notable birds were 3 Buzzards flying around Whorl hill. We then took a drive over to Sleddale where again it was quiet, although there was quite a few Red Grouse on the moors. Our day was cut short when we had more car trouble................try again tomorrow.

Knot Purple Sandpiper?

Purple Sandpiper

Knot

Eider Duck

Took a trip to the headland this afternoon after horseriding, it was rather breezy and the sea was a bit choppy but managed to find 51 Purple Sandpiper sheltering along the edge of the pier along with one Knot. There was also a large raft of Eider and a few small groups of Common Scoter along with the usual Med. Gull. Lots of Cormorant in the Fish Quay along with one Shag and the occassional fly by of pairs of Red Breasted Merganser. No sign of any Divers or Grebes in the Marina. Not sure what to do or where to go next week but need to try and find something out of the ordinary. Hope the weather does not take a turn for the worst as the forcast says it might. Keep putting off going to the Lake District because of the weather. Did consider going to Mull for a few days but the weather has turned wet up there, maybe Blacktoft, Potteric Carr or even Wales for the Black Kite - who knows, probably end up doing nothing.

Ring-necked Duck day

Ring-necked Duck
Ring-necked Duck

Goldeneye

Gooseander (nice hair cut)

Gadwall

Had a run over to Cowpen Bewley CP to see the Ring-necked Duck which has returned, also on the main lake was Goldeneye, Gooseander and Gadwall, a Sparrowhawk was also patrolling the area.

Missed it!

Black-throated Diver
G.N. and B.T. Divers

Common Scoter

Common Scoter

Had a run up to Sunderland to see the Black-Necked Grebe today................guess what..........we had missed it! Never mind, maybe another time. Drove back down to Hartlepool to see if the Red-necked Grebe's were still at the Headland............guess what..........no sign today! Luckily enough the Black-throated Diver (Arctic Loon) and Great Northern Divers were still in the Marina along with a Common Scoter .............a bit of compensation for the birds we had missed.