A quiet weekend.

The weekend has come and gone with little excitement on the migrant front. The numbers of summer birds continues at a trickle but lots of resident birds seen to have evaporated and raptors seem to have disappeared. A run over the Durham moors and a visit to the Barnard Castle area was only steady to say the least.

Grey Wagtail 

Pied Wagtail 

House Martin 

 Swallow

Siskin 

Wheatear 

Oystercatcher 

Red Grouse 

House Sparrow

Nuthatch  

Dipper 

Gooseander

Warming up slowly.

Summer migrants are starting to steadily filter through the area, Swallows, Sand Martin and House Martin numbers starting to build. Heard my first Sedge Warbler at Dormans and caught up with Willow Warbler today. A couple of Black-necked Grebe were at Saltholme today but didn't come close enough to get good pictures.

 Black-necked Grebe

 Willow Warbler

 Red-legged Partridge

White Wagtail

Foxglove Covert

After speaking to a couple of gentlemen yesterday who were telling us about Foxglove Covert we decided to go and check it out for ourselves today.  Although the weather was pretty miserable it was still better to get out in the fresh air than stay at home.  Especially as it is back to work on Monday!!!! If only I could get an outdoor job.

Well back to today if you have not visited then I would recommend you do.  What a brilliant reserve with impressive facilities.  Would be good to get a club outing there.  The visitor centre has very good facilities, the hides are excellent and the whole varied habit is superb along with the numerous feeding stations.  

We had Siskin, Brambling and Lesser Redpoll at the main feeding station at the visitor centre along with the more common species.

Greater Spotted Woodpeckers seemed to be everywhere and at the Lake hide we had numerous Goldcrest and a warbler which we think was a Chiffchaff although it was not calling.  There were Buzzards over the moor and would have liked to have spent more time there to see what else we could find but as Mick was on nights we had to come home. 

Going to Egglestone Abbey near Barnard Castle on Sunday with RSPB so if anyone in the Hartburn Stockton area is going then give me a ring if you need a lift to save on petrol. (Weather permitting of course)

Lesser Redpoll

Brambling



Siskin

Long Tailed Tit

Chiffchaff at last (Swallow and Sandmartin a bonus)!!

Started the day by visiting Bowesfield Marsh near to home, we were very pleased to spot a Swallow flying through. A walk around marsh gave us Shoveler, Pochard, GC and Little Grebe, Redwing and a Sparrowhawk sitting in a tree by the River Tees.

A trip down to Nosterfield produced a Chiffchaff (at last!!), in the LNR carpark with Ruffand Dunlin on the lake edge, A welcome fly past of a Sandmartin was an added bonus. At Lingham Lake another Chiffchaff was around the carpark and Avocet, Barnacle Geese, (Greylag with 6 goslings!!) and at least 2 Little Ringed Plover. All in all a productive day ..............pity the weather wasn't a bit better, cold and a bit of drizzle (roll on the impending heat wave!!)

 Swallow

 Sparrowhawk

 Chiffchaff

Sandmartin

A much better day at last.

We headed for the hills in search of the Ring Ouzel and after a walk around for about an hour it  appeared near where we had parked the car and we had some excellent views as it fed frantically on the grassy bank.

Ring Ouzel - Kildale

A trio of birds

Wheatear - male

Red Grouse - Male

Red Grouse

Golden Plover - Hawnby

Chaffinch

Robin

Long Tailed Tit

Marsh Tit

Redwing

Still Looking

Sunday went for a qiuck run to South Gare and then over to Sleddale..............still very quiet, the highlight was a Slavonian Grebe at South Gare, the moors were almost devoid of birds just a few Lapwing, Red Grouse and a field full of Fieldfare.

 Slavonian Grebe

 Kestrel

 Fieldfare

Simples!!!