Stag night

I ventured up to the Rising Sun Country Park this evening and after hanging around the organic farm area on the look out for a possible sighting of the Little Owl without success i headed along the waggonways towards Swallow Pond having heard a cacophony of sound arising from that area. As i approached i soon realised that the noise wasn't actually coming from the water but from the field opposite. The field had been recently ploughed and had attracted loads of Gulls and something like 300 Wood Pigeon.

   A selection of Gulls including Herring,Black-backed including both Lesser and Great and Black-headed.( click to enlarge)

On Swallow itself there were the same selection of Gulls, Common Terns, Mute Swans, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Pochard along with Coot and Moorhen. I decided to check out Dukes Pond and on the way i bumped into the Red Stag. He is however looking more Bambi and less Monarch of the Glen on account of his lack of antlers which it seems he has just shed. Still a magnificent beast nonetheless.

On to Dukes, which was fairly quiet. The pair of Swans looked to be down to one. God knows how but it means that the pair of Canada Geese sitting by the water may get some peace if they have young. For the last two years a pair of Canada have had goslings only to be driven off by a cob with cygnets.

   A handsome pair, don't you think?.........as long as they keep their beaks shut

Back to the farm and car. Approaching the farm i caught sight of this stunner.

.........and a quick look with the binoculars brought distant views of the Little Owl. A very nice couple of hours spent in Segedunum.

I must mention a brilliant day out with John on Monday which took in Allen Banks, Briarwood Banks, Plankey Mill, Cupola Bridge, Alston and surrounding areas of the North Pennines then back via Whittle Dene and Prestwick Carr finding over 50 species. An account of which can be seen http://howdonblogger.blogspot.com/2010/05/by-god-it-was-cold-up-there.htmlhere