Friday 11 January 2013

3 Waxwings, 265 Greylags and over 600 Pinkies.

With the sun shining i headed down to St. Marys' via Holywell on Wednesday. I had seen around 30 geese lift from cultivated fields as i passed through Backworth and they headed in an easterly direction so i was on the lookout as soon as i arrived in Holywell Village. Only gulls in the fields to the west of the members hide so i continued on to the public one.  I was stopped in my tracks by 3 birds distantly on the highest tree some 25 metres before the hide. 3 Waxwings. I had to take a number of steps into the quagmire masquerading as a farmers field to get an image. I observed them doing nowt much for 10 minutes before going into the hide to view the pond. A party of Greylags, some in the field some on the water took to the air just as i sat down and disappeared over the treeline to my right. They were probably the birds i had seen in Backworth. The pond was quiet so i left and checked out the tree along the path again but the Waxwings had gone.
High in the sky.
The east flood field was alive with a cacophony of sound lifting from it. 265 geese were strewn across the whole area. I checked them out, all were Greylags but the highlight was seeing water back in this field again. This had promised to be an interesting new site as the field around the water held a large area of mud before the water disappeared underground. I crossed the wagonway to see if i could see any Shorties but none were about but there were in excess of 600 Pink-footed Geese in front of the obelisk. I didn't check these out and was gutted to see a Tundra Bean Goose reported yesterday.
Having spent more time in Holywell than i had planned the tide was much higher than i had hoped so nothing much to report at St. Marys'

5 comments:

  1. There is some very large skeins around at the moment probably topping your estimate at times,nice to see you clocked the Waxwings too.

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  2. A very nice suprise Joe. I bumped into Simon P. down at St. Marys' who was slightly upset i had seen them. He commented that Bob Dack might be even more so.

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  3. Missed the Waxwings as well! But got the Tundra this morning

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  4. Have you had Waxers at Holywell before Cain ?
    I bet the Bean Goose was in amongst them but i wanted to get down to St. Marys for the tide but ballsed that up so i could have stayed. Where did y view the Tundra from ??

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    1. Yeah, back in 2006/07 and last winter. Viewed from the gap in the hedge by the red gate, took a while to pick it out like !

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