Desperation.

Was my first thought when i saw this Barn Owl hunting in the Druridge Bay area in dismal conditions.

Although the rain had eased a little it was still raining quite heavily and i was slightly taken aback when i saw it. Three days of almost continual driving wind and rain had obviously taken its toll and the Barnie must have seen this as a window of opportunity.

Not great images as the light was awful as you can imagine. The weather is supposed to improve (something i've heard for the last couple of days) so lets hope for all our beautiful owls this time the weathermen are correct.

Cresswell Long-billed Dowitcher

My fourth view of this bird but first time i pointed the camera in its direction. The results are very average but it was on the sand bar to the right hand side of the hide by far the closest that i had seen it. I see this as merely a record shot of the sighting.

Here are a couple of slightly better images.

Bittern, Gosforth Park.

Waxwing. Woodhorn Motors, Ashington.

Nuts

Most folk, especially the missus, think i am and i confirmed the fact by heading out to Gosforth Park in driving rain for a few hours yesterday morning. The bonus was that i had the reserve to myself only bumping into one guy, Peter, as i left. Nice start in the feeding station where i captured the image of the Nuthatch. Treecreeper and Great-spotted Woodpecker expected but always great to watch along with the regular catch at the beginning of December. Not much from the new hide although a dozen m. & f. Shoveler were nice to see dropping in together. Again pretty quiet in the Pearce hide with a Kingfisher fly through x 2 the bright spot. I did spend an hour glued to the reeds about 3 metres back from the pond to my right as my partner who was there during the whole of my visit, a Grey Heron acted as my second pair of eyes. Transfixed and totally ignoring my attempt to capture its attention on 2 occasions it gazed in the one direction for ages. Eventually i got movement in the reed bed  where it stared but the hoped for Bittern never appeared before i left.

Not a nut in sight for it to attempt to incubate !!

Peek a boo

Gosforth Park Bittern

Might have a new header.

Fired up.

Yep, that's how i felt last Sunday at Tynemouth having gotten one of my bogey birds, the Firecrest. I had rang THE Howdon Blogger early to see if i could join him at Big Waters if he was going but he was sooooo busy he hadn't  heard it (that's what he said) i'm pleased to say. This left me to my own devices. Couldn't get out until 9 anyway so when i saw a Firecrest reported at the end of the pier i was off down there. PC Wanderings was already on site and was actually trying for the Ring Ousel which was also about as he had already seen the Fiery One. He warned me that there were a few Goldcrests about and that it might take some spotting. He wasn't kidding. So i started the birding version of Where's Wally. I did get some nice views but getting an image was a different proposition so quickly i decided i would just enjoy what views i would get.

The mouth of the River Tyne on Wednesday at sunrise.

I was out with Howdon Blogger on Wednesday and so we started our day at Tynemouth. All the migrants had moved on and it was very quiet. A quick visit to St Marys produced little so we headed on to Seaton Sluice where we had an hour. All the usual stuff on the rocks and nothing much on the sea until a Short-eared Owl came in off the North Sea. A couple of circuits of the rocks and cliffs being harassed by corvids, it gained height and slowly drifted west inland.
Onto Blyth for the Shorelark hopefully and sure enough it was still there and continuing to  provide close views. I'm sure you've seen enough images of it.
Back to St Marys after lunch and it had picked up a little. Again, many of the usual suspects from the prom. with good numbers of waders building. A Peregrine Falcon suddenly appeared at proceeded to head up to and land on the lighthouse. It was out of sight to us but it soon  swooped down and headed for a flock of  birds and as one peeled off it was straight onto it. Somehow the bird eluded the falcon which looked as if it was going to land on the cliffs but a couple of Crows put paid to that and off it flew. The wetland held little of note on the bird front but a couple of Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers were perched up enjoying the sun. We managed 4 or 5 Goldcrests in the Willows but that was about it.