Teesmouth Friday........continued.

Having left the big lens brigade at Hartlepool i called off at Seaton Common with thoughts of a wander around the site. The skies blackened however and i thought better of it. Driving away the heavens did indeed open.

Meadow Pipit watching the rain edge closer.  WHERE'S Y BROLLY !!

An intended visit to the Saline Lagoon was aborted and i continued on to Dormans Pool. Driving through clouds of Swifts criss crossing the road between the pools just outside Saltholme the rain had stopped as i arrived at Dormans.A slow drive along the track to the top car park brought me song of Willow Warbler, Chiff chaff, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting and Black cap but not the hoped for Cettis. Dropped back to park at Saltholme, not to visit the reserve, but to have a look at the 2 male Garganey on the Fire Station Floods which i did, if distantly. Leaving the screen and joining the main path a Fox trotted towards me. It stopped in its tracks as did i, we made eye contact and it happily trotted past no more than a metre away with the evening meal in its mouth.

Keep your eyes off me tea.

I'm away off for it now.

Called into the Phil Stead hide for 15 minutes as another heavy shower passed overhead and had views of nesting Little Grebe and a Little Egret which had been getting grief from a Grey Heron i was informed.
Cowpen Bewley was the obvious stop off on the return journey although time was limited. The Nightingale chose not to sing in the short time i was there but a Cuckoo did make its presence known but the calls came from 2 different locations then stopped so it seemed like it was passing through.