Druridge Pools/ Rising Sun.

A few images from the last 7 days.
Saturday i ventured up the coast with THE Howdon Loony. We had fabulous light for the first sixty minutes or so, that was it.

Common Snipe on Budge Field

Pony splashing across the Budge Fields.

Now i'm back home i can call by the Rising Sun Country Park at my leisure. Have been enjoying brilliant views of the Short-eared Owls on most visits although i called by this evening for an hour late on and no birds were on view, unsurprisingly the Howdon Blogger had turned up to see some action. There was none to be had.  The Little Owl has been observed on a number of occasions but getting close without disturbing the bird is difficult so no images of that bird. The Bittern is still showing on and off but i'm not a one for sitting for long spells in hides so i will have to be lucky to see it. I see 4 Mealy Redpoll were seen at Swallow Pond yesterday and the lads have had regular views of Crossbills in the plantation.

A selection of Short-eared Owl images follow

A stream of photographers have visited the site with most congregating between the two fields at the bottom of the old pit heap but i prefer to stand on the side of the pit heap hoping for the birds to drift to the western side facing Station Road as the views there are tremendous. You get the birds above or below you as they hunt as opposed to just being at ground level all the time although they do spent more time over the lower fields. Below are a couple images of what i thought was a  Long-eared Owl i encountered before i left one evening last week but it turned out was also a Shortie.