Lucky Dip Saturday.

Still quiet on the migrant front so THE Howdon Blogger and i kept local again and headed over Gateshead way. The River Derwent was our main target with Dippers the obvious objective. An easy one really and we were straight onto a pair initially. Great to see nesting material being collected and the nest was duly located. Classic spot, tucked in by overhanging girder supports. A third bird appeared and was immediately chased off upstream with one of the pair in hot pursuit.

Derwent Dippers.

 It wasn't just the Dippers that captured our attention. Grey Wagtails and a Blue Tit explored the nooks and crannies in the block work close by and Long-tailed Tits and Wrens made their presence known above our heads.

Food or a possible nesting site ?

Thornley Woods brought us 3 Yellowhammers a slumbering Roe Deer and a distant Jay.
Far Pastures, very little from the hide and enjoyable antics in the car park from 4 Dunnocks.
Lamesley Water Meadows looked good but was disappointing.
The Sherburn Towers bus stop brought us fabulous views of the aerial antics of at least 7 Red Kites. On 3 occasions pairs interacted but one particular episode had 2 birds on the ground. A possible mating seemed on the cards with feathers being tugged but what we perceived to be the female lifted and dropped down again twice more, around 20 metres away but as the other bird approached it moved and eventually lifted. A third Red Kite joined in but this caused the birds to disperse. All the action was just too distant for cameras.