The weather forecast.....

......is a wonderful thing.
When they get it correct.
It turned out eventually that i had the car either Sat or Sunday. The affore mentioned forecast said pick Saturday. A pleasant enough morning but a little disappointing on the bird front. Cresswell at day break had very little. 2 Avocets on the main pool & 4 on the smaller area n. of the causeway. The Phantom Hooded Claw.....sorry, Crow has eluded me for some time now. It comes into the same category as the Invisible Bearded Tits of Druridge. A Barn Owl and the pair of Pintail the highlights ( i never get more than two) on the Budge, nowt being the highlight on the Pool. The walk from Druridge to East Chevington and back was brisk, in more ways than one. I didn't get as far as the north pool instead choosing to spend time on the south loop, beach and in the area of the dunes. Two smart Dunlin and three Ringed Plover the only birds on the shoreline with a single nervous Ringed Plover in the convines of the wire perimeter fence, its mate more than likely hunkered down in there somewhere. The walk in the dunes was enjoyable as the dog walkers hadn't arrived yet. Those Highland Cattle are impressive beasts. Skylarks displaying overhead all the while with the sound of Sedge Warbler ringing out when i passed nearby reedbeds. Shelduck continue to been seen in and over the dunes on many occasions.

The south pool loop was no let down. My favourite place to visit when i'm in the Druridge Bay area.
A Sedge Warbler from Chevington Burn bridge was stunning before i climbed the style leading to the circular walk. More Sedge Warblers (8) belted out, sometimes taking to the air. Not so the single Reed Warbler, it was deep in cover, but sounded fantastic. 2 Grasshopper Warblers, one in the centre of the loop and the other in the far hedge both stopped me in my tracks while i figured out exactly where they were calling from. I got some images of the bird in the hedge but small branches spoilt them. Something caught my eye on the south pools rear fence and for a couple of seconds a Yellow Wagtail sat there. It dropped to the ground, reappeared for a split second then flew off behind the hedge and across the field west. 3 Willow Warblers sang in the trees. Looking over the expanse of reeds this is a brilliant place to watch the Harriers in action with the added bonus of the occasional flyover, mainly by the male. Both Harriers showed on and off. Sometimes interacting with each other, sometimes with the local Corvids.

View from a bridge.          Chevy Burn bridge to be exact.

A couple of small flocks of Linnets, 20 plus Golden Plover peering out distantly from the deeper grass of the arable fields and 4 Whitethroat kept me entertained as i headed back to Druridge.