The Rising Sun Star

I hadn't seen this fella for more than 6 months and i had been worried for him a month or two back. Having spoken to a couple of people back then and heard that he had been sighted i was relieved. Although i primarily go birding when out and about, having seen this magnificent beast before, i can only describe him as the star at the Rising Sun Country Park. He is a Red Deer stag and must stand over 2 metres to his antlers.
I captured these images at 5.10 p.m. this afternoon so the excuses are being made as i had to bump up the iso. I will however get some stunners one day. Just look and enjoy.

  

Gosforth Park virgin

Yes, theres a first time for everything and this was my first time at Gosforth Park Nature Reserve. Was i disappointed, was i bugg....   no i wasn't. In fact i had a cracking day, cheers John, and picked up 2 new species. Having "dipped" in Kent at Stodmarsh, i was sitting in one of the hides overlooking the shallow lake wondering whether i would spot this particular species when there was a rustle in the reeds and up rose a majestic bird along with strangled shouts of  "BITTERN,BITTERN,BITTERN!". I saw it for a total of 2/3 seconds but that was enough for me, as it rose from the reed bed only to drop back down in a matter of 6 metres. I turned to John who had that daft glazed over look which i'm sure i had as well, which confirmed he had seen it. A first for him also. I'm sure i will see a Bittern again but i remember exactly where i saw my first of all the species that i have seen but some stand out more than others and this will be one of them. This was all after another first for both John and i, but there is a slight snag which i'm sure someone who reads this, if indeed anyone out there likes to read drivel, could iron out for us both. This first was a Redpoll but we are not sure if they were Lesser or Mealy. I'm posting 3 shots of one of these birds showing rump, back and head and could somebody put us out of our misery, PLEASE.
Anyone who has never been, and has thought about visiting Gosforth Park should sign up tomorrow and get along, you wont be disappointed. Sightings included Blue and Great Tits, Robin,Blackbird, Dunnock,Nuthatch,Coal and Willow Tits, Mute Swan,Moorhen,Coot,Crow,Jackdaw,Jay( 4 together),Chaffinch,Dove(various),L.T.Tit,Goldfinch,B.H.Gull,Grey Heron,Magpie,Mallard,Teal,Wigeon,Treecreeper,Woodpigeon,BITTERN and errrrr REDPOLL. Oh yes and whilst putting our gear in the car spoke to a couple who were also leaving who reckoned they saw a Goldcrest.
Below is a nice image of a Coal Tit i captured along with those 3 not so good I.D. shots of what i hope is a Redpoll, otherwise i'll look more daft than i usually do. An I.D. by anyone will be very welcome. I thank you in advance and promise to dance at your wedding , if indeed you are not already married or plan to divorce in the near future.

Just to add, there were 9 of these birds and they were feeding on Alders at the time.

Geltsdale revisited

Following posts on Geltsdale by both Hollywell Birding and Howdon Blogger i was recalling my visit there last year. A return visit is on the cards soon as i would love to experience the Black Grouse lek. I didn't see any Black Grouse when i was there as nor did i see the Black Swan but i do remember it being reported in the log book at the screen hide at Tindale Tarn so this bird seems to have been around for a while. A picture of said bird can be seen on Johns blog www.howdonblogger.blogspot.com and having looked at some reference material it doesn't seem to be some kind of discoloured Mute Swan but a genuine Australian Black Swan. It must have escaped from somewhere.

Anyway the main reason i posted was to recall the strange goings on i encountered when i arrived in the area. These peculiar beings were scattered in and around the villages as i left the A69 and looked for the reserve. The last one was standing at the entrance to the car park at Geltsdale complete with bins!

                                Tindale Tarn

No Bittern...but i'm not bitter

About time i updated. Recent days out with John Hall (Howdon Blogger) have been most enjoyable.The last being to Teesside calling at Cowpen Bewley ( no Ring-necked Duck when we were there) then down to Hartllepool where i saw my first Black Redstart, Med Gull and Great Northern Diver at close quarters.More visits will be on our agenda no doubt and everyone we met and spoke to were more than helpfull and i'd like to thank them.
I am visiting Kent more frequently now as i have a year old Grandson and while down visiting him i take the odd day out to visit a birding site down there. So far i have been to Cliffe Pools, Oare Marshes and Elmley Marshes. This time Stodmarsh was selected and what a fantastic place. I had three species that i had hoped to encounter and managed one. That being the Marsh Harrier, which i had brilliant views of, off and on all day. The two i missed out on were Bittern and Bearded Tit. ( 7 Bittern were sighted the following day) But there will be other opportunities.The site at Stodmarsh is the largest reedbed in south eastern England and is managed very carefully.The reeds must be cut back regularly and the ditches continually dug to keep the water levels and water quality to a high standard. One thing i have noticed whilst visiting all the sites in Kent is the amount of money invested in the management of the land. For example when i went to Elmsley on my previous visit there were huge pumps scattered all around the ditches to keep the water levels exactly as they require. Very expensive looking equipment, something i haven't seen here in the north east. Anyone visiting the area can do no worse than visiting the Kent Ornithological Society website for sites to visit.
Back home i have been at Big Waters the last couple of afternoons and have had some excellent views of the Green Woodpecker. Yesterday i had a good 20/25 mins. watching it feed. It was absolutely stunning in the winter sunlight. Below are a couple of longish range shots. I had a quick visit to the main hide for the last hour of daylight, the highlight being the 17 Moorhen scoffing on the ground in the feeding station.

Green Woodpecker

Hartlepool images

Med Gull

Purple Sandpipers in flight

Tax doesn't have to be taxing

Well it doesn't if you bugger off out when you had promised to file your tax returns online today. Cheviots tomorrow so it will have to be Thursday now. No car so Rising Sun on the agenda. Sky miserable as sin but always glad to be out. It was fairly quiet but i did see a small flock of Siskin feeding in some Alders on my journey up.Called past the Organic Farm which, whilst the snow was down was a haven for loads of birds, has also gone very quiet, even the flocks of House Sparrows were absent.
As i moved along the waggonway towards Swallow Pond i could hear the cries of Black Headed Gulls which, under normal circumstances, wouldn't excite me but on this occasion meant that there was life back on the pond after an absence of possibly 4 weeks. Sure enough, a couple of Mute Swans, Mallard,Coot, Moorhen,Teal and a single Pochard were with the Gulls on the water. Nothing out of the ordinary but a heart warming sight none the less.After surveying the scene for 10 minutes from the hide i stood up and turned only to be greeted by a Robin close by who decided to serenade me with song.I returned the compliment with my not so good imitation of a House Sparrow but the Robin didn't seemed to mind so we continued in a duet.

My partner in song.

 

Teal images Dukes pond

Some Teal shots taken on Dukes pond earlier in the week. Dukes continues to be the only unfrozen water at the Rising Sun and something of a refuge for the parks wildfowl. Although the main area of Swallow was still frozen today,   the reedbeds were showing signs of thawing with some Moorhen able to feed.