Glossy Ibis at Saltholme

I had a trip to Saltholme on the way back from Tyneside today and got to catch up with a Glossy Ibis on the new Fire Station Field scrapes:





There were four white morph Snow Geese on Back Saltholme and also a Merlin and Hen Harrier about, plus on Bottom Tank a Grey Plover and Garganey. Keep them coming!

Surfing USA

I had a quick lunchtime visit to Blackhall Rocks, County Durham the other lunchtime to catch up with the drake Surf Scoter which had found its way across the Atlantic in the recent strong westerlies.





The bird was found by Alan Patterson on 31 May 2011. Alan is a warden at Woolston Eyes NR near Warrington and visits County Durham regularly.

Catching up with this bird is starting to ease the pain of dipping out on the Black Scoter off Bamburgh, Northumberland twice recently!

Fairburn Cuckoo display

A few piccies from a little while ago. I had been down the A1 to RSPB Fairburn Ings to try and catch up with a Common Crane that had been knocking around for a few days. I dipped out on the Crane but I did catch up with some aerobatic cuckoos down at Lin Dyke.



Prior to this shot one had also landed on the wires near the bridge.

Tawny Owlet Rescue

I found this bird on Sunday morning with my 3 year old daughter on a YWT reserve and was alerted to its presence as it plummeted into the undergrowth after it was blown out of a tree in the high gusts of wind that we experienced recently. It had become tangled in thorns and did not look at its best.





After freeing it and getting a little begging call, presumably wanting to be fed, it was soon roosting quietly in a low branch, almost on the woodland floor as young Tawny Owls often seem to do.

Spoonbills at Coatham Marsh

I had a very brief encounter with a family of four Spoonbills that I caught up with at Coatham Marsh TVWT on Friday evening. I arrived on site at 18.11 and was alerted to them very quickly in flight. They circled for a short while and kept dropping down into the pools before being spooked by a train and flying strongly north at 18.19.

The quest to get some decent on the ground (or in flight come to think of it) piccies continues!







Bigger pictures if you click on the images to get to flickr.

Frampton phalarope

I had a good day out at RSPB Frampton Marsh down on the Wash yesterday!

Green-winged Teal

A bit late, but still there today. Some footage of the GWT from Newburgh Priory:



...and a little picture from last weekend too:

Ring-billed Gull, Mirfield

Not quite a Slaty-backed or Glaucous-winged I know...



I had a little trip down to Sands Lane GP in Mirfield, west Yorkshire for the long staying RBG that has been present since November and also overwintered last year. Lots of Common, Black-headed and one Lesser Black-backed present plus 14 Goosanders and other wildfowl.