January 1st ff

January 09, 2014 • Leave a Comment

As the earwig said as it slid down yet another leaf....

Ere we go again!!

January 1st:Cleveland

J1 was always planned as a trip to Hartlepool and its environs. The weather was not helpful but we set off bright and early knowing the rain might put an early stop to things. First call, Sadberge, north of the Dogs' Trust. No sign of dogs or an elusive great grey shrike but we did see the Bewick's swan with its attendant whoopers. Good start.

Ward Jackson Park, Hartlepool, can be a treasure trove for birds and this was no exception: from parakeet to treecreeper including two species of woodpecker [no, not that one!] we clocked up a good number of birds. Mistle thrushes, nuthatch there too - also good birds to see on January 1st. In fact, eventually we reached 71 birds for the day - not bad considering the weather which was much less friendly than last year when we scored 75 in the same Cleveland area. Just a few pictures I'm afraid from the Headland and North Gare.

Guillemot and curlew.

Guillemot

Curlew Curlew

January 2nd Rufford & Budby

I arrived early at Rufford Park to join about a dozen birders whose scopes were already trained on the tall trees surrounding the car park. It can be so easy at Rufford and we soon had views of the hawfinches. Too distant to photograph, I left for Budby. Second attempt. I found the car park near the village which considerably reduced the walk to the crossways.

A robin was waiting for me at the Crossways.

Robin Robin

However from there we walked about another mile, carrying scope and camera until we stopped in front of a conifer. Why? No idea. After a while, having put up my tripod and having hung the camera on it, I was glad to rest my back. Some young birders had walked over to a different, nearby, free-standing conifer. One that proved to be full of [14] parrot crossbills! And the sun was shining. People were scrambling over fences to get near until one chap [to some laughter] discovered the large metal gate wasn't locked and he opened it for the rest of us to pass through.

My shadow is pointing at the tree...

Parrot Crossbill site, Budby Common

...and here come the parrotbills!

First of all, find a nice cone and detach it from the branch.

Parrot Crossbill

Then fly off with it.

Parrot Crossbill

Females do it too!

Parrot Crossbill Parrot Crossbill Parrot Crossbill Parrot Crossbill Parrot Crossbill Parrot Crossbill

Later I drove back north to Broomhead to look for the two-barred crossbills but there was no sign. I did encounter a great spotted woodpecker in poor light at the feeder station. He agreed to stay very still whilst I took his photo!

Great Spotted Woodpecker

A male common crossbill showed up. I think you can see his bill is much less 'robust' or less heavy than the parrot ones.

Crossbill

January 3rd North Cave & Blacktoft

Barry, Sheila and I went out birding for the afternoon to try to see the green-winged teal and some harriers. After some time we spotted the teal and a few other nice birds and headed off fairly promptly for Blacktoft to be in time for the roost. We were very lucky as we saw male [very briefly] and female hen harriers and, of course, marsh harriers. Just a couple of atmospheric images to remind me of that afternoon.

Marsh harrier...

Marsh Harrier

...and the ringtail...

Hen Harrier

January 6th Hartlepool & Saltholme

A quiet day's birding with a redpoll which I saw on the feeders at Saltholme and assumed was lesser but the staff eventually decided it was a mealy - so that was nice. It looked a bit in-betweeny to me. An inbetweeny redpoll. Aren't they all?!

The wind was awful. Best photo of the day was taken with my iphone at South Gare.

South Gare

January 7th Broomhead, Old Moor, Mirfield & Pugney's CP

Broomhead reservoir in the rain, standing by some denuded larch trees about 400m further down the road than the lay-by where you park for the feeder station. I had missed the birds by about 10 minutes. I arrived at 10am: just before noon a party of birds flew in. Double bars showing nicely. Third crossbill species of the year!! Here they are...

Two-barred Crossbill

It was a very good day. Jay and buzzard also from Broomhead follwed by wren and fieldfare at Old Moor. The staff told me to look out for the willow tit in the bird garden. He showed up nicely on the furthest feeders. Then a drive to Mirfield to check the great northern was still on Sands Lane GP [now called Ladywood Lakes for some fishy reason!]. Finally as darkness fell a scamper to Cowood's Pool at Pugney's to see the white nun [drake smew] with a drake goosander showing well in the gloom. At the car park two birders had scopes pointed at the gulls on the water. They very kindly pointed out a yellow-legged gull introducing me to the finer points of identification of a second winter YLG. I wouldn't have given it a second glance!!!

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