2020 Vision - a new adventure begins!

Happy New Year to everyone!

January 1st: Hartlepool

January 1st is not really a day for photos it's an attempt to boost the New Year's birdlist with a good first day's haul. It has to be admitted, however, that this particular day was not one for a large number of sightings. Probably because I wasted time in Thirsk looking for waxwings that sadly must have been having a lie-in!

I continued to Hartlepool picking up a selection of members of the crow family en route. Ward Jackson Park was parakeet free. Moorhens and coots enjoyed the winter sunshine.

I snapped this great black-back at Newburn Bridge.

A glance at the pager when I was cruising along the Old Cemetery Road came up with the unlikely announcement that there was a woodlark on the seaward side of the cemetery wall. Next I saw a birder with scope running. I followed suit with camera. Pretty good bird for January 1st!

Diagnostic eye-stripe wrapping round back of head.

January 1st total 56

January 3rd: Sandtoft, Stainforth and Blacktoft

Sandtoft to try to find a pair of common cranes. I had more or less given up when I spotted a car parked down a side road. I turned in and saw a scope on a tripod. The cranes had moved about half a mile to a sweetcorn stubble field. Nice views.

On to Stainforth to see the rough-legged buzzard again if I was lucky. Maybe get some flight pictures. I saw the bird within seconds of setting off on my walk. Later views were difficult as the bird spent a long time flying around with the sun behind her. Anyway, here are my photos - I was very pleased with some of these!

Then on to Blacktoft. Good to see the Spavins.

There were 2 whooper swans at Marshland hide.

A green-winged teal had drawn the visitors to Ousefleet.

A posing common buzzard at Townend hide...

...and a kestrel there too.

Late afternoon moon!

January 5th: Prestwick Carr and Hartlepool.

A return visit to see the eastern yellow wagtail in 2020! This time the sheer number of pied wagtails plus a few mipits made the EYW much more restless and distant. Still, it was good to see it again.

Newburn Bridge, Hartlepool for lunch. A good mix of waders near high tide.

January 6th: St. Aidan's RSPB 

Very quiet. Goldeneyes and goosanders distant from the causeway. A kestrel hovered close by and then landed on a reserve sign. Nice image to finish this post with.

Funnily enough, I haven't seen a collared dove yet. what's happened to them?

81 UK 2020