Morpeth / cresswell beach

A quick trip up north for early  new year celebrations,birding with big hangover...3 Waxwing,2 sparrowhawks,500+ Pink footed Goose,28 Curlew north,77 Dunlin north,30 Redshank north,20 Eider,6 Oycks.

Feather from ogden moor

Found this feather on a ripped up carcass on ogden moor today definate raptor kill .There were no other id features but i think I sorted it out.? Would anyone like to guess what it is.??

Ogden.

Ogden to the windfarm and back was cold and birdless , except for  good numbers of Red grouse all over the moor.1 lessed Black backed Gull, 1 Cormorant , 7 Redwing , 4 Fieldfare and a load of mallards and BHGulls around the res...7 herring Gull and a Great spot from home..............

White Crow and X mas greetings

This superb photo xmas card  was taken by a good friend and what a great shot it is.
Today I also saw the White Crow for the first time at Queensbury golf club good to know its still around.It looks a real hard case that crow.

January targets..

1.Great Crested Grebe 2. Little Grebe 3 Cormorant.4 Grey heron, 5 Canada Goose,6 Mallard,7 Tufted duck ,8 Goosander,9 Sparrowhawk,10 Kestrel.11 Coot , 12 Moorhen ,13 Golden Plover 14 Lapwing , 15 Snipe ,16 Black headed gull ,17 Common Gull , 18 Herring Gull ,19 LBBGull , 20 GBBGull , 21 Stock Dove ,22 Woodpigeon , 23 Collared Dove ,24Feral Pigeon ,25 Little Owl, 26 Tawny Owl ,27 Green Woodpecker ,28Great Spotted woodpecker , 29 Skylark ,30 Meadow Pipit.31 Grey wagtail 32 Pied wagtail ,33 Dipper ,34Wren ,35 Dunnock 36 Robin , 37 Blackbird ,38 Fieldfare,39 Song Thrush, 40 Redwing, 41 Mistle Thrush , 42 Goldcrest , 43 Long tailed Tit , 44 Blue Tit, 45 Cole Tit , 46 Great Tit, 47 Nuthatch , 48 Treecreeper , 49 Jay , 50 Magpie ,51 Carrion Crow , 52 Rook, 53 Starling , 54 House Sparrow ,55 Tree Sparrow , 56 Chaffinch,57 Greenfinch, 58 Goldfinch ,59 Siskin ,60 Redpoll,61 Bullfinch, 62 Linnet.+ 3 unknowns,hopefully Snow Bunt,Whooper Swan and Lesser pecker (we live in hope)
Plus...... Pink footed goose and F**** Pigeon.total so far 39.
Going to try and see this lot in January on foot from my house and back....Trips to Soil Hill,Jay house lane and Cromwell Bottom, will have to be completed to get any where near 65 species

Northowram to shelf moor

A good walk today from Northowram to shelf moor.Loads of Redwing on the move north, 1 meadow pipit,16 Mistle Thrush,12 Goldfinch ,8 Chaffinch ,6 Stock Dove ,40 Lapwing and still no Fieldfare.Total 29sp  today and 36 so far around northowram on foot only.
Wednesday....low fog and rain,3 Long tailed tits in back garden and a Snipe over south.................

Seasons Greetings

                (Eagle Owl undisclosed site in yorkshire summer 2012)

All the best to one and all for the festive season and hope its a great new year.Andy.....Tawny owl this evening calling in the valley and a few Redwings and Stock doves but little else......

Keeping it local

http://birdingbyfoot.blogspot.co.uk/

My Footit area

Had a trial walk today within half a mile of my house ,and found 30 species of bird,including 21 lapwing ,2 jay , 6 LTTits,Kestrel,Sparrowhawk,19 Stock dove, 1 Grey Wagtail ,Redwings on the move s/w about 20+ , 1 Mistle Thrush and other common Crows,Gulls  and residents. No Linnets,Greenfinch,Fieldfare,ducks,Geese or |Pied wags,

Quiet walk 2

Same walk one week later,still deadly quiet with a covering of snow ,a flock of 14 goldfinch,loads of corvids numbering 300+ mainly Jackdaws a few Carrion Crows and 20 Rooks.You can tell its cold cos the first Lapwings have moved down from shelf moor with 10 in the horse field today.I did count 70 at shelf as well today.3 Fieldfare,1 Redwing and 2 Mistle thrush.On the bird table Chaffinch,Cole,Blue and Great Tit,Dunnock,Blackbird and 20+ house Sparrows.Sparrowhawk been active but no kills this week around the garden.